About Design Against Hate program

Design Against Hate is a co-design project led by All Together Now in partnership with Headspace National and Western Sydney University. The project brings together young people aged 18–25 to co-create community-led solutions that address racism, online hate, extremism, and harmful gender and sexuality narratives.

The work featured on this page was developed through a series of three workshops. The first workshop focused on building a shared understanding of the manosphere and the harms associated with it. In the second workshop, participants developed the problem statement: “In the context of rising hate linked to the manosphere, how might we promote active allyship and support young people to have impactful conversations that enable them to call out or call in friends developing harmful ideas?” From there, the group ideated a range of responses and chose to pursue a two-pronged approach: short-form physical resources designed to drive engagement with a more detailed online resource hub. The third workshop focused on refining these concepts and planning next steps. The associated content was then developed over the following months with support from the All Together Now team.

Posters and coasters were selected as the primary physical media due to their ability to integrate into everyday community spaces, prompting moments of reflection and directing people to further information and support online. Bathrooms were identified as effective locations for posters, given their established use in campaigns addressing personal and social issues. Disposable drink coasters, meanwhile, act as portable prompts that can spark low-pressure conversations in social settings such as cafés and bars. By embedding the campaign in familiar environments, Unplug the Hate aims to meet people where they are and encourage safer, more inclusive interactions.

At its core, this is a youth-led initiative grounded in empowerment, creativity, and action. Through co-design and ongoing support, Design Against Hate demonstrates how young people can be equipped and trusted to lead meaningful change in their communities.