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The TRUTH4YOUTH project is a CERV-funded initiative focused on strengthening citizen engagement and democratic participation across Europe. Coordinated by the International Center for Southern Europe in collaboration with fourteen partner organizations (see the list down below), the project responds to the growing erosion of truth in digital public discourse and the increasing vulnerability of young people to climate related misinformation and online disinformation. Through a combination of training, civic participation, and digital engagement activities, TRUTH4YOUTH aims to empower young people to become “digital truth detectives” who are equipped not only to identify manipulation and false narratives, but also to actively contribute to democratic resilience within their communities.The overall objective of the project is to strengthen young people’s ability to become resilient digital citizens and active defenders of democratic values. By providing youth with practical skills, educational tools, and participatory opportunities, the project seeks to help them critically identify, challenge, and prevent climate misinformation and online disinformation across Europe. To achieve these goals, TRUTH4YOUTH will implement a wide range of educational and community-based activities, including a Modular Empowerment Framework, international training courses, workshops and simulations, the Green Truth Quiz, the TRUTH4YOUTH SKOOL Community & Engagement platform, and a Youth Bootcamp.
One of the project’s foundational components is the Modular Empowerment Framework, which
will be developed by experts to establish the project’s guidelines, methodologies, learning objectives, and
strategic approaches. This framework will serve as the educational backbone of the initiative and ensure
consistency across all project activities and partner organizations. Another major component of the project is the series of International Training Courses designed to equip youth workers and young participants with competencies in media literacy, civic resilience, and participatory methodologies. These multi-day programs will help participants develop critical thinking, fact-checking abilities, and digital citizenship skills that they can later transfer to their local communities. Participation in these trainings will be open to individuals from CERV countries who are at least eighteen years old.Three international training courses will take place throughout the project. The first training, held in Vienna, will focus on digital democratic citizenship and methods for identifying and debunking online disinformation. The second training course, hosted in Italy, will introduce “living labs” aimed at strengthening media resilience and encouraging participants to develop innovative approaches to digital resilience at the community level. Participants will also learn how to design, facilitate, and evaluate local initiatives that address misinformation. The final training course, which will also be held in Vienna, will focus specifically on climate disinformation.
Through simulations and interactive exercises, participants will gain hands on experience in countering false or misleading climate narratives.
Following the international trainings, workshops and simulations will be organized at the local
level to maximize outreach and engage hundreds of young people in interactive civic innovation
activities. These workshops aim to empower participants to become community changemakers capable of facilitating media literacy initiatives and promoting informed democratic participation within their local environments. In addition, the project will launch the Green Truth Quiz, an interactive educational activity designed to address common misconceptions and disinformation related to climate change. The quiz will combine group discussions, interactive exercises, and collaborative learning activities to reinforce participants’ understanding of climate misinformation and strengthen their critical media analysis skills. TRUTH4YOUTH will also establish the TRUTH4YOUTH SKOOL Community & Engagement platform, an online space designed to connect young people participating in the project. This digital community will encourage youth engagement through online events, discussions, and collaborative learning opportunities focused on misinformation, media resilience, and digital participation. The platform will be introduced through a series of online sessions where participants can share experiences, discuss expectations, and contribute ideas related to youth engagement and democratic participation in the digital age. Furthermore, the project will organize a Youth Bootcamp aimed at strengthening critical
digital citizenship skills and promoting civic participation through responsible media use. This multi-day program will focus on developing media literacy competencies, ethical digital engagement practices, leadership skills, and collaborative problem-solving abilities among young participants.
The project will conclude with a final conference that will celebrate the achievements of TRUTH4YOUTH and present a policy brief containing recommendations for creating meaningful impact at both the national and European levels. The conference will bring together youth workers, educators, young people, researchers, and policymakers from across Europe to discuss the project’s findings and long-term implications. This interactive online gathering will feature keynote speakers, expert panels, breakout workshops, and youth led presentations. Drawing on insights gathered from surveys, workshops, living labs, and participant experiences, the final policy brief will serve as an advocacy tool aimed at
influencing future policies related to media literacy, democratic engagement, and digital resilience across Europe.
