Diverse Media Matters

★ WHAT IS IT? ★

“Diverse Media Matters" is a training course that combines stories, media, global education and active citizenship to empower trainers, educators, youth workers and give them better tools to do their work in these fast changing times. It will take place in a beautiful venue (http://newboldtrust.org) around 1hr east of Inverness in north-east Scotland.

★ TELL ME MORE ★

Young people need to learn how to be critical users of media content, and how to be producers of information - not only passive users. They need to be able to create counter narratives to hate speech & single stories and contribute to the creation of a more diverse media.

We want to explore the challenges democracies are facing in these times including environment, refugees, migrants, rise of radical and violent politics, and the ways in which media - in particular, social media - contribute to the creation of stereotypes, prejudice, intolerance and violent movements. Can this be reversed? How can we play our role as educators and youth workers?

With this course we want to facilitate an experience to reflect on all these critical aspects of information society, share and develop knowledge and competences, and explore the impact that mass communication is having on intolerance, development democracy and global citizenship.

We will work with different media, creating content based on various methods & platforms (theatre, blog, comics, videos, photos) & discuss their impact on life & society. We will create opportunities to exchange abilities & knowledge in a non-hierarchical learning community, sharing daily tasks & exploring the values of a more sustainable lifestyle, in a community dimension. 

We also want to strengthen our partnerships, addressing the most advanced educational needs of our targets & focusing on wider topics of greater social impact including global education & the fight against intolerance. 

★ WHO IS THIS COURSE FOR? ★

This course is for those who are active in the field of youth work and non formal learning, including: youth workers; mentors; trainers; social workers & educators.

★ HOW WILL WE WORK? ★

The programme will be based on a wide mix of non formal education methods, experiential learning, art and creativity.

The idea is examine & reflect on the role of media & communication in our global society, in the formation of stereotypes and prejudice, and in the challenges democracy is facing today. It's a complex topic, and we want to create learning opportunities using a variety of methods including: practical activities; outdoor education;  theoretical inputs; technical tools and software; reflection, discussions, open workshops to encourage critical thinking and personal contributions; debates and moments for personal and group reflection. 

With storytelling, we will learn about story structures, relatable and powerful characters and how to create a compelling narrative. A strong focus will be put on how to pass the results of the course to the organisations and the beneficiaries back home. The dissemination of results, being this a training course on media awareness and use, will have a central role and we will produce infographics and reports easy to share and with a high visibility.

Some of the competences that will be developed during the course will be:
- new knowledge on models and scientific theories (geopolitics, global education) and on mass media history; 
- a better awareness on theories and communication tools, and storytelling forms; 
 technical skills on software and online platforms;
- practical skills (such as photo/video, drawing, comics, blogging);
- knowledge and understanding of different situations in Europe, good practice exchange and development of common initiatives;  
- personal motivation to put all this in practice - the "inner readiness" - tested and developed for example in the activities related to the "Hero's Journey" and in theatre workshops.  

★ WHAT ARE THE OBJECTIVES? ★

1) to inform and reflect on the evolution of media, & on how to gain critical access to it as users & creators of content; counteracting the spread of violence, extremism & phenomena including cyberbullying, hate speech & online harassment;

2) to reflect on the how media contributes to the formation of stereotypes & prejudices, racism & intolerance & how is it possible to counter its negative effects; 

3) to create learning opportunities on the use storytelling techniques in the work of youth workers & educators on local, national & global levels, & to stimulate reflections on their impact as tools to improve society and the life of individuals;

4) to work on the recent refugee crisis, it’s origins, comparing the situations, problems & solutions of different countries & to introduce concepts linked to Global Education, reflecting on the way we perceive ourselves, the world & others;

5) to create a space to practice the methods & concepts acquired, & develop innovative tools to improve the effectiveness of participants' working practice, as well as the impact of partner organisations in terms of creating eating a more diverse media.

★ WHO IS IN THE TRAINER TEAM? ★

Carmine Rodi Falanga, Italy + Czechia: http://trainers.salto-youth.net/CarmineRodi/
Mafalda Morganti, Italy: http://trainers.salto-youth.net/MafaldaMorganti/
Paul Crewe, Ireland: https://www.developmentperspectives.ie/who-we-are

★ WHO IS CO-ORDINATING THE PROJECT? ★

Steve Gasgarth, Coyote Intitiatives, UK: http://trainers.salto-youth.net/StevenGasgarth/