DIGI hosts youth forum for positive online engagement

On 21 October 2016, over 100 young people from all over Australia descended on Melbourne’s Laurens Hall to participate in a high-energy forum about positive online engagement.

Because industry, government and the community all have a responsibility to ensure the internet is a safe and respectful place, Engage: Our Diverse Digital Future, invited people from all three sectors to participate and contribute.

The forum was kicked-off by cyberbullying experts and MCs Project Rockit, and shortly after Minister for Justice Michael Keenan officially opened the event, participants dived in to a jam-packed day of workshops, panel discussions and performances.

Thanks to our amazing partners and workshop hosts All Together Now, Foundation for Young Australians, High Resolves and ReachOut, participants were inspired to initiate conversations around diversity and respect in our society, and learned how to counteract hate speech both on- and offline.

Meanwhile, performers like Bankstown Poetry Slam, Zeadala and L-Fresh the Lion made sure everyone was entertained, while at the same time demonstrating the power of song, dance and poetry to reflect on important social and personal issues.

At the end of the day, everyone left the day with a better understanding of how social media and digital channels can amplify messages that unity humanity, especially in response to hatred and divisiveness.

To see more from DIGI Engage, check out our video.