On March 11 and April 15, 2025, a diverse group of older adults and young professionals came together for the region’s first Give 5 Take Action intergenerational workshop—an initiative designed to confront the rising tide of false information and its impact on civic trust, public health, democracy, and social cohesion.
Hosted in the KY3 Community Room, the two-part workshop brought together 24 participants: 12 graduates of the Give 5 program (ages 60+) and 12 young professionals (ages 18–40). Participants worked collaboratively to understand the roots and ripple effects of misinformation and disinformation, drawing on insights from leading experts and engaging in cross-generational dialogue to develop actionable community recommendations.
Understanding the Challenge
Participants were charged with understanding key context before beginning the workshop: Misinformation—false information spread without intent to harm—and disinformation—false information spread deliberately—are “force multipliers” of today’s greatest challenges, from political polarization and civic disengagement to vaccine hesitancy and hate speech.
Workshop presentations and discussions revealed how social media algorithms, declining trust in institutions, and emotional manipulation all fuel this dangerous information disorder. “Bad actors,” as one expert noted, are exploiting the digital media landscape to deepen divides, spread lies, and undermine democratic values.
Springfield’s Community-Driven Solutions
The workshop’s most important outcome was a comprehensive set of seven community recommendations, created by participants and aimed at countering misinformation and restoring trust:
- Look Critically at News Sources
- Promote Media Literacy in the community
- Foster Civil Dialogue
- Take Social Media Breaks
- Understand How Algorithms Work
- Act with Urgency to address increasing levels of misinformation/ disinformation
- Acknowledge the Harms
Looking Ahead
Organizers noted several lessons learned, including the importance of hosting multiple or full-day sessions to allow more time for collaboration and ensuring diverse worldviews are represented.
The Give 5 Take Action workshop demonstrated that when residents of different generations come together in good faith to tackle difficult issues, they can create meaningful solutions that serve the whole community.
Click here to read the full report
For more information on the Give 5 Program contact Executive Director, Greg Burris.
