YouthMythBusters Erasmus Project

Project Title

YouthMythBusters

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for youth

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2019

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Civic engagement / responsible citizenship; EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy; Youth (Participation, Youth Work, Youth Policy)

Project Summary

Despite the fact that the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union emphasizes the importance of young people to participate in democratic life, a recent survey (Eurobarometer) mentions that those between 15-20 or not in education, employment or training ( NEETs) are less likely to have voted in political elections. Specifically, only 28,7% of NEETs are interested in politics and 26,7% participated in social activities (Eurofound), while the less educated or less involved in social activities, the less take part in voting. Also, all partner countries (except Italy) are below the EU average (68%) regarding the participation of young people in elections at each level, while in last European Elections (2014) 72,2% of those aged 18-24 were the greatest abstainers.
Within this context of low participation, the increasing use of internet and social media could create new routes to political engagement. More than 80% of young people aged 16-29 use the internet and social networking sites on a daily basis, however more of them have insufficient digital skills (only 40%) and only 2% of the digitally competent can demonstrate critical thinking, while searching information online. At the same time the rise of fake news on the internet and social media and its potential to impact on democracy through influencing voter behaviours has created new alarming challenges. Therefore the combination of low civic and political engagement and low digital skills in partner countries have intensified the need to address both issues, countering also fake news, propaganda and manipulation.

To address the above, YouthMythBusters project aims to promote engagement and in democratic and civic life of youth people and those at risk of social exclusion (NEETs) and to enhance their critical thinking and media literacy in order to strengthen democracy and fight manipulation, propaganda and fake news.

More specifically the project will aim at:
• Enhanced capacities and knowledge of 25 young influencers (5 per country)
• Stimulating young influencers to assume the role of the leader in order to activate their peers
• Enhancing media literacy of at least 125 (25 per country) NEETs and other vulnerable groups to strengthen democracy and fight manipulation, propaganda and fake news
• Promoting engagement and participation in democratic and civic life among NEETs and other vulnerable groups
• Enhancing critical thinking of NEETs and other vulnerable groups
• Increased awareness of the challenges faced by low civic and political engagement
• Fighting fake news, manipulation and propaganda in partner countries
• Enhanced cooperation between project partners and other stakeholders in countering manipulation, populism, propaganda and fake news
• Increased awareness (among general public and target groups) regarding the fight against fake news, propaganda and manipulation and the importance of civic and political engagement for youth
• Stimulating bloggers to activate peers and to fight fake news, propaganda and manipulation
The above will be achieved through the implementation of the following activities:
O1. Capacity Building Programme
• A.1.1 Design and Development of capacity building programme for young leaders
• A.1.2 Delivery of capacity building to young leaders
• A.1.3 Establishment of Youth National Advisory Groups
• A.1.4 Establishment of European Network of Youth National Advisory Groups
O2. E-Learning Platform
• A.2.1 Development of online platform
• A.2.2 Selection of NEETs and other young vulnerable people
• A.2.3 E-learning implementation
O3. Guide-toolkit on peer-to-peer myth busting action
• A.3.1 Development of guide-toolkit on how to organize myth busting – fact checking teams and actions
• A.3.2 Creation of myth busting teams of peers by the young leaders & implementation of actions at local/nationa/european level
• A.3.3 Selection of the best myth busting action at national and EU level
O4. Recommendations for increasing civic and political engagement and participation of youth
• A.4.1 Evaluation of the outcomes and impact of the project
• A.4.2 Development of national and European recommendations papers

The impact of the project will be national and European, as the promotion of civic and political engagement of youth at risk of social exclusion (NEETs) and the enhancement of their media literacy will enhance their social inclusion. Also, at European level the impact will be great given that more sustainable and inclusive communities will be built through the fight against fake news, propaganda and the civic and political engagement of the youth, which is aligned with the EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027. The project aims to influence the policy makers through the recommendations to establish tailor-made solutions in order to engage more young people to civic and democratic life. Also, the availability of the E-Learning Platform and the recommendations in several languages will maximize the impact of the project.

Project Website

http://www.youthmythbusters.eu/

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 199178,76 Eur

Project Coordinator

KENTRO MERIMNAS OIKOGENEIAS KAI PAIDIOU & Country: EL

Project Partners

• ISTITUTO EUROPEO PER LO SVILUPPO SOCIO ECONOMICO ASSOCIAZIONE
• YOUTH INCLUDED ZS
• CROMO ALAPITVANY
• CENTRE FOR ADVANCEMENT OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY LTD-CARDET