TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Harut Mirzakhanyan
The study session aimed to strengthen media literacy among young people from rural communities and help them better recognise disinformation and misleading online content. It addressed the need for rural youth to feel more confident and informed when navigating digital spaces. The activity also supported Rural Youth Europe’s wider goal of empowering rural young people to participate more actively in their communities and society.
The study session brought together 30 participants, including the training team, from 11 Council of Europe member states. The group consisted mainly of young volunteers and staff active in rural youth and young farmers’ organisations. This mix of countries and backgrounds made it possible to compare different rural realities and learn from each other’s experiences with media literacy and youth work.
We used a mix of non-formal education methods, including interactive workshops, group work, discussions, practical exercises, experiential activities, and peer-to-peer learning. Participants worked with real examples of media content and disinformation, reflected on their own online habits, and learned through exchanging experiences from their different rural communities. We also combined these activities with some expert input, while keeping participants actively involved rather than relying on traditional lectures.
The study session gave participants practical tools to fact-check information, understand how algorithms shape what they see online, and use media more confidently in their youth work. It also produced concrete outputs, including a participant-led policy paper on rural media literacy and a jointly created podcast episode. The evaluation was very positive: 100% of respondents rated their overall experience as positive or very positive, and participants reported stronger media literacy, critical thinking, advocacy, and communication skills.
Two useful links documenting the activity are
https://rm.coe.int/2026-rye-study-session-final-report/48802cc60e?
https://www.ruralyoutheurope.com/event-details/study-session-2026-1?
I worked as a full-time trainer and was involved in the study session from the preparation stage until the final evaluation. In January, we had a preparatory meeting in Budapest where the trainers worked together on the programme, schedule, learning flow, and division of sessions. During the study session itself, I was present throughout the whole week, facilitating sessions, supporting participants, and adapting activities when needed. I also contributed to the daily team reflections and helped shape the overall learning process together with the other trainers.