Barbershop Safe Space
WORKSHEET
1. Suggested Use
Social issues and wellbeing focus, followed by B2-level vocabulary and grammar activities.
2. Suggested Activities
A. Project-based learning
Students work in pairs or small groups to create a short podcast-style discussion (2–3 minutes) about emotional health and safe spaces. Each student plays a different role with a different point of view, e.g. a youth worker, student, or parent. They discuss why people find it hard to talk about emotions, how communities or schools could help, what ‘safe space’ means to them.
B. Mediation task: Note-taking, Processing text
Students listen again and take notes on the speakers’ advice for adults and young people. They then summarise this into an advice page.
C. Pronunciation task: Chunking in speech
Have students come up to the board and write examples from the transcript of empathetic language, e.g. It’s okay to show your emotions; Listen to your child. Listen to your young person; Create a safe space in your home; They’re naturally more confident in speaking. Model the stress and rhythm. Ask students to underline the important, emotionally loaded words, e.g. okay, emotions, listen, safe space, confident. They then practise the sentences then use the words to write their own to give to another pair to practise.
3. Vocabulary
Mental health and emotions
emotions
comfortable
safe space
vulnerable
confident
nervous
positive mindset
listen
talk about feelings
self-confidence
Education & community
school
sessions
teacher
students
youth worker
vice principal
charity
academy
Idiomatic language / collocations / phrasal verbs
open up
build confidence
talk things over
create a safe space
feel seen / heard
make better decisions
show your emotions
4. Grammar
Present perfect (for ongoing results):
I have seen a change from week one; The sessions have had a real impact on the students.
Modal verbs for advice and obligation:
Adults should begin by listening; We can help them make better decisions.
TRANSCRIPT
Barbershop Safe Space
NARRATOR:
Not everyone finds it easy to express their emotions. But at this school in London, a simple idea is helping teenage boys to open up.
UPSOUND:
“What makes you nervous?”
NARRATOR:
It may look like an ordinary barbershop but this is actually a classroom. Here, boys are learning how they can manage their emotions in special workshops.
SOUNDBITE - Vox Pop 1:
“What I liked about the sessions, the sessions just made me feel more comfortable.”
SOUNDBITE - Vox Pop 2:
“And I knew how to get out of situations that I knew wouldn't impact me positively.”
SOUNDBITE - Vox Pop 3:
“And it's okay to show your emotions.”
NARRATOR:
The Step Now Youth Mental Health Charity runs this project. The barbershop setting helps boys feel safe enough to talk things over. This can build their self-confidence, and help them get ready for adult life.
SOUNDBITE - Goodwin Deveer:
“If we're able to kind of tap into the young people's minds, tap into giving them a space where they can feel comfortable and vulnerable, then it will help them make better decisions.”
NARRATOR:
If young people are struggling to open up, giving them a safe space might be the key. Youth worker Tony Adade says adults should begin by listening.
SOUNDBITE - Tony Adade:
“I would say, listen. Listen to your child, listen to your young person. Create a safe space in your home, in your school, in your environment, wherever that is, so he can be seen, be felt and be heard.”
NARRATOR:
Professional barber Thomas Yeboah gives free haircuts to help the boys build a positive mindset.
SOUNDBITE - Thomas Yeboah:
“I have seen a change from week one, I believe, we’re on week five now, and I feel like they're naturally more confident in speaking.”
NARRATOR:
The school’s vice principal says the sessions have had a real impact on the students.
SOUNDBITE - Stefan Grabowski:
“We've seen a marked improvement in their attendance, their conduct around the academy and their engagement with classwork. The students are a lot more vibrant around the academy and this intervention has really helped them break down some of those barriers.”
NARRATOR:
Learning to talk about your feelings might feel difficult at first. But for these boys, it could be the first step to better mental health—and that’s something no one should stay silent about.