Young people are invited to the YouTHink media literacy training

A perfect photo, a compelling profile, or a winning notification can easily deceive. Since generative AI creates hyper-realistic texts, images, and sounds, verifying origins and assessing evidence are essential skills. The YouTHink project addresses this through interactive stories and practical tasks, aiming to train at least 200 young people across four countries in digital media literacy.

From the use of information to thoughtful decisions

In the learning programme, young people, along with four characters, Ema, Kristy, Adam or Lukas – face the challenges of digital life: suspicious offers, social media pressure, AI-generated content, privacy issues and misleading information.

Participants choose how to behave, receive feedback, and reflect on the consequences of their choices. For example, they may examine a suspicious scholarship offer, assess the credibility of a social network profile, or consider how perfect online images affect well-being and decisions.

Skills developed in the programme

• Verify sources of information and assess their reliability;
• Recognize manipulation, misleading messages, and signs of fraud;
• Critically assess AI-generated content;
• Understand the influence of social networks on emotions, attention and choices;
• Protecting privacy and sharing information thoughtfully;
• Produce digital content responsibly.

Participants do not need prior specialist AI knowledge. Curiosity, questions, and a willingness to try different situations are important to start learning.

AI literacy also includes the ability to assess its responses

On 18 June 2026, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the European Commission published the ‘Empowering Learners for the Age of AI’ AI literacy framework for primary and secondary education. AI literacy encompasses knowledge, skills, and attitudes to understand how AI works, critically evaluate its outcomes, and use technology ethically and creatively. This is a broader ability than the ability to write a request to an AI tool.

AI literacy is also at the heart of the international evaluation of PISA 2029.The OECD intends to examine how students assess the reliability, quality and purpose of digital content and make informed decisions. The evaluation also plans to use simulated digital environments. This is a future evaluation, the framework of which is still under development.

This context helps answer the question relevant to parents and educators: what skills do young people need in the age of technology? In addition to technological knowledge, it is important to learn to raise questions, evaluate evidence, understand one's own reactions and take responsibility for actions carried out in the digital environment.

Interactive content and characters based on youth experiences

YouTHink learning materials are available in the Moodle environment. It uses interactive tasks, illustrations, short video inserts, and selection-based activities. These tools help clarify situations and enable the participant to test the solution on their own.

The ideas of some of the characters came from drawings created in the children's camp. The project team developed them, digitized them and adapted them to learning scenarios. Characters reveal different digital experiences, from the desire to look perfect or fit in, to building creativity and the habit of checking information.

In training, technology becomes both a learning tool and an object of study: participants consider what AI helps to create, where it can go wrong and what decisions a person is responsible for.

International Comic Competition and Online Exhibition

YouTHink project invites young people to an International Comic Competition and Online Exhibition, encouraging participants to use their creativity to showcase how they envision the digital future.Young people aged 14–19 can enter individually or in teams of up to three, creating a 6–8-panel comic featuring at least one of the YouTHink characters.

Comics must be submitted via YouTHink Moodle by 5 December 2026, at 17:00 CET.

In Lithuania, training takes place in libraries, schools and communities

According to the information provided by the Lithuanian pilot training providers, training activities take place or are organized in the Karolina Praniauskaitė Public Library of Telšiai District Municipality, Tryškiai Lazdynai Pelėda Gymnasium, Kaunas Vincas Kudirka Public Library, Jonava Raimundas Samulevičius Progymnasium, Kalvarija Municipality Public Library, Kaunas District Municipality Public Library, the Children and Youth Literature Department of Plungė District Municipality Public Library, Trakai Vytautas Magnus Gymnasium and Kaunas Public Institution Employment Centre.

Youth workers and mentors help participants engage, discuss situations, and connect learning content with their experiences. Schools, libraries, youth centres and youth organisations are invited to apply for the participation of their groups.

How to participate?

Young people between the ages of 14 and 19, their parents and organisations working with young people can contact the partners involved in the pilot training regarding the dates of the training, the form of the training, the registration and the conditions for participation:

• In Lithuania: the VIPT Association;
• in Italy: CRHACK LAB FOLIGNO 4D;
• in Slovenia: Simbioza;
• in Portugal: Universidade Politécnica de Tomar (formerly PolytechnicInstitute of Tomar).

If additional support is needed for participation, individual needs can be discussed with your country's partner.

YouTHink is an Erasmus+ project co-funded by the European Union. Its aim is to strengthen media and information literacy among young people and to promote critical and responsible participation in the digital environment.

Funded by the European Union. However, the views or opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the Youth Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.