The Short-term joint staff training event of KA2 Counter Hate took place in Saulkrasti (Latvia) between 1-7 June 2019. In the training participated youth workers and volunteers dealing with online hate speech against migrants and refugees and use of social media platforms coming from Latvia, Bulgaria, Austria and Spain. The main objective of the project was to improve the preventative capabilities of youth workers by producing tailored responses, counter-narratives, and awareness raising campaigns.

The training event aimed also to share best practices regarding youth work with migrants and refugees and for them coming to Europe and analyze the use of different methods on preventing and fighting against online hate speech.

Number of objectives were set for the event as following:

-To recognize what online hate speech is. 

-To know the difference between freedom of speech and what is prohibited, such as illegal hate speech.

-To understand how social media is used to recruit followers to the hate speech narrative, especially the ones against migrants and refugees

-To provide advice and information regarding the different institutions promoting the respect and the protection of human rights across Europe. 

-To introduce youth workers the “Bookmarks” (revised version 2016). The manual for combating hate speech online through human rights education. 

-To strengthen the role of youth organisations in identifying and speaking up against illegal online hate speech and those human rights violations affecting especially young people. 

-To develop youth workers’ competencies in planning cross border and international campaign for combating online hate speech.