Unlabel Campaign At International Schools

Can a casual remark stick with a young person for years? 

Following its successful university debut, the UnLABEL campaign extended its reach directly into secondary school communities to address everyday stereotyping amongst youth. Supported by My Starfish Foundation and led by Raffles University student facilitators, the initiative visited 100 Lambs International School on Thursday, 27 August 2026, followed by Zera International School on Friday, 4 September 2026. These pilot workshops created safe, engaging environments for students to examine casual bias, explore diverse cultural perspectives, and practise active empathy.

The Vision: Addressing “Harmless” Stereotypes Early

In secondary school life, casual stereotyping is frequently brushed off as everyday banter or a cultural habit. Remarks like “You must be good at maths” or assumptions based on someone’s background or accent can seem small, but their cumulative impact reduces empathy, creates social distance, and subtly affects a young person’s sense of identity.

Conceptualised by Visual Communication students Emberlynn Lee En Ling and Lim Yan Shan, alongside psychology students Jewel Drishadvathi Nathan and Tan Ding Jay, UnLABEL was designed to align naturally with character-building and values-based education. By bringing peer facilitators directly into international school settings, the campaign transformed abstract concepts of inclusion into memorable, hands-on experiences.

“We do not realise we are stereotyping until we experience being labelled ourselves.”

— UnLABEL Campaign Insight

Experiencing UnLABEL: From Curiosity to Unity

Throughout both school visits, students moved through a series of structured, interactive stations designed to encourage self-reflection and shared action. Upon entering the workshop space, participants put on wearable wrist labels printed with common assumptions to feel the emotional weight carried by those subjected to casual stereotypes. Scanning these labels unlocked Augmented Reality (AR) visual stories, bringing the hidden human perspectives behind everyday labels to life. Working in small groups with university facilitators, students then played the original UnLABEL card and board game, navigating real-life scenario challenges, earning empathy tokens, and discussing practical ways to support peers facing prejudice. Finally, participants wrote down labels they wished to discard and attached them to the interactive UnLABEL Wall, culminating in a shared closing ritual where students symbolically tore off their labels together and signed a pledge committing to an inclusive school environment.

Building a Culture of Lifelong Inclusion

The visits to 100 Lambs and Zera International Schools demonstrated that when young people are given the space to reflect on their language and choices, empathy becomes an active daily habit. By providing reusable toolkits and facilitator guides, the campaign aims to help partner schools adopt UnLABEL as an annual cultural understanding tradition.

A heartfelt thank you to the leadership, staff, and students at 100 Lambs International School and Zera International School, as well as My Starfish Foundation and our dedicated Raffles University student facilitators, for making these school pilots such a resounding success.

Beyond Labels. Stand As One.