Lead organisation: Outloud
Partners: Headspace Bankstown, local high schools in Canterbury-Bankstown

The project supports young people aged 14–16 from Canterbury-Bankstown high schools to explore racism, bullying and other challenges affecting them and their peers. Through weekly theatre-based workshops over 10 weeks, participants create and perform scenes, practise constructive conversations and explore ways to respond to challenging situations. The program helps build confidence and skills to speak up for themselves and others, engage respectfully with difficult issues and positively influence their peers.

Lead organisation: B’nai B’rith Courage to Care NSW
Partners: The Ethics Centre

The project brings together groups of 20-30 Year 9 and 10 students to build their knowledge, critical thinking and confidence to recognise and challenge racism, prejudice and discrimination. Students take part in two days of interactive workshops followed by a day creating videos about discrimination. Phase 2 will deliver 21 programs across metropolitan, regional and rural NSW, connecting students from different schools and communities and building practical digital literacy skills.

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Lead organisation: Western Sydney Migrant Resource Centre
Partners: Project Rockit, The UNSW Centre for Social Impact

The project supports young people aged 15-25 in South-West Sydney to create safer online and in-person spaces for cross-cultural and interfaith dialogue. Through six youth-led forums, participants explore emerging challenges to community harmony. They also develop digital storytelling and content creation skills to respond to disinformation, online hate and other issues affecting social cohesion, and promote constructive conversations online and in their communities.

Lead organisation: Youth off the Streets
Partners: Community Minds

The project brings together young people aged 12–24 through weekly intercultural after-school workshops in Bankstown, Macquarie Fields and Fairfield. Participants help design the activities, which has included African drumming, calligraphy, Arab Dabke dancing and First Nations cultural yarns. Through creative activities and shared cultural experiences, the program provides opportunities for young people to challenge cultural assumptions, understand different perspectives and build stronger connections across communities.

Lead organisation: All Together Now
Partners: Headspace, Western Sydney University

The project brings together young people aged 18–25 to co-design creative responses to online hate and extremism, particularly misogynistic and anti-LGBTIQ+ content promoted by online influencers. Through workshops, participants develop social media campaigns, events, videos and other resources while building skills in design, leadership and critical media literacy. The program empowers young people to recognise and challenge harmful online narratives and promote more inclusive and respectful online communities.

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Lead organisation: Kai’Mia Community (formerly Gymea Community Aid and Information Services)
Partners: Black Rose Media, Reg Mahoney & Associates, Shopfront Arts Co-operative

The project supports young people from diverse backgrounds, including migrant and refugee communities, across Sutherland and St George to develop leadership, communication and conflict-resolution skills. Through training, mentoring and creative arts, participants become Youth Ambassadors who lead social cohesion, anti-racism and cultural projects in their schools and communities. The program also includes a youth media team, alumni program and interactive anti-racism workshops for students in Years 8-10.

Lead organisation: Creating Chances
Partners: Western Sydney Migrant Resource Centre

The project supports 120 high school students from refugee and migrant backgrounds across six Western Sydney schools each year. Every school puts forward 20 students to take part in the 20-week sport-based leadership program. Through sport, coaching and youth-led activities including pitch events to propose solutions, participants build leadership, confidence, teamwork and advocacy skills. They develop and deliver initiatives that promote inclusion, intercultural understanding and stronger connections within their schools and communities.

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Lead organisation: CuriousWorks
Partners: Sydney Opera House, Settlement Services International (SSI) Community Refugee Welcome Centre

The project uses arts and cultural activities to build understanding of and encourage action against racism. Through themed artist commissions, residences, workshops, public programs and events, artists and communities explore cultural experiences and ideas and create opportunities for dialogue and connection. The first year of the project was themed Rituals of Welcome and showcased at the Sydney Opera House. The project includes community engagement activities and a homelands tour across community venues that together aim to strengthen relationships and social cohesion through creativity. The current theme is Rituals of Reciprocity.

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Lead organisation: The Skill Engineer
Partners: Central Coast Community Council Inc., Central Coast Council

The project supports young people aged 12–30 from diverse cultural backgrounds on the Central Coast to develop skills in filmmaking, podcasting, music production and digital storytelling. Through workshops in schools and TAFEs, and a dedicated studio and mobile ‘Digi Van’, participants create and share stories exploring migration, diversity, and social issues important to young people. The project provides access to creative opportunities while strengthening community connections across the Central Coast.

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Lead organisation: Catholic Mission
Partners: Together for Humanity, The Centre for Western Sydney, Centre for Western Sydney at Western Sydney University

The project brings Catholic, Jewish and Muslim students together from eight Sydney-wide and faith-based schools to build understanding and relationships across faiths. Each year, around 160 Year 10 and 11 students take part in activities during the school term, including visits to places of worship. The program includes a Years 7 and 8 buddy program and professional learning for 40 staff. Through dialogue and shared experiences, students build connections and address misunderstanding, hate and racism.

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Lead organisation: Islamophobia Register Australia
Partners: Our Race, Mission of Hope, The Creative Cooperative

The project brings together Muslim and non-Muslim young people aged 12–30 across NSW to address Islamophobia through creative workshops, storytelling, awareness campaigns, mental health activities and civic engagement. Participants build skills and confidence to discuss racism, share experiences and take action in their communities. The project aims to increase understanding of Islamophobia, raise awareness of how and why to report it, and strengthen support for people affected by racism.

Lead organisation: Story Factory
Partners: The Hive, United Way Australia

The project engages young people aged 12–18 in Blacktown in creative writing activities exploring identity, culture, place and safety. Through youth consultations, multi-week programs and one-day workshops, participants develop their writing skills, share experiences and engage with different perspectives. Selected writing is professionally published and presented at a community event, providing a platform for young people to share their perspectives with the wider community.

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Lead organisation: National Rugby League Ltd (NRL)
Partners: The Institute for Economics and Peace, Moving Forward Together

The project uses rugby league and other sports-based activities to help NSW primary and high school students across hundreds of schools to build teamwork, confidence, leadership and conflict-resolution skills while exploring diversity, respect and social cohesion. Through a seven-week program, Gala Day and Peace Advocate activities that each target different age cohorts, students learn to work constructively across differences and develop their own projects promoting peace and inclusion in their schools and communities.

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Lead organisation: Institute for Economics & Peace
Partners: Shayna Humanitarian Services, Unbound Stories, African Australian Advocacy Centre (AAAC)

The project works with young people aged 18-30 from conflict-affected migrant communities across NSW to understand how global conflicts affect communities locally. Participants undertake a six-day peacebuilding training, research and community workshops, before presenting their findings at a forum bringing together 100 participants. The program develops young people’s leadership and peacebuilding skills and produces recommendations to help respond to the local impacts of global conflicts.

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Lead organisation: Islamic Sciences & Research Academy
Partners: Secondary schools (including Amity College Preston Campus, Lindfield Learning Village, Cambridge Park High, Pymble Ladies College, Belfield College, Amity Illawarra, Liverpool Girls High School, Oran Park Anglican College)

The project brings together Year 10–12 students from Sydney-wide Catholic, Anglican, Uniting, Islamic and public schools to build digital resilience and skills for constructive democratic participation. Through co-designed workshops, conferences, faith-based events, leadership training and student-led clubs, students learn to navigate disagreement and engage respectfully in online spaces. Supported by trained mentors, participants develop skills to respond to online conflict, build connections and strengthen their understanding of democratic processes.

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Lead organisation: Western Sydney University
Partners: High Street Youth Health Services (Western Sydney Local Health District), Woodville Alliance, The Open Door Community of Christ.

The project brings together people aged 18 to 30 from diverse LGBTIQ+, cultural and faith backgrounds to share experiences and build understanding across communities. Participants from south-west and western Sydney take part in digital storytelling workshops, creating social media videos and other digital resources that are showcased at a film launch event. Through collaboration and storytelling, the program aims to strengthen connections and address misunderstanding, hate and homophobia.

Lead organisation: Plan C
Partners: NSW Advocate for Children and Young People (ACYP)

The project supports 240 young people (14-24 years) from the Northern Rivers region to become capable community leaders in times of crisis. Through trauma-informed practical training in disaster resilience, online misinformation, psychological first aid, bushcraft and community organising, participants learn to respond to crises and resist hate, extremism and division. Young people apply their learning through community projects that strengthen local knowledge, preparedness and resilience.

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Lead organisation: The CREATE Centre, University of Sydney
Partners: BBT

The project engages young people aged 11–18 from south-west Sydney communities experiencing high youth unemployment and lower educational attainment in week-long theatre workshops that explore identity, mental health and social cohesion. Approximately 25 students per workshop build creative, critical-thinking and performance skills while developing original works for public performance. The project aims to strengthen young people’s confidence, social connections and sense of belonging, while using theatre to encourage dialogue across generations and cultures within their communities.

Lead organisation: Milk Crate Theatre
Partners: Y Foundations, Twenty10, Australian Refugee Volunteers (ARV), Mission Australia – Reconnect Inner City, Counterpoint Community Services, Burdekin Association, Hope St Baptist Care – Woolloomooloo, Settlement Services International (SSI), FACT Tree Youth Services – Waterloo, 3 Bridges Community – Inner West, Waratah Education Fund, City of Sydney – Woolloomooloo/ Waterloo

The project engages young people (12-26 years) from diverse backgrounds, including those experiencing or at risk of homelessness, across six Sydney communities. Through two series of workshops over 8-10 weeks, participants build skills and connections before creating digital works like short films exploring the theme of ‘unify’ and sharing them with their communities. The program aims to strengthen young people’s confidence, wellbeing, social connections and sense of agency, while supporting them to pursue future education and employment opportunities.

Lead organisation: Barnardos Australia
Partners: Gawura Aboriginal Corporation, CoEqual, Warrawong High School

The project supports 40–60 young people each year over four years in the Warrawong area to develop storytelling and film production skills while creating films about their community. Young Aboriginal people and people from diverse cultural backgrounds are supported as storytellers and creative leaders, with participants producing films exploring local experiences, culture, identity, language and place. Annual screenings and digital distribution provide opportunities to share perspectives, encourage dialogue across cultures and strengthen community connections.

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Lead organisation: NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors
Partners: North Coast Settlement Services, Coffs Harbour and District Local Aboriginal Land Council, Mission Australia, Coffs Coast Multicultural Society, headspace, Settlement Services International

The project brings young people from refugee, migrant, First Nations and other backgrounds together across Coffs Harbour and Armidale through creative arts workshops and mobile coffee cart pop-up events. Through “Coffee Cart Conversations” in public spaces, storytelling and cultural exchange, participants share experiences, learn about different cultures and perspectives, and build connections between their communities.

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Lead organisation: Think & DO Tank Foundation Limited
Partners: YCollab, ACON Health Limited

The project will engage queer and questioning young people aged 16-25 from diverse cultural and religious communities across Fairfield and Liverpool through multilingual creative writing, oral storytelling, and performance. It is structured around three creative streams: Queer Heroes for queer and questioning young people, Youth Storytelling, and Youth-Curated Gatherings that invites peers from diverse communities to curate and host their own community meetups.

Lead organisation: LINA – Local & Independent News Association
Partners: Community Media Training Organisation

The project will support 30 young people aged 14–24 from diverse backgrounds and from LGAs across NSW to develop skills in digital content creation. Participants will undertake formal training in media production and will commit to producing 3 unique media stories focused on understanding their communities. Participants will be required to create real news stories to an ethical standard of journalism and publish them through digital channels. Participants will receive mentoring from a local digital newsroom and will be encouraged to cover community stories that help them to ‘know their neighbours’.

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Lead organisation: BEING – Mental Health Consumers Limited
Partners: Educaid, Digitial Nutrition

The project will bring together young people from diverse backgrounds across six western Sydney communities to deliver peer-facilitated peace circles. Circles of up to 15 young people (aged 12–30), co-facilitated by trained peer facilitators, meet for three 90-minute sessions per series – with each series following a three-stage progression, starting with: connection through shared loss, to a recognition of common ground, to the final stage, acting with agency. Through a structured process that fosters intercultural connection. Participants will build emotional resilience, mediation skills and cross-cultural connections that can be sustained in stressful conditions.

Lead organisation: Lubavitch Russian Centre

The project brings Sydney school students, tertiary students, and young people into Chabad of Bondi to encounter Jewish life, culture, and values through hands-on, participatory learning. Each visit follows a five-part format: beginning with a hands-on challah bake, a presentation from a guest speaker, a tour of the synagogue, a question and answer session with the Rabbi – where no questions are considered off limits – and lastly an opportunity at the end to write an anonymous short reflection card, with participants invited to reflect on what they’ve learned over the course of the visit.

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Lead organisation: Bachar Houli Foundation
Partners: AFL NSW/ACT, GWS Giants Australian Football Club, Lebanese Muslim Association

The project will engage Muslim young people aged 12-16 across western Sydney in Aussie Rules activities that build sporting skills, leadership capabilities and wellbeing in safe environments. Community leaders from Sydney’s Islamic community will participate as mentors and coaches. Program streams include the Bachar Houli Girls Leadership Program and the Bachar Houli Cup, as well as Cultural Awareness Training sessions – designed to provide a basic understanding of Islam, and information on how to create culturally safe and appropriate sporting clubs for Muslim players, coaches and staff.

Lead organisation: END FM Incorporated
Partners: South West Arts, Podcast Services Australia

The project is a two-year, school-based youth podcast and digital literacy program designed to strengthen social cohesion and community resilience across the Farrer region in south-west NSW. Drawn from the full cultural diversity of each school, sessions build skills in storytelling, interviewing across difference, audio production, digital citizenship and media literacy, with each cohort producing podcast episodes on themes of community, belonging, culture and resilience. Episodes are recorded using END FM’s mobile production studio, broadcast on END FM 89.7, and published as a publicly available podcast series, putting regional young people’s voices in front of audiences across NSW and beyond.

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