The upskilling organisational potential of stakeholders in providing grassroots services to victims of hate crimes

We aimed to improve knowledge, skills, and cross-sector cooperation, with a strong focus on education, training, and awareness. First, the project enhanced the ability of our staff and educators i...

We aimed to improve knowledge, skills, and cross-sector cooperation, with a strong focus on education, training, and awareness. First, the project enhanced the ability of our staff and educators in the adult education sector to recognize, understand, and respond to hate speech and hate crimes. It strengthened our institutional capacity to support victims and address hate speech effectively. Through dedicated training sessions, participants gained practical tools to support victims, prevent secondary victimisation, and respond appropriately in both online and offline settings. Second, the project used education as a key strategy to prevent hate speech. Educational materials and activities were developed for the adult education sector (e.g., NGOs) to improve communication with victims and avoid re-traumatisation. The tools created during the project were not only designed but also tested in real-life situations, ensuring their practical value. Third, a public awareness campaign helped raise understanding of hate speech and its harmful impact. This campaign encouraged victims and witnesses to speak out and promoted universal values. As a result, our organisations are now better equipped to provide educational support.

The project implemented a series of structured activities across 4 thematic work packages: WP1: We organised targeted training sessions for the adult sector and stakeholders focused on the legal aspects of hate crimes, psychological support for victims, and the identification of hate speech, both online and offline. WP2: We supported networking among local grassroots organisations to strengthen multi-sector cooperation and build long-term partnerships. We also created the training programme Words that Heal, aimed at improving communication with victims, which was tested during a dedicated training session WP3: We developed practical tools, including the Guidebook for NGOs supporting victims of hate speech, which features a risk assessment tool tailored for NGOs providing first-contact services and victim support. WP4: We carried out an awareness-raising campaign and online activities to engage local communities and promote strategies for preventing hate speech. We also ensured effective communication and dissemination of project results through a final conference, promotional materials, and publication on the EPALE platform, aiming to sustain the project’s impact and encourage wider collaboration at both local and international.

The project delivered several concrete outputs and results: 1) three key training modules focused on bias-motivated violence, the legal aspects of hate crimes, and educational tools for recognising hate speech. It enabled increasing our institutional skills in handling psychological and legal aspects of hate speech. 2) a risk assessment tool, included in the "Guidebook for NGOs supporting victims of hate speech" 3) a local database was established to monitor hate crimes and improve data collection at the community level 4) educational materials and implemented awareness-raising campaigns targeting both local communities and the adult education sector (total number of: posts: 14, number of shares: 91, number of clicks: 1750, number of link clicks: 210, video watch time: 46,259 seconds (approx. 12 hours and 50 minutes) 5) a training programme titled "Words that Heal" 6) final publication "From the ground up: victim-centred approach to counter hate speech" summarising other project's achievements. The project increased the skills of the adult education sector through the creation of a local coalition of organisations and strengthened cooperation among NGOs, local authorities, law enforcement, and other key stakeholders.