Background
During Refugee Week 2025, Georges River Council’s collaboration with All Together Now went beyond simply running workshops to challenge racism and hateful misinformation — it sparked a ripple effect of knowledge sharing and community resilience building across multiple sectors.
Georges River Council has offered two dedicated workshops. The first workshop was tailored for the general public and parents, giving them practical skills to spot and challenge fake news, conspiracy theories and divisive misinformation. The second workshop focused on community workers — the people on the front lines of supporting and guiding others — equipping them with deeper strategies to counter misinformation and foster constructive dialogue.
By tailoring each session, they ensured that everyone walked away with tools they could use immediately, whether in their homes, workplaces, or community spaces.
Our Solutions
The Challenging Hateful Misinformation Training focused on recognising and challenging racism, hate speech, and divisive misinformation — brought together professionals in positions of trust and influence: youth workers, social workers, educators, community advocates, and local government staff. These are the people on the front lines of building safe, inclusive environments, especially for our young people.
Through an interactive and activity-based training, participants walked away with:
- Practical tools to recognise and address racist, hateful and divisive narratives
- A deeper understanding of the link between misinformation, racism and other forms of hate
- Confidence and strategies to address controversial issues with clarity and empathy
Using real-world examples from media and online platforms, the workshop explored how harmful narratives spread and how to respond effectively — whether in the classroom, workplace, or everyday conversations.
Impact
By equipping these professionals with the tools, language, and confidence to challenge harmful misinformation and hateful narratives, the workshop created a multiplier effect: the knowledge gained did not remain with individual participants, but was taken back to their workplaces, community programs, and classrooms.
The training also empowered participants to respond more confidently in complex conversations, helping to de-escalate conflict and foster respectful dialogue. This not only helps counter the spread of false and divisive content, but also strengthens community cohesion by encouraging understanding and empathy.
By investing in this proactive initiative, the Georges River Council has helped build a network of informed and skilled local champions — individuals who can recognise, disrupt, and counter misinformation in real time, reducing its harmful impact on individuals and communities. The effects of these workshops will continue to be felt long after the event, as participants share their learning and apply their skills in diverse community contexts.
See what our participants say…
Practical and relevant content, informal and interactive.
Participant from an early
childhood education centre
The facilitators’ delivery and enthusiasm – it was captivating and engaging.
Participant from a community organisation
Engaging learning activities, adequate information on the subject.
Participant from
a community organisation
Bring our workshops to your organisation?
Our training is flexible — available online or in person, and tailored to meet your organisation’s needs.
Contact us today to discuss how we can support you.
