Powerful theatre project tackles hate crime in Tameside schools

A powerful theatre production is touring schools across Tameside as part of Hate Crime Awareness Week and LGBTQ+ History Month, helping young people explore issues around identity, discrimination and community safety.

Funded by Tameside Council’s Community Safety Partnership, OutLoud has been created and delivered by Hive North as an anti-bullying and hate crime programme aimed at Key Stage 3 pupils.

The project uses real-life theatre to spark meaningful conversations with young people, encouraging empathy, understanding and respect. Each session includes a 30-minute play, followed by a facilitated workshop led by a trained cast of actor-educators.

Drawing directly from lived experiences, local voices and current events, OutLoud offers a dynamic and highly engaging approach to addressing challenging topics. The programme has been shaped in partnership with Tameside Youth Service and local LGBTQ+ youth groups to ensure it reflects the realities faced by young people today.

Through the play and workshops, students are encouraged to explore a range of important issues, including homophobia, biphobia and transphobia, the use of inappropriate and discriminatory language, cyberbullying and digital safety, hate crime awareness and reporting, and LGBTQ+ identity, role models and allyship.

By tackling hate crime and discrimination through peer education, the project aims to safeguard vulnerable young people, particularly those from LGBTQ+ communities. The workshops are designed to challenge harmful attitudes at an early stage, helping to build a culture of inclusion, accountability and mutual respect within Tameside schools.

Cllr Stephen Homer, Tameside Council’s Executive Member for Community Safety, welcomed the initiative. He said: “It is great that such a powerful interactive workshop will be reaching students in Tameside. The team covers such important and relevant topics and guides the students to understand the impact of hate crime and the importance of respect and inclusion. Reaching young people at this pivotal age plays a vital role in shaping a more welcoming and safer community.”

The OutLoud programme forms part of Tameside Council’s wider commitment to tackling hate crime, promoting equality and ensuring that young people feel safe, supported and valued within their communities.