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EmpowerMe: Media and Digital Literacy for Inclusion and Diversity

2021-2-PT02-KA152-YOU-0000384962021Mobility of young peoplefinalizedGood practice
Countries: PT|ES|IT|FR|RO|HU|AT · Grant: €33,523
European identity, citizenship and valuesInclusion of marginalised young peopleMedia literacy and tackling disinformation

Objectives

Motivation: Current technological and digital advances have lowered the barriers for the circulation of information around the world, particularly through new media and communication platforms. If, on the one hand, this is a positive reality, allowing everyone to come together and disseminate information, on the other, the dangers inherent in this freedom can have highly unpredictable and negative impacts on people's lives. This occurs, above all, for two reasons: 1) Disinformation that is proliferating and gaining special relevance in recent times. The COVID-19 pandemic, for example, has demonstrated how quickly misinformation spreads, and we have seen a series of random and untrue pieces of information that have become absolute truths for a significant number of people; 2) The information disseminated by the media has a biased approach and is loaded with prejudices that, even unintentionally, contribute to the construction of social stereotypes and to fuel the hate speech. From here arises the idea for the project: we will reflect on the theme of misinformation and discrimination in the media and social networks, with the aim of understanding how these platforms influence intolerant and stereotypical behavior in society and how we, as civil society. Needs: According to COM(2020) 790, "more than 40 % of young people consider that critical thinking, media and democracy are not 'sufficiently taught' in school." Given this circumstance, there was an urgent need to provide young people with opportunities for empowerment and media and digital literacy development, particularly through non-formal and informal learning, that would allow young people to develop a set of key skills to: - Have a spirit of openness, think critically and participate fully in society; - Be active agents in the deconstruction of fake news, hate speech, and hidden stereotypes/bullying/prejudice that exist towards other citizens and groups; - Develop perceptions, beliefs, attitudes, values and opinions based on reliable information, particularly towards young people (and citizens in general) with fewer opportunities and the European community in general. Objectives - To empower young people in the field of media and digital literacy, for an informed and active democratic and civic participation, so that they become active and vigilant agents of social inclusion and diversity; - Foster learning and skills development through non-formal and informal dynamics and through the promotion of intercultural and diverse dialogue; - Strengthen common European values and eliminate prejudice, stereotypes, discrimination and/or bullying, conscious and/or concealed, towards other groups.

Project partners (7)