Youth in Western Balkans - a Virtual Postcard

ended

The project proposes cooperation between two Programme and two Partner Countries’ youth organisations coming from North Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The aim of the project is to increase intercultural and media literacy competences of youth by organising moderated virtual learning and discussion exchanges focused on debunking stereotypes and harmful narratives of the others perpetuated by online media and social networks. To do so, the project has set the following complementary specific objectives: So1. To create opportunities for 1,600 young girls and boys (15-18) from the Western Balkans to meet and exchange virtually in order to reduce their social distancing and debunk prejudice towards neighbours So2. To improve media literacy and critical thinking skills of 800 young women and men (18-25) to discern and counter disinformation, hate and stereotypes in online media space So3. To contribute to developing competences of 30 educators (50% women) to use digital learning environment and deliver skills based on media literacy and critical thinking in non-formal learning context. The project’s methodology relies on using examples of ethnic stereotypes and disinformation perpetuated by social and traditional media as a pretext to online facilitated discussions and other forms of virtual exchanges aimed at increasing the intercultural competences of the participating young people. Thus, the project will also increase media literacy and critical thinking skills of youth and help them become more resilient to different kinds on online media manipulation. Finally, project expects strong multiplication and spill-over effects by increasing skills of youth workers (trainers and educators) to run virtual exchange projects; but also by enabling sharing of methodology to other thematic areas and geographical regions, including EU. To that end, strong communication and dissemination channels have been incorporated in all project activities.