HATE-LESS Building More Inclusive Schools Through Role-Play

EA Editor August 17, 2026 HATE-LESS
HATE-LESS Building More Inclusive Schools Through Role-Play
17 Aug 2026
HATE-LESS
August 17, 2026 EA Editor

Recognising peer pressure, digital bullying, and social exclusion is a crucial step in creating safer, more inclusive school environments. To help young people examine these dynamics from their own perspective, the HATE-LESS project encourages participatory video production, a non-formal learning methodology where youth conceptualise, act out, and film both everyday social challenges and constructive, positive solutions.

 

Exploring School Scenarios Through Student Storytelling

Following a training workshop organised by Estonian partner EESTI PEOPLE TO PEOPLE (EPTP), students from Tallinna Tõnismäe Reaalkool in Tallinn put these concepts into practice by producing a series of short role-play scenarios.

The participatory video focuses on situations that young people encounter in school corridors and digital spaces. Rather than presenting abstract rules, the students acted out realistic scenarios to illustrate how actions impact peers and how active bystanders can intervene to turn negative situations around.

 

The video covers three key scenarios:

  • “Not a Cool Bag”: A student faces peer mockery over his personal belongings. The scenario demonstrates how a classmate can step in, challenge the exclusionary behavior, and encourage a respectful apology.
  • “Invisible”: An exploration of what happens when a young person’s creative effort or artistic contribution is overlooked or dismissed by peers.
  • “A Funny Video”: A group of students films a classmate falling down and initially treats the footage as a joke. The scenario highlights an important digital literacy lesson: recording or sharing content that mocks or humiliates someone is a form of cyberbullying.

 

Empathy, Respect, and Youth Empowerment

By exploring both the problem and positive counter-responses on camera, the student creators demonstrated the vital role that empathy, peer support, and active intervention play in building an inclusive school culture. The exercise allowed participants to build media literacy skills while reflecting on their own digital footprint and daily interactions.

Let’s choose more love, less hate.

 

Watch the Video and Access HATE-LESS Resources

The participatory video produced by the Estonian students is publicly available to inspire educators, youth workers, and students across Europe.

 

Funding Agency: JUGEND für Europa

Learn more about HATE-LESS: https://hate-less.eu

Project: 2024-1-DE04-KA220-YOU-000244181

 

Disclaimer: Co-financed by the European Union. The opinions and points of view expressed are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or of the JUGEND für Europa (German National Agency for Erasmus+ Youth, Erasmus+ Sport and the European Solidarity Corps).