How does a far-right speech on a Liverpool sports field differ from a similar situation in Berlin or rural Bavaria? How do you portray an Islamist as an (animated) character without reproducing stereotypes? And how can you talk to young people from the age of 10 about exclusion and misanthropic ideologies? These are just a few of the many exciting questions that kept us busy during the 1.5-year adaptation project „Small Big Steps - Exploring how to deal with exclusion and extremism“ 

Following the nomination of one of our Senaryon projects for the "Peace Education Prize", awarded by the Belgian Evens Foundation, we were invited by the foundation to plan a new project with them. In the summer of 2020, the Evens Foundation introduced us to Liverpool-based educational organisation Ariel Trust and we immediately realised what we had in common with the future project partner: Interactive methods to encourage (young) people to proactively engage with society, to try things out and to learn from each other. 

Project implementation started in autumn 2020. After extensive research and consultation, we conducted numerous creative sessions to adapt the educational materials "Skills to Resist Radicalisation" by Ariel Trust for free use by multipliers in Germany. To ensure that the materials were actually used after the launch of the interactive website, we reached out for support: in a total of four feedback sessions, a group of interested multipliers from the Respect Coaches programme accompanied us and tested the materials with their target groups. 

Three modules were created in which children and youngsters from the age of 10 learn step by step how to deal with prejudice, exclusion and right-wing extremist and Islamist language in their social environment and on the internet. At the centre of each module is an animated short film that shows a situation from the everyday life of young protagonists. In the exercises that follow, all signs point to interaction: in small group work and role plays, the participants reflect on the feelings and needs of the characters and develop their stories together. In the process, they not only learn to identify right-wing extremist or Islamist statements, but also practise how to ask people they trust for support. 

For multipliers, the website offers accompanying videos and handouts, as well as a handout and detailed schedules that enable them to conduct the modules in three 90-minute units each or as a one-day workshop. Interested? Take a look at www.kleine-grosse-schritte.de!