The digital spaces we inhabit are filled with stories, but truly hearing them requires a conscious choice. We often scan through feeds, watch quick videos, and read snippets of people’s lives without truly pausing to understand the journeys behind them. Yet every perspective, especially those that are often overlooked or pushed to the margins, holds a unique history shaped by both triumphs and hardships.
This was the core focus for “Voices from the Margins”, the second workshop in the Spain edition of the HATE-LESS Train the Trainer series, delivered by Evolutionary Archetypes Consulting SL.
In this profound and interactive online session titled “Voices from the Margins,” youth workers and educators gathered to explore deep listening, meaningful questions, and perspective-sharing, and how participatory video can elevate vulnerable or overlooked narratives to combat online hate speech.
From Thoughtful Questions to Meaningful Conversations
The workshop began with The Hummingbird Question: Acts of Listening Make Voices Matter. Participants responded via Mentimeter to one simple prompt:
“What small action can make someone feel heard?”
They then explored the difference between a question that closes possibilities and one that opens the door to shared responsibility. Participants considered what makes a question feel like an invitation to share their stories, rather than a demand.
The session focused on three connected principles:
- Listen first. Careful listening can help speakers feel more connected and comfortable.
- Protect choice. Empathic, non-judgmental listening can support autonomy and self-esteem in sensitive conversations.
- Ask with care. Participatory interviews should begin with dignity, consent, and the speaker’s right to choose what they share.
Guided by a short visualisation, participants were invited to pause, imagine a young person or less-heard voice preparing to share a story, and consider what might help them feel safe, respected, and free to speak. They then allowed one thoughtful question to form – an invitation, not a demand – before sharing it with the group.
From Question to Voice
In the main activity, One Question, One Voice: Micro-Interview Video Sprint, participants explored the qualities of good interview-based storytelling through three guiding values: Listen. Protect. Respect.
Using the CARE Video Spark framework – Curiosity, Attention, Reflection, and Empowerment – participants developed a short, interview-inspired video message:
- Curiosity: What question invites an open conversation and provides comfort?
- Attention: As you listen, what idea, feeling, or perspective stands out most?
- Reflection: What does this response help you understand more deeply?
- Empower: What positive message can empower others through this reflection?
Participants reflected on these questions and then recorded short videos built around these questions.
Responsible Participatory Storytelling
The workshop also highlighted practical principles for recording and sharing participatory videos responsibly. Participants were encouraged to keep one clear message, protect privacy, avoid personal data, seek consent, and ensure that all videos reflect HATE-LESS values: respect, inclusion, empathy, kindness, and constructive dialogue.
The aim was not perfection or high-production video. It was to create a respectful space where a thoughtful question and a personal reflection could become a small but meaningful digital message.
The Shared Message of Our Participatory Video
During the video sprint, participants recorded individual reflections that were later woven into a shared participatory video. Together, these clips offer a message about curiosity, listening, and the value of giving people space to speak:
“When I give someone space to share their story, I’m curious about what made things easy or difficult for them and what they learned from it. When I give somebody space to share their story, I’m curious to hear what they learned about the experience. As I listen, what stands out to me is how someone passed through that phase. This helps me understand why someone was in that phase of life. Sometimes, those details say even more than words. It makes me realise that both the good moments and the difficult ones shape who we are today. When we listen to each other’s stories with care, we create more empathy, more love and less hate.“
🎬 Watch the participatory video:
https://youtube.com/shorts/zNNjAp_aARY
The key takeaway was simple: every voice matters, and every good interview begins with care.
“When we listen to each other’s stories with care, we create more empathy, more love and less hate.”
Stay connected with the Evolutionary Archetypes Consulting SL Community through our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1308067158032796
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).
