“Be Smart in Social Media: Digital Skills for Critical Minds” is an Erasmus+ cooperation project that aims to collect good practices and develop new educational materials for an E-Handbook focused on digital and media literacy, as well as critical thinking. Through the development of the E-Handbook and the implementation of training activities for youth workers, the project seeks to strengthen the digital readiness, resilience, and capacity of youth organisations. The acquisition of new competences by youth workers will contribute to improving the quality of youth work and support the Erasmus+ Programme priority of digital transformation.

Partners from Lithuania, Estonia, Finland, France, and Italy will collaborate to create a comprehensive E-Handbook designed to support the project’s main target group: youth workers. These professionals will be able to use the project results in their daily work with young people, who are the final beneficiaries of the initiative. The resource will also be valuable for a wider audience, including educators using non-formal education methods, NGO staff, and other stakeholders interested in digital and media literacy, critical thinking, and the analysis of pandemic and post-pandemic communication challenges.

According to the Media Literacy Expert Group established by the European Commission, media literacy encompasses the technical, cognitive, social, civic, and creative skills that enable citizens to access, critically understand, and interact with media. It applies to all forms of media and communication channels, including traditional media, the internet, and social media. While media literacy may be understood differently across countries and stakeholder groups, a common element in all definitions is the development of critical thinking skills. By strengthening these competences, the project aims to support young people and youth workers in navigating today’s complex digital environment in an informed, responsible, and critical manner.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.