The SMILES project started in 2021 with the objective of helping young people learn to fight fake information. The project focuses on youth in the Netherlands, Spain and Belgium and brings together partners who work in libraries, media literacy organisations and research institutes in these countries. The project will develop and test an innovative approach to curb the spread of disinformation.
As part of this process the SMILES project will deploy a “train the trainer” approach where school teachers and librarians will be taught how to deliver workshops to youths aged 12-15. They will be equipped with the knowledge, skills and materials required and will have the opportunity to meet and support each other once they complete their training.
Prior to developing the workshops that teachers and librarians will attend in September, the SMILES team undertook a baseline study of media literacy education in the three pilot countries. This sought to establish the state-of-play as well as an assessment of expectations, knowledge, and skills needed in the field of media literacy. The study is available for consultation here.
For more information about the SMILES project, check out the project website!
