20 CSOs develop MIL in the Western Balkans with small-scale projects

Almost 150 project proposals submitted by civil society organisations (CSOs) in five Western Balkan countries aiming to increase their capacities for promotion of media and information literacy (MIL) were evaluated and 20 of them selected for implementation within the sub-granting scheme of the regional project »Media for Citizens, Citizens for Media«..

Two types of projects are supported in the amount between 3,000 and 5,000 EUR:

  • actions supporting enhancement of citizens’ media and information literacy skills, including support by CSOs to education workers, librarians, citizens, and mAlmost 150 project proposals submitted by civil society organisations (CSOs) in five Western Balkan countries aiming to increase their capacities for promotion of media and information literacy (MIL) were evaluated and 20 of them selected for implementation within the sub-granting scheme of the regional project »Media for Citizens, Citizens for Media«edia workers

  • creative innovations i.e. art, media and technology production projects promoting innovation and accessibility in MIL education

In each country, up to 20,000 EUR was approved to 4 projects. 

The National Assessment Committees in five countries evaluated the project proposals based on the same criteria (quality of the project design and feasibility of the work plan, relevance, operational and management capacities, added value elements, cost efficiency and sustainability) across the region. 

The final approval of the selected projects was made by the Steering Committee of the regional project »Media for Citizens, Citizens for Media«.

Here is the final list of sub-grantees with brief information about their approved projects:

ALBANIA

Institute for Democracy, Media and Culture

Instituti për Demokraci, Media dhe Kulturë – IDMC

Project: My European Dream

The project aims to promote European values that the Albanian society shares or needs to share, primarily among young people, who will produce creative videos on the topic – identifying problems and looking for solutions.  

 

Center for Development and Democratization of Institutions

Qendra per Zhvillimin dhe Demokratizimin e Institucioneve

Project: Raising awareness among students about fake news

 As smart phones and social media boost the penetration of fake news, the project targets the youth with roundtables at universities across Albania to raise their awareness about distinguishing fake news.  

 

Culture and media center Antigonea

Qendra Kulturore Mediatike Antigonea

Project: Youth and media – Consumer and producer

The youth of the pre-university system need to be taught to assess the ethics and language used in the media, including on the forums, blogs and social media. They will learn to do critical analysis of media content and promote creativity in experimental media by creating content.

 

Association Art-Im-Pulse

Shoqata “Art-Im-Pulse”

Project: The youth communicate

 This project aims at improving media literacy and citizen journalism among Albanian youth (age 15-18) in three high schools in Tirana, Vora and Kamza. The focus is on main ethical principles in journalism and media. The youth will produce visual and narrative media content having in mind protection of minors, among other issues, so as to develop critical thinking using their talent.

 

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
 

Center for Technical Culture Mostar

Centar za tehničku kulturu Mostar

Project: Students – Bridges of Media and Information Literacy

In order to link contemporary education with media and information literacy (MIL), the aim is to develop capacities of students in the city of Mostar to advocate the development of MIL at the local level by using information technologies. The students will share their experiences and knowledge and thus improve MIL educational resources for all citizens.

 

Foundation 'Mission'

Fondacija 'Misija'

Project: Media and Information Literacy (MIL) and Informatics Literacy

The project aims to increase MIL and informatics literacy of young people, as well as other groups of citizens, through the production of educational video materials with practical examples. The project encompasses a wide range of topics, including education about the role, function and especially influence of the media, with a particular emphasis on digital media, and practical examples of the usage of professional tools for creating media content such as photography and audio/video. The aim is also to educate the audience about distribution of content, self-sustainability and financing of media, online security and media ethics.
 

Associations for Care and Children’s Rights “Our Children”

Udruženja za brigu i opšta prava djece „Naša djeca“

Project: Active RadiYO Citizens

The goal is to provide better platform for media in the organization’s local community by educating the public on the societal role of the media and proper interpretation of media content. Working with experts from various media-related fields, the project will organize a public discussion and produce short videos and a documentary useful for media and society.
 

Radio Kameleon – Open Network for Human Rights and Democracy

Radio Kameleon – Otvorena mreža ljudskih prava i demokratije

Co-applicant: Association for Media Education, Democratization and Research MEDIANA

Asocijacija za medijsku edukaciju, demokratizaciju i istraživanja MEDIANA

Project: Developing methodical/pedagogical capacities in kindergartens for working with children on media literacy

Workshops for educators in pre-school institutions are held in five regions of the country to enhance their MIL capacities so they develop healthy media habits among children (3-6 years old) and encourage children to ask questions about scenes in animated films, advertisements, video games and music videos instead of passive media consumption.

 

MONTENEGRO

NGO “Ekvivalent”

Project: With a powerful message towards prejudice-free society!

The project aims to contribute to the improvement of the quality of media content and the usage of adequate terminology in media reports about people with disabilities. It will educate at least 20 media workers, 50 secondary school students and 15 students of journalism by organizing five educational trainings (main activities: trainings in two secondary school, training for journalism students, trainings for media workers and a media campaign).

 

Association “Spektra” (co-applicant: Queer Montenegro)

Project: Gender Literacy of the Media

The goal is to contribute to development of media literacy regarding human rights of transgender, gender diverse and intersex persons, as well as gender equality by educating journalists and activists. The education involves tackling stereotypes in the public discourse.

 

NGO “Students' Active Frequency of Radio Avant-garde – SAFRA”

NGO “Studentska Aktivna Frekvencija Radijske Avangarde – SAFRA”

Project: Good Journalist!

The focus is on the importance of journalism for a democratic society, as well as all intellectual, professional and moral qualities that a good journalist ought to have within the context of the significance of MIL in a democratic society. A series of activities are geared towards this goal: research among journalism students on the inclusion of MIL in their education; radio shows with MIL professionals; radio debates; workshops and trainings for a student radio; an intensive and creative media campaign.

 

NGO “Agency for Local Democracy”

NGO “Agencija za lokalnu demokratiju”

Project: “Check, Choose, Analyse! – Campaign for Promoting Media and Information Literacy”

The project aims at improvement, acceptance and promotion of MIL among high-school students using new and smart technologies and performing arts. It will develop educational online tools to help target group adopt basics of MIL and it will deliver promotional video and digital material (targeting citizens) focusing on the importance of MIL. Final street performance produced by students will promote active attitudes and participation on the local level focusing on the importance of MIL. The project will develop cooperation with IT sector.

 

NORTH MACEDONIA

Council of Media Ethics of Macedonia (CMEM)

Project: Towards media "awareness" and effective media self-regulation by building networks of cooperation

The Council of Media Ethics (CMEM), as a body for media self-regulation, focuses on awareness-raising activities for recognizing tendentious and unprofessional reporting by establishing an active partnership with the civil society sector and the media at local level and by undertaking a joint approach in building media literacy skills among the younger population.

 

Association "Nadez Hope" Makedonska Kamenica

Project: “Elderly know and can, too”

 The organization had detected a lack of media literacy among the elderly and their organizations. Therefore, the project educates and integrates the elderly and helps them improve the quality of their work in the civil sector by knowing how to use the media as a tool for transparency.
 

Platform for investigative journalism and analyses – PINA

Project: Improving media literacy by mobile journalism

The project will strengthen the capacities of 15 students in mobile journalism, give them an opportunity to learn from professionals and practice their knowledge with personal professional mentors form the country and abroad. As a result, the participants will produce mentored mobile journalism video stories on subjects concerning media literacy, human rights, marginalized communities, environment, new technologies and sustainable development. The videos will be published on PINA website and presented in a public event during 2019 Investigative Film Festival Skopje .

 

Association of Informatics of Macedonia

Project: Check it before you trust it

This project aims to increase MIL knowledge for all users of electronic media in Macedonia. А web application and a Google chrome extension will help users distinguish between accurate and complete information and incomplete information. The web application will become a source of information about the basic elements of reliable news, as well as examples of news articles that are structured appropriately and news that are potentially fake or unprofessionally written. The Google chrome extension will provide real time indicator for news open in Chrome browser from several influential Macedonian media outlets.

 

SERBIA

Citizens' Association 'OMNIBUS'

Udruženje građanja 'OMNIBUS'

Project: Media Primer

The main project goals are: 1) to educate citizens of the South Banat region on the importance of information and the media literacy concept; 2) to strengthen the capacity of CSOs and young journalists from this region to advocate for the MIL development in their local communities; 3) to develop a new and inovative tool for promoting the concept of MIL to the younger citizens of the South Banat region; 4) to enable networking of South Banat CSOs and their engagement in the process of fact-checking and the analysis of media manipulation.

 

Media and Reform Center Niš

Medija i reform centar Niš

Project: Visual Literacy – Beyond Visible

 The project focuses on visual literacy – on what we can and cannot see in the media. As insufficient attention is paid to visual cognition, the project involves the production and placement of four seven-minute episodes on visual literacy, both via new and traditional media. The goal is to create educational media content on MIL with practical benefits in daily understanding of media messages.

 

Youth Citizens' Parliament of Subotica

Omladinski građanski parlament Subotice

Project: Developing critical thinking among youth using media

 The project is focused on youth training for communication with the media, quality evaluation and critical analysis of media content. Some of the expected achievements: enabling individuals to find, evaluate and successfully use valid information; understanding of the seven pillars of information literacy; disseminating information ethically after verificaton; understanding the notion of "information spinning".

 

BeFem – Feminist Cultural Center

BeFem – Feministički kulturni centar

Project: Media Observatory: Sharpening Media Image Vol. 2.0

 The Media Observatory is a public space and a forum with the goal to increase active participation and influence of citizens on the improvement of messages disseminated by the most read print media in Serbia. The project wants to contribute to the citizens’ critical reading of the media and their understanding of the way media messages contribute to the maintenance of discriminatory and sexist culture. Desired outcome is for the citizens to get new inputs for better interaction with the media, and the tools for analysis and understanding the relationship between media messages and constructed peoples’ identities and behaviors.

 

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The regional program “Media for Citizens – Citizens for Media: Strengthening the Capacity of NGOs for the Development of Media and Information Literacy in the Western Balkans” is implemented with the support of the European Union by partner organizations Mediacentar SarajevoAlbanian Media InstituteMacedonian Institute for MediaMontenegrin Media InstituteNovi Sad School of JournalismPeace InstituteSEENPM.