Fighting fake news

“Fighting Fake News’’ is an international youth exchange, hosted by the Romanian youth Association “VIP – VALUES IN PEOPLE” which involves 35 youngsters from five youth organizations of European Union countries: Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Romania and Hungary.
The project idea comes from the consideration that European youngsters societies are becoming more open and diverse day by day, especially with new trends and media environment of the European Union. Despite of these changes, some part of the youngsters remain behind, and still they do not have the capacity to observe differences between fake and real news.

Objectives:
➢ to develop youngsters skills to better identify fake news;
➢ to spread awareness among local communities about how to deal with social media and news platforms;
➢ to improve the abilities of young participants in order to enhance know how and practical experience about the fake news issues;
➢ to create digital magazine guidelines and video material about the impact of fake news;
➢ to Promote the sense of civic responsibility, social inclusion and tolerance towards minorities;
➢ to improve the abilities of young participants in order to enhance communication skills and self-esteem;
➢ to enhance intercultural participation and competences of youth about cultural heritage.

Methods: The working methods we have choose are learner center, which stimulate participation and creativity, learning by doing through informal and non-formal education, such as:
➢ icebreakers and energizers: this method will help with the cohesion of the group.
➢ debates: participants will confirm their capacity to understand and make a difference between real and fake news.
➢ presentation: This method emphasizes communicative and analytical skills as well as ability to structure complex information clearly.
➢ simulation: participants are placed in a situation close to real-life scenarios to have their competences assessed. Can this be turned in a fake news?
➢ observation: this method refers to extracting evidence from candidates while they perform tasks brainstorming: This method combines a relaxed, informal approach to problem solving with lateral thinking;
➢ workshops: This method is based on „learning by doing”;
➢ reflection groups, Youthpass session and evaluation to reflect on own learning and get a feedback of the project.

Participants: Six participants from each country, aged 18-26 + 1 group leader (no age limit) – total is 7 participants per country. NOTE: You have to be resident and citizen in one of our partner countries, and travel from, and to this country! Your participation will be confirmed after the selection process, please be patient waiting for the official results. Disadvantaged youth will have priority during the selection process. The project will also involve young people with fewer opportunities, particularly coming from rural areas, unemployed, facing economic problems, being discriminalized and so on, because it’s very important to reach this category with information about opportunities and rights given by European programs and also helps the process of enforcement of social cohesion.