TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Vassilena Varbanova
The training activity aimed to address the growing challenge of fake news and disinformation in the digital age, with a specific focus on young people’s high exposure to social media content and their vulnerability to misleading or false information. In the context of global events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, the training recognised the increasing impact of disinformation on young people’s mental well-being, political opinions, and everyday decision-making.
The main aim of the training was to strengthen youth workers’ competences in media and information literacy, enabling them to better support young people in identifying, analysing, and responding to fake news and disinformation. The training also sought to enhance critical thinking skills and promote responsible digital behaviour among young audiences.
The training addressed several key needs in the youth field. First, it responded to the need for stronger media literacy education among young people, particularly in relation to recognising reliable and unreliable sources of information. Second, it addressed the need for youth workers to be equipped with practical tools and knowledge to integrate media literacy into their daily practice. Third, it responded to the broader need for coordinated efforts between youth workers, educators, media actors, and policy-makers to reduce the spread and impact of disinformation.
The training specifically focused on developing youth workers’ understanding of fake news, including how to define it and how to distinguish it from credible information. It also supported participants in recognising online manipulation techniques such as social bots, trolling, astroturfing, and deepfakes, and in understanding how these phenomena operate within digital environments.
In addition, the training aimed to strengthen participants’ ability to design and implement educational initiatives that promote media literacy and critical thinking among young people. This included developing new activities, workshops, and programmes that can be transferred into local youth work contexts.
The training activity aligned closely with the goals of the organising organisations by contributing to their mission of empowering youth workers, promoting digital literacy, and strengthening young people’s resilience against online risks. It supported organisational objectives related to capacity building, quality youth work, and the development of innovative educational approaches. Furthermore, it reinforced the organisations’ commitment to addressing contemporary societal challenges through non-formal education and international cooperation.
Overall, the training was designed to provide both theoretical understanding and practical tools, ensuring that participants could directly apply the learning outcomes in their work with young people and contribute to more informed, critical, and responsible digital citizens.
The target group of the activity consisted of youth workers and volunteers who are actively working with young people on a regular basis in their local communities. The participants included a mix of experienced youth workers as well as those who were newer or less experienced in the field of media literacy, ICT tools, and challenges related to fake news and disinformation.
Participants were socially engaged individuals with a strong commitment to youth work and community development. They demonstrated social sensitivity and an active role within their local contexts, showing motivation to strengthen their competences and apply new knowledge in practice. All participants were required to be ready to take part in all phases of the project, including preparation activities, the training course itself, and follow-up implementation.
A key requirement was the willingness to organise at least one follow-up activity with young people in their local communities within one month after the training, either individually or in cooperation with another participant from the same country. Participants were also expected to carry out at least one dissemination activity, such as a blog post, interview, article, or social media post, to share the results of the training. Good communication skills in English were also required to ensure active participation in the intercultural learning process.
The activity brought together participants from several European countries, creating a diverse international learning environment. The represented countries were Romania, Türkiye, Greece, Spain, Italy, and Bulgaria.
Participants from Romania, Türkiye, and Greece travelled together using bus or shared transport arrangements. Participants from Spain and Italy travelled by plane, bus, or train depending on their location, while Bulgarian participants were involved as representatives of the host country.
This diversity of national contexts contributed to rich peer learning and exchange of experiences, particularly in relation to media literacy practices and approaches to addressing fake news in different educational and youth work settings.
The training was based on the principles of non-formal education, using learner-centred, participatory, and experiential learning methods. The methodology encouraged active involvement, peer learning, reflection, and practical application of knowledge.
A variety of non-formal methods were used throughout the training, including:
Interactive presentations and discussions – used to introduce key concepts and provide a common framework, while encouraging participants to share their own experiences and perspectives.
Brainstorming and group reflection activities – supported participants in exploring challenges, sharing existing knowledge, and collectively developing ideas and solutions related to youth work and supporting young people.
Role-playing and simulations – allowed participants to explore real-life situations from different perspectives, practice communication skills, and develop approaches for responding to challenges faced by young people.
Small group work and practical workshops – created space for participants to collaborate, exchange good practices from their countries, and develop practical tools and approaches that can be transferred into their local youth work contexts.
Energisers and team-building activities – were used to strengthen group cohesion, create an inclusive learning environment, and support intercultural exchange among participants.
Open Space discussions and participant-led activities – encouraged a bottom-up approach, giving participants ownership over parts of the learning process and allowing them to contribute their knowledge and experiences.
Peer learning and good practice exchange – enabled participants from Bulgaria, Cyprus, Finland, Italy, Spain, and Türkiye to share different realities, approaches, and methods used in their local communities.
Daily reflection and evaluation methods – supported participants in identifying their learning progress, connecting activities with personal and professional development, and making learning outcomes more visible.
Personal action planning – helped participants translate the knowledge, methods, and tools gained during the training into concrete follow-up actions in their own youth work environments.
Overall, the methods supported an experiential learning process where participants were not only receiving information but actively creating knowledge, practising skills, reflecting on their learning, and preparing to apply the outcomes in their local communities.
The training activity achieved its main objective of strengthening youth workers’ competences in media and information literacy, with a specific focus on identifying, analysing, and responding to fake news and disinformation in digital environments. Participants gained improved understanding of how misinformation spreads online and how it can affect young people’s attitudes, behaviour, and decision-making.
The training also equipped participants with practical tools and methods to integrate media literacy and critical thinking into their youth work practice. This included approaches for helping young people recognise credible sources of information, understand manipulation techniques (such as social bots, trolling, astroturfing, and deepfakes), and develop stronger critical thinking skills in relation to online content.
A further key achievement was the development of participants’ ability to design educational activities and initiatives on media literacy that can be implemented in their local contexts. Participants worked on ideas for follow-up actions, ensuring that the learning outcomes of the training would be transferred into practice with young people in their communities.
I worked as a co-trainer within the trainers’ team, supporting both the design and delivery of the training activity.
During the preparation phase, I contributed to the development of sessions and non-formal learning activities in line with the training objectives, ensuring they were participatory and suitable for an international group of youth workers.
During the training, I co-facilitated sessions, supported group work and reflection processes, and helped maintain an inclusive and engaging learning environment. I also contributed to monitoring group dynamics and adjusting activities when needed in coordination with the team.
Overall, my role combined input into the training design with active facilitation and support during implementation.