Words Matter: Understanding Online Discourse, Racism, and Community Impact

Words Matter: Understanding Online Discourse, Racism, and Community Impact is a 40-minute online webinar for parents and carers about how the language used in online spaces can affect school communities.

The session looks at how racism can appear in everyday online conversations, why some language is not always recognised as harmful, and how online discussions can influence attitudes and behaviour at school. The aim is to support shared understanding and reflection around the role language plays in shaping a respectful and inclusive community.

(1) Welcome & why this matters
We provide an overview of our findings from the work we are delivering with schools in Wales. We will explore the current social and economic climate and how this is influencing community cohesion in and outside of the school. The use of social media being at the forefront of racism and how language and behaviour shapes school culture.

(2) Understanding what racism is
Four areas so conversation will include them – Culture, Nationality, Religion and Skin Colour, also, clarifying what are racial microaggressions with personal examples being shared.

(3) The impact of racism
Our personal experiences including how racial slurs have been part of growing up, provide the historical context of these words and how young people will be impacted through racial trauma if not supported when they experience racism.

(4) Solutions
What parents & carers can do online and be anti-racist in comparison to non-racist, we will answer any questions and close with our final thoughts.