Enhancing youth engagement, education, political culture and awareness of media disinformation by responding to it.
Context
Over the past twenty years observers of political participation in Europe have noted a rise in political apathy and cynicism, a decline in membership in political parties and unions and a rise of risks related to the labour markets (e.g. unemployment, precarious work). These patterns are particularly visible among the young who face multiple challenges, such as reform of higher education, lack of adequate political representation and the consequences of Covid-19 on youth.
Understanding the institutions and mechanisms of the European Union is an integral part of the civic literacy of every European citizen. Therefore, it is important that European young people and all stakeholders involved with youth are educated and properly informed about all the possibilities of the EU and the work of European Parliament.
Objectives
- Developing an interest in and commitment for active citizenship participation and strengthen capacities among youth and stakeholders (teaching staff, NGOs, youth workers and policy makers).
- Strengthening democratic participation, citizens’ empowerment and fostering inclusion of citizens in the EU.
- Raise awareness among the new generation and strengthening democratic participation among youth, especially encouraging young people to participate in elections 2024 and getting deeper understanding of EP and EU structure.
Activities
- Capacity building and mutual learning for NGOs: online training with a focus on the following topics: misinformation, NGOs participation in EU policies creation, active citizenships, value of voting in representative democracy, using new tools for e-democracy.
- Capacity building and mutual learning for teaching staff: online training with a focus on the following topics: misinformation, top-down approach, political participation, active citizenships, value of voting in representative democracy, using new tools for e-democracy.
- Capacity building and mutual learning for policy makers: online training with a focus on the topics of misinformation prevention, participation in EU policies creation with bottom-up approach, empowering active citizenships with local policies, value of voting in representative democracy, using new tools for e-democracy.
- Public forums: organisation of three Public Forums (Dubrovnik, Athens and Palermo) focusing on climate change, fake-news and disinformation, youth democratic participation, European Parliament elections 2024, future of Europe.
- Europe day-Short Film Production: video to promote youth participation, EU values and European diversity.
- Simulation of EU Parliament: schools from the 27 European Countries participate in the simulation of the EP plenary session and the party-political groupings meetings.
- Final International Conference.
Resources
- Online training for NGOs – Event description sheet
- Online training for teaching staff – Event description sheet
- Online training for policy makers – Event description sheet
- Public forums in Dubrovnik
- Online Public forum in Athens
- Online Public forum in Palermo
- Europe day-Short Film Production
- Simulation of EU Parliament
- Final international conference
Impact
- 148 participants (40 per country) from three partner countries (Croatia, Italy, Greece) will take part in the online training for NGOs.
- 164 participants (40 per country) from three partner countries (Croatia, Italy, Greece) will take part in the online training for teaching and non-teaching staff.
- 133 participants (40 per country) from three partner countries (Croatia, Italy, Greece) will take part in the online training for policy makers.
- 485 participants taking part in the on-site public forum Dubrovnik.
- 144 participants taking part in the online public forum Athens.
- 157 participants taking part in the online public forum Palermo.
- Europe day-Short Film Production: short video campaign with the participation of 131 young people.
- Online EU parliament simulation for high schools in 27 EU countries, 264 students participants.
- Final International Conference with 209 participants.
Partners
- CESIE (Italy, coordinator)
- ERASMUS STUDENT NETWORK (ESN) Dubrovnik (Croatia)
- ACTIVE CITIZENS PARTNERSHIP (Greece)
