Almost a month has passed since our team from Macedonia left to participate in a youth exchange in Latvia with the title “YOU(th) in Media Literacy”.
On this exchange Jovan, David, Joana, Bojana, Lazar and Sofija and the rest of the participants from other countries had the chance to learn more about media literacy and what it means and they improved their skills on how to more easily check which news came from a trustworthy source and how to more easily deal with accurate/fake news, regardless of whether they encounter them on social networks, in magazines, on TV etc.
Here is what the participants from our team have to share with us about their experience:
Jovan: “During this exchange, I personally learned a lot about how I learn new things and how others around me do the same and that it doesn’t always have to be the same way for everyone. I gained new experiences as a team leader of a group and an organizer/author of a project.
The position of team leader taught me that I have to encourage and motivate the participants in my team when it matters the most to them, how to better transfer my knowledge about creating activities and taking the leadership position as a group. I also learned that sometimes I need to leave them alone to turn their brainstorming into a final plan.
I think the position of organizer/author of the project was the biggest step I have taken in my experience in the Erasmus+ field so far and with the process itself, I learned how to think ahead of time about the work plan and the ways how to best convey the message to others.
And of course, there is no greater wealth than meeting new people, gaining contacts and new work skills and experiencing new cultures.”
David: “The exchange in Latvia was a great opportunity to gain new skills and knowledge, make new friends and learn more about their cultures. I also gained new experiences and memories that will last a lifetime.”
Joana: “This exchange wasn’t my first, but it was definitely the best one. Every participant committed themselves so we could all work as a cohesive group. I learnt a lot about media literacy and I got to experience multiple cultures at once.”
Bojana: “The exchange in Latvia was a wonderful experience for me, it allowed me to meet new people and encounter different cultures, as well as learn many new things. It left me with beautiful memories and helped me gain numerous new skills and greater self-confidence.”
Lazar: “This exchange in Latvia was more than just a way to meet different cultures. By challenging the understanding of media and influence in our own individual societies when compared to the societies of our peers, we came to the understanding of how we are being influenced daily by media portals, and how that has come to limit our exploration of life through personal experience. Further than that, it helped us strengthen our perspectives and understanding of different societies, especially our own.”
After the end of the project, we can see that our team is satisfied with the knowledge they gained, the friendships they made, the experiences they had in Latvia and of course, moments they will remember forever.
Project partner: Baltic Regional fund
