“TH!NK: youth & the post-truth era” Youth Exchange

We are currently looking for sending partners for a multilateral KA1 Youth Exchange! We intend to apply for the Erasmus+ funding on February, 2nd. If you are interested in being our partner organization, read the call below!

Project title: TH!NK: youth & the post-truth era
Theme: media&politics, critical thinking, youth participation
Host Organization: Associação Spin
Location: Lisbon, Portugal
Exchange dates: 9-17 October 2017
APV dates: 15 – 17 September 2017
Partner application deadline: 31 January 2017

We need:
– 5 sending partner organizations from Program Countries
– 5 participants per country: 1 group leader (at least 18, no upper age limit) and 4 participants (18-30, but preferably 18-25)

The idea:
Each year the editorial board of the Oxford Dictionary chooses the, so called, word of the year. In 2016 this title was given to the neologism “post-truth,” which is meant as “relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.” The term itself appeared as early as in the 90s, however only now has it moved into the mainstream, being especially used within the context of the Brexit, the refugee crisis, the Trump candidacy and presidency or the Russian propaganda concerning the situation in Ukraine.

The reason we want to implement this youth exchange is because we are concerned with the post-truth politics being ever more present within the EU. We notice that we are now living in times when more and more politicians are appealing to people’s emotions and fears, rather than to their reason. The politics is being based upon constant information noise, in which the boundary between a fact and an opinion, a truth and a falsehood, information and misinformation, becomes blurry. In this environment, in which even long and repeatedly disclaimed falsehoods can carry on “living”, the politicians do not try to diagnose and solve existing problems based on evidence and facts. Instead, they strive to provoke strong emotions and appeal to a prejudice already existing within the society, oftentimes using slogans devoid of any connection to the reality.

This youth exchange has 3 main themes: current affairs (media&politics), critical thinking and youth participation. We think that the only way we can combat the post-truth politics is by working on developing the critical and analytical thinking skills within the society and by promoting the freedom of press. This particular project will be focused on youth and it will be the youngsters themselves, who will create the final product of the project: an NFE module/activity on the YE topic. In the follow-up phase the youngsters will implement the activity within their communities.

Main objectives:
- to help young people to develop their critical and analytical thinking capabilities
– to promote pluralism, freedom of press and freedom of expression
– to combat populism, extremism, censorship and propaganda
– to encourage youth to follow current national and EU affairs
– to create a new NFE module on critical thinking in the post-truth era
– to promote the use of the NFE methodology in formal education settings
– to promote critical thinking among the European society
– to promote the knowledge of Bairro Padre Cruz and Carnide areas
– to create intercultural learning moments among the participants from several European countries and between them and the community of Carnide

Main activities:
– workshops (non-formal methodology)
– street interviews
– presentations on current situation in home countries
– documentary watching & debating
– study visits (museum & newspaper offices)
– preparation of an NFE module on critical thinking in the post-truth era
– implementation of the NFE module with support from the sending organization

Conditions:
– the travels (APV and YE) will be reimbursed up to the limit established by the Erasmus+ Program Guide within 3 months after the Youth Exchange
– accommodation, food and activities will be covered by the host organization
– there is no participation fee

Partner Organization´s responsibilities:
– select and prepare(!) the leaders and participants for the exchange (preparation is not only to help in the ticket purchase, but also to exhaustively explain to the participants what a YE is and what type of methodology will be used); both the leaders and the participants must know from early on that they are not tourists and that free time will be scarce
– make sure that all leaders attend the APV (15-17 September) and lead some of the YE´s activities
– make sure the participants take active part in the preparatory phase: investigate and prepare presentations
– make sure that the participants take active part in the follow-up phase: implement the NFE module at least 1 (an activity of about 3h for a group of young people)
- contribute to the visibility and dissemination of the project

To be partners, you should:
– be an eligible institution from a Program Country (having all the necessary documents up-to-date on the Participant Portal)
– read this call very carefully and agree to all its conditions
– send these documents to intercambios@a-spin.pt by January, 31st (please make sure you mention the name “TH!NK” in the subject line of your e-mail).

Contact:
Aneta Dawidziuk (Project Manager)
intercambios@a-spin.pt
+351 217 145 520

Please share this call with all interested organizations. We are looking forward to your applications and to cooperating with you!

Thank you!

Best regards,
Associação Spin