HIT: Hate Interrupter Teams – Youth counteracting hate speech towards migrants and minorities through participatory and creative campaigning

Project infoScope and objective:The project will develop a new model of European youth empowerment to tackle racism, xenophobia and discrimination aimed at migrants. At its heart is the concept of ‘Hate Interrupter Teams’ (HITs) – task groups of young people (14-19) developed through participatory, inclusive arts-based practices, facilitated by youth workers, mentors and guidance practitioners, intervening in hate speech and behaviour towards migrants (HSBM) in their communities, at school and among their peers.Activities:HITs address the perpetrators of HSBM through creative digital media-based ‘showcases’, imaginative role play and artistic techniques. Stakeholder Boards (SBs) will advise HITs on the design, test and publication of new curricula and guidance based on human rights knowledge and intervention techniques. Together HITs and SBs will reach out to harness the power of ‘opinion-formers’ from diverse fields – media personalities (performing artists, TV presenters, journalists); educators; sport icons and policy makers as sponsors and role models to counteract HSBM via targeted initiatives and awareness.Results:-Production and validation of a transferable European guidance and training curriculum for HITs- A new infrastructure model for sustained networked cooperation between stakeholders, opinion formers and young people to counteract HSBM- Public awareness-raising campaigns counteracting HSBMFunding referenceHIT is a project co-financed by theRights, Equality & Citizenship Programme of the European Commission (ref. 807861-REC-AG-2017/REC-RRAC-RACI-AG-2017) Visit the HIT project website to engage more on Hate Interrupter Teams work here: http://hitproject.eu/