Project Name: Youth Exchange “FAKE NEWS HUNT”
Activity: Youth Exchange in Germany. The FAKE NEWS HUNT project will involve 42 participants from Germany, Poland, Cyprus, Turkey, France, Italy and Spain in Prebelow (Rheinsberg), Germany from 24 of August till 4 of September 2023.
Youth Exchange: August 24 - September 04 2023 (including travelling days)
Accommodation: " JUGENDHERBERGE PREBEL OW". PREBELOW 2 · 16831
RHEINSBERG / Germany
Target Groups: National groups will have 6 participants (1 team leader + 5 participants) and we highly encourage the participation of people with fewer opportunities, especially migrants, NEET (people not in education, employment or training) and youngsters experiencing economic or geographical barriers. We also ask for gender balance in the participants choosing.
Food: The venue of the training will serve the participants with 3- times-a-day meals and snacks and beverages for the coffee breaks.
5 youngsters (ages from 18 to 30) and one leader will be selected from our organisation.
Report from our participants
The journey of Fake News
In a world where fake news sneaks around online like clever disguises, Erasmus+ program at Germany brought together multiple teams of global truth-seekers and myth-busters to tackle the biggest challenge ever. In this 10 days "Fake News Hunt" project, each participating country had a mission to prepare specific projects and somehow delve into various aspects of fake news. This meant rolling up our sleeves to investigate the world of misinformation.
And if you think that Erasmus+ is only for learning things which circulate the topic of the projects, you are wrong. We were lucky enough to meet people from various countries, fostering cross-cultural understanding and forging strong bonds through a series of cultural nights where each country showcased its culture and cuisine. At our night we tried to show to through the music, food and sweets the culture of Cyprus. And we really believe that our teammates from the other countries had a “taste” of Cyprus at our night.
Our Journey
Let’s unravel now together what we really did at Germany’s project since the day we arrived. The journey began with the arrival of participants from various countries. The initial days were marked by ice-breaking activities and team-building exercises, setting the stage that would follow. We got to know each other, sharing our backgrounds and interests, laying the foundation for lasting friendships.
The core of the program revolved around workshops on fake news. These sessions provided a valuable educational experience and ignited lively discussions among us, enabling us to become more informed and responsible digital citizens.
In the program, each country was assigned a specific topic to develop. Our task was to tackle "Media Safety." As a team, this assignment brought us closer together. We worked together to research and explore various aspects of media safety, aiming to share our findings and insights with the other teams. What we found really exciting about our presentations is that eventually we had to present Case studies about Fake News related to our country. Surprisingly each of us got across with Fake news, and we had a story to share.
Our presentations or sessions were always fulfilled with creativity. What do we really mean about that? Energizers and games related to Fake news were used for understanding deeply how Fake news spreads. For example, at one of our presentations we tried to show how easily fake news spreads. We gathered everyone outside and told them to stand in a row, facing all in the same way. One of our teammates show some movements to the first person in the row and told him/her to show the same to the next person. When the movement eventually arrived to the last person of the row, it was totally different from what our teammate showed. Through this game, which is very close to the “Broken Phone”, we managed to show the journey of Fake news.
The great opportunities of Erasmus+
The Erasmus+ "Fake News Hunt" program was a resounding success, not only in its mission to combat misinformation but also in bringing diverse cultures together. Through workshops and the enchanting Cultural Nights, participants developed a deep appreciation for one another's backgrounds, forging friendships that will last a lifetime. This experience exemplifies the power of international cooperation and cultural exchange in building a more connected and informed global society.
Project summary:
Is an 10-day youth exchange that gathers 42 young participants from 7 different countries and creates a multicultural environment to find right career development opportunities and to succeed in Fake News Hunt.
5 youngsters (ages 18 - 30) +1 leader (no age limit) from our organization will take place to the program. Travelling food and accommodation all are payed from the program
Characteristics of the participants:
· Who are interested in the topics covered by the project,
· Who can communicate in English.
· Who encounter fewer social, economic, and geographical opportunities or represent the NEET group.
· Who show a big motivation for participation and is available for the whole duration of the youth exchange,
· Who are citizens/residents of one of the participating countries.
What is the project about?
Along with the digital transition new opportunities and risks are emerging. The “Fake News Hunt” youth exchange has a mission to arm young people with adequate competencies to defend themselves from one of these threats – disinformation and misinformation. The project seeks to develop immunity among youth against this phenomenon by raising their understanding of the background mechanisms, main reasons and targets. By providing the necessary knowledge and skills to shape the barrier on a personal level it will also be possible to form a resistance against it also on the European scale.
With the ever growing role of social media in social life, exposure to misleading information has become massive. In this context, young individuals in the value system formation stage are extremely vulnerable to this impact. The data published by the Eurobarometer (EC 2021) states that more than 71% of the European population encounters instances of purposeful disinformation multiple times during a month. The statistics claim more regular encounters for the younger citizens. Here 63% of European youth receive “fake news” several times within one week.
Goals and Objectives
· Deliver fundamental knowledge about disinformation as a global phenomenon,
· Expose the main channels and main types of misinformation and disinformation,
· Explain the main strategies of avoidance and passive defence as well as practices of digital hygiene,
· Deliver a powerful toolset for identification and counteraction, Induce behavioural changes among participants by training critical thinking,
· Enhance the digital skills of participants by introducing various digital tools and technologies,
· Promote sustainable, environmentally friendly practices,
· Encourage participants’ involvement in social dialogue, youth activism and decision-making processes,
· Familiarise participants with the European project, by explaining and promoting European values and principles.
· Introduce Erasmus+ Programme and other EU platforms and opportunities for youth!
Aplication for Interest of Participation: https://forms.gle/ga5MiU8TLVQdJPCj9
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