Erasmus+ Narratives and critical thinking in geopolitics

"It takes a village to raise a child." This African proverb reminds us that a child’s development thrives on diversity—of perspectives, experiences, and practices. But in today’s fragmented world, where information floods in from every direction, what is our role as youth workers in nurturing independent, critical thinkers?

How do we guide young people without imposing our own biases? How do we teach critical  thinking in an era of relentless media saturation, where algorithms shape perceptions and misinformation spreads faster than truth? The challenges are immense: polarization over questions like migration, climate crisis, and armed conflicts can fuel radicalization, while the sheer volume of information makes discernment harder than ever.

Yet, the ability to analyze, question, and contextualize information is not just a skill—it’s a necessity for young people to navigate the world and for society to remain cohesive. That’s why this training will use a real-world case study (such as the U.S. elections or the war in Ukraine) as a guiding thread, helping youth workers deepen their geopolitical knowledge while honing their critical analysis of media narratives.

Through writing exercises, storytelling techniques, and narrative deconstruction, we’ll explore how to articulate complex realities—giving young people the tools to name, understand, and challenge the world they inherit. Because true empowerment begins when they can put words to the present.

Participants will explore the historical links between past events and their impact on today’s global
landscape. Through a series of case studies, they will deepen their understanding of contemporary
geopolitical dynamics and learn to apply an analytical framework that helps unpack the multiple dimensions of a conflict.

They will delve into key issues such as misinformation, international conflicts (including Ukraine and
the Middle East), and media bias, using dynamic non-formal education methods—such as structured
debates, world café discussions, and immersive simulations.
The program blends theoretical insights with hands-on practice, featuring interactive workshops and
guided reflection to tailor tools to their specific local realities. A core focus will be sharpening critical thinking skills, crucial for navigating today’s complex and often polarized media landscape. Participants will gain practical, ready-to-use tools to help young people recognize disinformation, propaganda, and fake news, along with engaging pedagogical approaches to address these challenges effectively. By the end, they will be better equipped to empower young people to analyze, question, and understand the world around them with clarity and confidence.

We wish more specifically to:

• interrogate critical thinking awareness
• analyse our practice and our posture
• acquire knowledge about geopolitics
• develop skills on the tool of comics
• exchange good practices of each organization on the different topics of the project.

Frame of work : 

Participants will come from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and levels of knowledge. We expect each person to have enough distance from their own experiences to talk about them, share insights, build upon them collectively, and be open to constructive challenge.

This training is a learning space, and each participant is invited to adopt a pedagogical mindset throughout the process.
We ask everyone to remain respectful and attentive to the sensitivities and perspectives of others, especially when discussing complex or emotionally charged geopolitical topics.
As part of this training, we will reflect on our professional posture, which includes examining our own assumptions, biases, and the narratives that shape our understanding of global events.
All participants are expected to be on time and actively engage in every session.
We will also live collectively during the training period, and participants will be asked to contribute to some daily tasks to support the group’s well-being.
The training will be conducted in English. A good level of English is required for this training (understanding and being understood).