The Willa Decjusza Association has conducted an ex-ante needs assessment in the community. It has revealed a major gap between public participation in large and medium sized cities versus small towns and villages. Access to culture and education outside school is limited in the latter. Therefore, the potential and talent of young people often goes unnoticed and unutilised thus leaving youth uncommitted to community affairs and civic initiatives. Furthermore, the research also shows a growing pattern of hateful behaviour at school. The faculty appear helpless and claim there is not enough specialised training and resources available to them. The project aimed at involving young people in small communities in arts projects, doing things for others, learning to prevent discrimination and hate speech by using improvisation techniques, music and film.
The project helped 388 young people learn how to use new media responsibly and how to identify hate speech. Young people have changed their attitude to language, learn to react to discriminating behaviour both in real life and in the Internet.
The project completed sever critical observation workshops and music activities for middle school youth in small communities. Based on the workshop, the participants put on school plays and developed a online portal and a documentary video about fighting hate speech.
The project reached out to youth in small communities in the Małopolska, Masovia, Western Pomerania, Podlasie and Warmia and Mazury provinces.
The project was implemented in partnership with the Moma Film Foundation which co-organised the workshops, managed the musicians and helped with film logistics; The 'Sideways Lift' Creative Initiatives Association managed communications with schools and education institutions and contributed to the online portal; Stand Up Polska delivered the critical observation workshop.
The partnership has spawned another project called 'Large Dogs Don't Bark' is a follow-up to the 'Hip hop Hate Stop!' project.