Facts For Future: countering climate disinformation in youth work

Background

For an increasing number of young people, social media is the primary source of news and information, while the climate crisis remains one of their biggest future concerns. At the same time, narratives such as "the climate has always been changing" or false information about blackouts caused by renewable energies are widespread in both social and traditional media.

Climate change fuels eco-anxiety, while disinformation erodes trust in science and institutions, reinforcing populist narratives that obstruct climate action. Deliberately spread climate disinformation—both online and offline, in social media and personal conversations—weakens fact-based discussions, undermines understanding of local and global climate policies and displays a threat for democracy.

Facts For Future

In 2025, Kreisau-Initative launched its educational program Facts For Future to counter climate disinformation in youth work and create youth exchanges at the intersection of media literacy, climate and civic education.

The training course of Facts For Future aims to build capacities with professionals of civil society organisations, trainers and youth workers from across Europe in Würzburg from 9th to 15th April 2026 (including two travel days). Through peer exchange and workshops with experts, participants will develop methods to address climate disinformation and populist narratives with young people and discuss strategies how civil society can strengthen a democratic dialogue on climate protection that is based on facts.

Objectives of the training:

• strengthening critical media literacy: participants will learn to identify and analyse disinformation and promote fact-based discussions with young people.
• developing strategies to strengthen civil society in terms of climate disinformation: methods will be introduced to address populist narratives and their impact on climate policy.
• supporting youth engagement: participants will explore ways to help young people cope with climate disinformation, debunk myths through creative methods and encourage active participation in climate action.
• fostering European exchange and networking: sharing experiences from different countries to develop joint approaches for climate education and combating disinformation

When and where?

The training course takes place from 9th April-15th April 2025 (including two travel days) in Würzburg, Germany.

Who can participate?

Whether you are an NGO interested in building a European network, a trainer engaged in non-formal education, a teacher or youth worker that wants to learn more about media literacy or an activist seeking new approaches, this programme offers valuable insights and connections.

This training is open to for people from diverse backgrounds, including professionals of civil society organisations, trainers and youth workers working in relevant fields

who

• already gained experience in the context of non-formal education and would like to strengthen their skills in addressing climate disinformation
• are active in the field of media (literacy), climate or civic education; respectively have a strong interest in one of these fields
• have an interest to shape future youth projects that address the topic of the training
• are fluent in English, as it is the working language of the entire program
• live in one of the following Erasmus+ Youth Programme countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Latvia, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Malta, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, or Türkiye

How to apply?

Please fill in the application form by 25th  January 2026.

The participants will be selected on the basis of motivation and the available number of places per country.

All admitted persons for participation in the training will be informed by 30th January, 2026. Persons who were not contacted are on a waiting list and will be contacted subsequently if spots become available.