Trust in Truth: Digital Literacy in a Post-pandemic Time

Prioritizing digital skills development, especially with many studying from home, is essential. NGOs, SMEs, and grassroots CSOs must support youth workers in integrating digital literacy into their curriculum to equip young people with vital skills. The “Trust in Truth: Digital Literacy in a Post-pandemic Time” Erasmus+ strategic partnership project focused on empowering youth workers through a curriculum and Web-app for digital literacy training, aiming to enhance digital competence and foster digital citizenship. By deepening understanding of online issues and teaching critical thinking skills, we empower young people to analyze media effectively. Empowered youth workers bridge the digital divide, advocate for change, and provide innovative solutions. The curriculum and Web-app offer tailored learning experiences, promoting inclusivity and cultural sensitivity. Collaboration among youth workers enhances learning outcomes, inspiring youth to use technology for expanding learning opportunities in the digital age.

This project aimed to enhance the professional and personal development of youth workers while building organisational capacity. By participating in transnational meetings and training mobilities, staff members improved management skills and learnt how to teach media and digital literacy to young people. The project increased the professional competences of youth workers on digital literacy, aligning with the Digital Education Action Plan (2021-2027). By creating a curriculum and Web-app, it fosters a high-performing digital education ecosystem. The project also promoted cross-border mobility opportunities for youth workers, facilitating the exchange of good practices and experiences in digital education and youth work. It enhanced personal, social, and civic competencies of young people, reinforcing grassroots youth work and cross-sectoral cooperation. Through follow-up activities, the project contributes to the validation of skills gained through non-formal and informal learning. Additionally, partners plan to apply for new Erasmus+ projects, supporting ongoing development.

The project comprised four stages: planning, preparation, implementation, and follow-up. During implementation, we conducted management activities, including the creation of various plans and four transnational meetings. These meetings helped to plan and assess project progress and fine-tune curriculum and digital literacy practices for the Web-app. Additionally, two training courses focused on practical digital literacy tools and media literacy training and testing for NGO work. We conducted research to improve curriculum and Web-app development. Local activities such as training, workshops, and testing of the curriculum and Web-app involved youth workers, young people, and associated partners. Regular monitoring and evaluation occurred throughout the project. We have created several nice promotional videos. Dissemination activities were done before, during and after project completion, ensuring visibility, inclusivity and accessibility.

The project's concrete outputs include an education curriculum and an interactive Web-app, fostering a high-performing digital education tool. Project enhanced competencies for digital transformation and equipped youth workers with innovative tools for engaging young people from diverse backgrounds, promoting active participation in civil society. Trained youth workers become discerning technology users, enhancing critical and analytical skills. By integrating project outcomes, organisations engage young people in essential skills for active citizenship. The project fostered European awareness, mutual understanding, and trust building through transnational cooperation. It enhanced practitioners' capacity to transfer skills and transform non-formal educational activities into digital ones, aligning with EU Youth Strategy goals. The project ensured young people access reliable information, evaluate it critically, and engage in constructive dialogue. Dissemination and follow-up activities raised awareness of contemporary challenges, fostering international cooperation and personal/professional development. The project facilitated networking and synergy between youth organisations.