About the WIMPS Dudes
The six characters you see in the logo above, are known as the WIMPS Dudes - each one has a name and a purpose - as they are designed to compliment what we at Public Achievement call the 'Action Cycle'. Our work is based around helping young people to identify and work on important issues in their communities in teams supported by a volunteer 'coach'. You can read more about that here - but meantime, let us introduce the dudes!
The Thinker Dude is about ideas - asking questions - thinking about stuff. Important for example if you are thinking of sending an email to politicians through the WIMPS site, or trying to think through a project or campaign.
The Planner Dude is about working stuff out - how are you going
to go about stuff? Take the time to work out your plans, the order of things - what do you need to do first in your project, then what steps come next?
Action Dude is very much about getting things done! It is great to think and plan, but at some point, you just need to get out there and do stuff! You need energy and commitment, and enthusiasm so that you can bring other people with you.
The Speaker Dude is about making your work public - telling people about it. You need to prepare - think about your
audience - who do you want to tell about your work, and what do you want to tell them? How is speaking with a 'public voice' different to talking to your friends? How do you make sure you get your message across, and get people to listen to it?
Evaluator Dude reminds us that it is important to think about what we have done, and what we have learned from doing it. Evaluation shouldn't just happen at the end of a project - you need to evaluate as you go along to make sure you are on track, or to decide how to change direction. Sometimes we can forget how much we have learned from working together.
Celebrator Dude. Last but certainly not least, remember to celebrate your
successes - it is good to remind everyone in your group that you have all put a lot of work into your project. Even if it didn't go to plan, you can still celebrate working together. Try to find something that everyone will enjoy, and that will be fun and reward for all your hard work!