DECODE: Debunking Extremist Content and Overcoming Digital Extremism

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Amaç

The DECODE project stems from a participatory needs analysis conducted with the youth groups of the partners, coordinated by 6 group leaders, to address online youth radicalization and misinformation. Young people, particularly vulnerable ones, were actively involved in co-writing the project through surveys, focus groups, and online discussions. This process allowed for the identification of common vulnerabilities, such as social isolation and lack of digital skills, and the design of targeted activities to address these challenges. The project aims to promote youth empowerment, intercultural dialogue, and access to European opportunities.

The objectives of DECODE are as follows:
1. To counter youth radicalization through intercultural and interreligious dialogue, understanding the values of the European Union, and the value of European citizenship.
2. To develop digital literacy and fact-checking skills to recognize the psycho-emotional harm of radical content and combat the threat to European values, analyzing ICT both for their educational and innovative value, as well as their role as vehicles for psychological manipulation, recruitment of vulnerable youth, and deep fakes.
3. To develop prevention strategies to recognize and counter the risk factors of online youth radicalization, violent extremism, and the normalization of violence.
4. To share best practices in digital safety and personal data protection.
5. To promote civic sense and participation in the European Union and its values.
6. To facilitate access to European opportunities for young people with fewer opportunities.
7. To develop two tangible outputs: a digital documentary project on European belonging and a Decalogue of best practices for fact-checking and debunking extremist ideologies and deep fakes.

Uygulama

The project includes several implementation phases, involving structured preliminary preparation, an online planning meeting (APV) for group leaders, a youth exchange experience with non-formal education methodologies, and a detailed follow-up plan aimed at disseminating and ensuring the sustainability of the results.

In the preliminary preparation phase, two months before the mobility starts, preparatory webinars will be organized to provide participants with basic knowledge on the phenomena of online youth radicalization, fact-checking, and debunking extremist narratives. Group leaders and participants will be integrated into internal communication channels where they will have access to further materials and can begin online team-building activities. A compilation of best practices for online youth deradicalization and promoting digital critical thinking will be developed. Furthermore, participants will receive support in planning their travel and will be involved in an empowerment process aimed at strengthening their leadership and communication skills.

The Advance Planning Visit (APV) will take place online and involve group leaders from partner countries. During this meeting, the project’s content, methodological, and management framework, responsibilities, and short-, medium-, and long-term objectives will be defined. Leaders will share strategies for group management and outline the Learning Agreement, ensuring that all participants understand the role of YouthPass as a tool for recognizing acquired skills. Security and inclusivity measures will also be addressed, with a focus on young people with fewer opportunities.

The Youth Exchange will be the heart of the project and will follow a participatory approach focused on non-formal education and peer learning. It will take place in Sant'Anna d'Alfaedo, Verona, and will involve 30 participants, 6 group leaders, and 2 facilitators. The participants will be aged between 18 and 25 and will be from local community associations, sensitive to and at risk of youth radicalization due to their social disadvantage. The group leaders will be 18+ volunteers from the partner associations, who have actively contributed to the co-writing process and, with mentoring and support from the partnership, will lead their national team throughout the entire project cycle. They will be responsible for co-creation, co-implementation, and co-management alongside the partnership. The activities will be co-designed by the young people themselves, using interactive methodologies such as role-playing, digital storytelling, world café discussions, and cooperative learning. Each day will be structured to alternate moments of reflection, discussion, and the creation of digital content aimed at preventing online radicalization. Participants will work in international teams to develop debunking tools, awareness campaigns, and alternative narratives, with the goal of countering misinformation and persuasive strategies used in extremist digital content. During the mobility, public speaking and leadership sessions will also be held to strengthen participants’ communication skills.

In the follow-up plan, participants will organize local dissemination events, involving at least 20 young people with fewer opportunities in each partner country. During these meetings, the video documentary created during the Youth Exchange will be shown, and the Ten Commandments of best practices to counter digital radicalization, two of the main tangible outcomes of the project, will be analyzed. Participants will facilitate debates and workshops to share the skills they have acquired and raise awareness on the topic. At the same time, dissemination will be reinforced through online communication strategies, with content published on social media, blogs, and Erasmus+ and SALTO platforms.

The sustainability of the project will be ensured through maintaining communication channels between participants and integrating those who wish to continue in the partner organizations’ activities. Follow-up calls will be organized one week, two weeks, and one month after the mobility to monitor progress and provide support to participants. The partnership will also encourage participation in new European projects and offer individual mentoring to guide young people in volunteering and youth work paths.

Sonuçlar

The DECODE project aims to generate a significant impact on multiple levels, involving young participants, youth leaders, partner organizations, and external entities outside the consortium.

During and after participating in the project, young people will develop organizational, problem-solving, coordination, and management skills, along with greater awareness of digital extremism and online radicalization. The empowerment process, co-created by the group leaders, will help participants develop key skills in time management, activity design, teamwork, and entrepreneurship. Additionally, they will have the opportunity to deepen their knowledge of fact-checking and debunking methodologies, crucial for combating the spread of extremist content. Another aspect of the impact will be strengthening the European identity among the participants, promoting active citizenship, and raising awareness of the opportunities offered by Erasmus+ programs and the European Solidarity Corps. Youth leaders and youth workers from various partner countries will benefit from an exchange of good practices and an enhancement of their skills in group management, intercultural mediation, and mentoring. Through collaboration with experts and organizations, they will acquire new tools for youth empowerment, contributing to a multiplier effect in their respective local contexts.

The organizations involved will benefit from the integration of innovative methodologies and intervention strategies to support vulnerable youth and groups at risk of radicalization, as well as from bringing young participants closer to local activities and youth work practices. The experience with DECODE will enable the development of new tools to prevent online extremism and strengthen youth work activities. The project will have an impact at the local, regional, national, and European levels, thanks to targeted dissemination strategies. The two main products of the project – the video documentary on youth online radicalization and the Ten Commandments of digital skills to prevent it – will be disseminated through public events, digital platforms, and European networks of youth work and youth groups.

To ensure lasting impact, DECODE will adopt an integrated growth strategy, promoting not only the development of technical skills but also a change in personal attitudes. Sustainability will be ensured through:
– Post-project webinars for skills consolidation and the creation of new initiatives;
– Dissemination strategies to engage stakeholders and local communities;
– Implementation of local follow-up events in which participants will facilitate spaces for discussion, dialogue, and awareness-raising;
– Creation of a stable network of youth workers and young changemakers capable of combating digital extremism.