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Description
According to an analysis carried out in 2007 by Centrum Badań Opinii Społecznej, research conducted by Michał Bilewicz (2014) and the Dajemy Dzieciom Siłę Foundation (2013), youths are one of the age groups experiencing hate speech and cyberviolence most often, which can considerably affect their wellbeing and mental health. 70% of young participants of our previous programme claimed to have come across it. Our studies show that young people can point to signs, but do not have sufficient tools to prevent these phenomena.We will address this problem by running workshops for 20 pupils from schools in the Górnośląsko-Zagłębiowska Metropolis (we will prioritise members of Youth Town Councils), equipping them with skills necessary to fight hate speech and to talk despite differences. Participants will acquire knowledge on negotiations and mediations. We will encourage them to share it with other people in their school. After the workshops, they will run social campaigns against hate speech in their communities, promoting the message that dialogue and respect are possible despite differences in outlooks. Trained individuals will become peer mediators in their schools that can be turned to in instances of hate speech. After the completion of the project, we will organise a conference summarising all initiatives implemented. Together with youths we will also run a series of meetings transcending divisions and intraschool debates to discuss selected vital social issues. Local groups, NGOs and political party representatives will be encouraged to join in.
Summary of project results
An analysis by the Centre for Social Opinion Research (2007), research by Michal Bilewicz (2014) and the Dajemy Dzieciom Siłę Foundation (2013) show that young people are the age group most likely to encounter hate speech. The researches also showed that young people are more likely to think negatively about others than other age groups. Frequent experience of hate speech and cyberbullying negatively impact young people''s wellbeing and mental health. Among young participants and attendees of our previous programme, as many as 70% said they had experienced hate speech and cyberbullying. Our research shows that young people are able to identify it, but do not have sufficient tools to counteract it.
In the context of the social situation in Poland and the war in Ukraine, the AKTYWATORNIA project focused on supporting 16-24 year olds to acquire knowledge, tools and skills in empathy, dialogue and countering hate speech. When the project started, refugees were arriving in Poland seeking refuge and assistance, which created a need for young people to get involved in helping those in need. AKTYWATORNIA met this need by enabling participants to gain the competences needed to organise charity work and increase their involvement in social and local issues.
As part of the project, we organised a three-day outreach workshop, which included empathy and dialogue training. These intensive workshops enabled participants to develop their interpersonal skills and prepare them for organising charity work.
Subsequently, we held cross-divisional meetings, which were an important part of the project and enabled participants to deepen their knowledge on a variety of issues, such as inclusive language, countering homophobia or supporting LGBTQ+ people. These meetings not only educated, but also built interpersonal bonds and promoted openness to diversity.
In turn, charity events, especially the ''Craft Bazaar'', made a concrete contribution to helping female artists and creators from Ukraine, enabling them to sell their works and integrate into the local community. The workshops, on the other hand, prepared participants to design and implement their own social initiatives.
We also organised a debate and a conference, which provided a platform to discuss important social issues such as mental health and Polish-Ukrainian integration. These events not only raised public awareness of social issues, but also encouraged further discussion and action to address them.
The project''s audiences comprised mainly of young people aged 16 to 24, who participated in various types of activities such as meetings, workshops or social actions. In addition, the project also had an impact on the local community where the project activities took place. Through charitable work, social actions and conferences, the project reached a wider range of people who could benefit from the knowledge and experience gained.
One of the main outcomes of the project was the contribution to participants'' knowledge and skills in empathy, dialogue and countering hate speech. Participants gained the competences necessary to organise their own social actions and showed greater commitment to community and local issues.
The project also contributed to building relationships among participants and between them and the local community. Activities such as cross-community meetings and social actions fostered building of social bonds and cooperation in the spirit of dialogue and tolerance.