B4H8 Methodology and Platform: Empowering Youth Professionals to Combat Hate Speech

The Before They Hate (B4H8) project was born out of a shared desire to address issues like discrimination and misogyny, which still affect young people across Europe. Through the combined efforts of Connect International (Belgium), St Paul’s Youth Forum (Scotland), the Center for Digital Pedagogic (Denmark), and Backslash (Spain), and coordinated by Ofsi in Iceland, B4H8 has developed an array of resources to shed light on these issues and combat hate speech. Here, we’re excited to share the highlights of this collaborative project, including our photo campaign, short film, interactive online platform, and a unique methodology created specifically for youth professionals.

Our B4H8 methodology offers a clear and accessible framework for youth professionals who want to tackle hate speech with their groups. The methodology is divided into two main modules:

1. Theoretical Module: This foundational section takes you through six progressive chapters designed to build understanding around key themes. It covers everything from creating a safe environment to deep dives into human rights, hate speech (both general and online), participation, and democracy. With an introduction to set the stage and a conclusion to reinforce learning, this module is both comprehensive and approachable.
2. Practical Activities Module: This second module brings theory to life with a collection of activities tailored to different group needs. Each activity is linked to a specific topic and can be used either in sequence or as stand-alone exercises, giving professionals the flexibility to adapt them to their own context and group dynamics.

To make the methodology even more accessible, we’ve developed an interactive online platform where you can find all activities organised by category. Several activities have been digitized, providing a more dynamic, interactive experience for young people. This platform was built with youth professionals in mind, offering resources in digital formats and downloadable PDFs that make it easy to integrate into your work.

With these resources, we aim to raise awareness about hate speech and its many forms, both online and offline. By equipping youth professionals with these essential tools, we hope to foster a deeper understanding and provide effective strategies to counter hate speech.

Explore the B4H8 platform and access all the resources in English, Spanish, Danish, and Icelandic here.

Download the methodology:

– English: Theoretical Basis and Activities Handbook

– Spanish: Fundamentos Teóricos y Manual de Actividades

We’re thrilled to share these tools with you and look forward to supporting your work in empowering young people!

Keep updated with B4H8 project on our website and on B4H8 Instagram.

The Before They Hate project is co-funded by the European Union..