Projects

Empowering gender-based online Hate Speech by engaging digital media

Online gender-based hate speech is a global phenomenon taking a number of forms of abuse and violence, which have become a threat to the physical and psychosocial well-being of women and LGBTQI+ people. While there has been some emphasis on monitoring and advocating for better responses to social media-generated hate speech, a greater focus on the role of the media in perpetuating gendered hate speech narratives as well as combatting the effects will be introduced by the project.

The CHASE project recognises the importance of supporting media, in particular online media, to detect, avoid and counter gendered online hate speech. It also recognises that CSOs/NGOs and other human rights defenders can play an additional watchdog role.

The overall objective of the CHASE project is to establish and put into practice in Cyprus, Greece, France and Italy, a comprehensive mechanism which will support online media to successfully identify and respond to situations and instances of online gender-based hate speech.

The main components and key activities are:

  • Research on the existing legal framework and identification of different patterns of online hate speech & response mechanisms for cases of online gender-based hate speech;
  • Development of an innovative ICT tool detecting online gender-based hate speech;

Region/Country: Greece, Cyprus, France, Italy and the wider EU region

Timeframe/dates: 1 March 2024 to 28 February 2026  

Funding programme: CERV-2023-CHAR-LITI-SPEECH

Healing Digital Wounds

A Psychosocial Support Guide for Youth

The project aims to provide youth and youth workers with psychosocial support, equipping them with the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to navigate the digital world safely, promote mindful media consumption, implement digital detox strategies, and heal from digital wounds.

Project objectives

  1. To empower Youth Workers as Psychosocial Advocates for Digital Well-being.
  2. To foster a culture of empathy and psychosocial emotional support within the digital community, encouraging open dialogue about digital wounds and mental well-being.
  3. To increase understanding among youth and youth workers about various forms of digital wounds from a psychosocial perspective, including cyberbullying, online harassment, and digital abuse.
  4. To create a pocket-sized booklet that incorporates psychosocial elements, offering practical tips, resources, and psychosocial support for both youth and youth workers to navigate the digital world safely and healing digital wounds.
  5. To create an interactive online platform focused on mindful media consumption, digital detox, and digital minimalism, while integrating psychosocial support elements to provide a comprehensive resource hub.
  6. To develop strategies for the project’s long-term sustainability and explore opportunities to expand its reach to reach more youth and youth workers.

Expected results

1. Development and Distribution of “Digital Guardian Pocket Guide” (open source, 3 languages, min.25 pages)
2. Establishment of “MindfulTech Oasis” Online Platform (open source, 3 languages)
3. 2 Days Participatory visit in France to deepen our understanding of effective strategies and approaches for violence prevention and peace promotion
4. Training session in Netherlands to empower youth trainers. (10 participants, 2 days)
5. Dissemination and multiplier events

Partner countries: Netherland, France and Croatia

Navigating Peace in Youth through Adventures & Dialogues

The aim of the project is to empower young individuals with the knowledge, skills, and critical thinking abilities necessary to actively contribute to violence prevention and the promotion of peace within their communities.

Project Objectives

  • To create a diverse range of immersive digital adventures(educational tool) that address real-life scenarios related to violence prevention and peace promotion.
  • To arrange pilot training by involving adult educators and trainers in each partner country and propose handbook
    improvements, based on training experience.
  • To design interactive elements within the digital adventures that encourage participants to think critically, make informed decisions, and solve complex challenges related to violence and conflict.
  • To develop Violence Prevention Coaching Cards with thoughtfully crafted prompts to stimulate meaningful conversations among youth about violence, its root causes, and effective preventive measures.
  • To ensure the accessibility and scalability of the project, reaching a diverse group of young people from various backgrounds and communities.
  • To collaborate with schools, community organizations, and youth-focused entities to integrate HarmonyPath into educational and community settings.

Expected results 

  • Interactive Digital Adventures: an engaging online platform where youth can participate in immersive digital adventures focused on violence prevention.
  • Violence Prevention Coaching Cards : a set of thoughtfully crafted prompts will be designed to spark meaningful conversations and guide discussions about violence, its root causes, and effective preventive measures;
  • 2 Days Participatory visit in France to deepen our understanding of effective strategies and approaches for violence prevention and peace promotion. ;
  • Youth workers to integrate ‘HARMONYPATH’ outputs in their daily work.
  • Dissemination and multiplier events. 

Partner Countries: Germany, France and Croatia.

Empowering Youth migrants for business success

Objectives:

  1. Enhance Business Language Proficiency: Develop and deliver structured training modules in both English and the language of the host country, focusing on critical business communication skills, including writing, speaking, and industry specific vocabulary (Management, Finance and Hospitality and Tourism). 
  2. Facilitate Immersive Learning through a Centralized Platform Create an interactive online training platform to provide our learners and trainers with easy access to training materials, exercises, and immersive learning experiences, ensuring continuous skill development. 
  3. Incorporate Gamified Elements for Engaging Learning Integrate gamification elements, including business language gameboards, within the training platform to enhance participant engagement, reinforce learning, and provide a dynamic and stimulating educational environment.
  4. Empower Participants for Cross-Cultural Business Environments Equip participants with the language skills necessary to confidently navigate diverse business settings, emphasizing negotiation, networking, and presentations in both English and the local language. 
  5. Promote Peer Learning and Community Integration Establish a supportive learning environment that encourages peer collaboration, fostering a sense of community among participants and facilitating their integration into the local business community. 

Main results/outputs:

  • Development of 4 comprehensive training modules with specialized business vocabulary. (online, 3 languages) 
  • Creation of an interactive online training platform with multimedia resources. 
  • Development and integration of business language gameboards. 
  • Conducting 3 workshops and simulations focused on negotiation, networking, and presentations. 
  • Establishing communication channels for participants to collaborate and exchange ideas. 
  • 3 Multiplier events, 20 pax per partner. Languages we are targeting English, Croatian, French and Dutch. 

Partner Countries: France, Spain, Ukraine, Luxembourg, Bulgaria 

Design Thinking for
Social Change

Design For Change aims to train Adult Educators, Social Change Actors, Policy Stakeholders, and other stakeholders involved in social change to use Design Thinking principles as a standard when deciding on priority issues, determining who is affected by community problems and how, determining what solutions are possible and how they affect beneficiaries, developing ideas, and implementing projects.

This method will help to make better use of resources and financing, as well as educate staff, members, and activists in local governments, NGOs, development agencies, and organizations, improving the position of community change makers and civil society to address major community concerns.

Governments, academics, educators, and communities all want to know why things go wrong. According to one view, it is critical to include impacted communities in the creation of solutions, a process known as community engagement. This allows the project to be adjusted to the community’s needs, better guiding the intervention. Brown and Mickelson’s study, Why Some Well-Planned and Community-Based ICTD Interventions Fail, expands on this by looking at how simply incorporating the community in the design of an intervention isn’t enough to ensure success. It claims that mere community interaction does not always allow us to comprehend all the community’s demands.

Social project

The Project Social center is open to the whole population, offering unconditional welcome activities and services to help them live well together. It builds its project around the needs and expectations of its users. It’s a place where generations can meet and exchange ideas, and where family and social ties family and social ties. The center strives to optimize the integration of migrants, who will find and explanations of the codes of French society with a view to social cohesion.

The Social Project groups together all the actions that the social collective wishes to carry out.

It is built around 5 entities:

  1. Youth Group
  2. Women’s discussion group
  3. French language courses
  4. Language exchanges
  5. Support center (social, listening and legal).

Major themes in 2024-2025

  1. Supporting and promoting the participation and integration of vulnerable families.
  2. Develop family involvement in city life.
  3. Support parents in their parental role.
  4. Develop actions with the Youth Group and encourage the desire to take action.
  5. Enable fair access to rights and information through digital tools.
  6. Strengthen access to French language courses for all project groups.

Beyond silence

Objectives:

  1. To provide a safe and inclusive environment for young women who have experienced domestic violence to share their stories, express themselves, and heal from their trauma.
  2. To empower young women by fostering self-esteem, self-confidence, and resilience through workshops, mentoring, and creative activities.
  3. To equip youth workers with a comprehensive understanding of domestic violence, including its causes, effects, and available support systems.
  4. To enhance the skills of youth workers in providing appropriate and effective support to young women who have experienced domestic violence.
  5. To develop a toolkit and training materials for youth workers, providing them with practical strategies and resources to support young women in their communities.

Expected results:

  1. Empowerment and improved well-being of young women who have experienced domestic violence.
  2. Enhanced knowledge and skills of youth workers, enabling them to provide more effective support and advocacy for young women.
  3. Increased awareness and understanding of domestic violence among the community, leading to reduced stigma and increased reporting of incidents.

LGBTIQ+ Youth Net

Partners Countries:  France , Ukraine, Ireland, Denmark and Germany.  LGBTIQ YOUTH NET is an action to combat online LGBTIQ+ hate speech by providing a fresh, and innovative YOUTH EDUCATION model. Combining digital and social skills for LGBTIQ youth, non-LGBTIQ youth, youth educators, and policymakers to help combat hate speech towards the LGBTIQ+ community. This will bring inclusion, increase the capacities of youth workers, and innovate their educational programs.

Project Objectives

  • Increase the capacities of youth educators and workers to help combat online hate speech against the LGBTIQ+ community.
  • Conduct desk and field research on challenges and opportunities youth are experiencing within online LGBTIQ+ hate speech.
  • Upskill and empower young people to actively participate in combating online hate speech. Educators will increase their capacities to deliver in-class education and online education.
  • Ensure relevant stakeholders include young people, co-create, consult, and implement plans for combating LGBTIQ+ online hate speech.

 Project Results 

  • 30 Good examples of combating online hate speech, 20+ methods, and 15+ tools identified to produce a toolkit.
  • 10 Good methods of combating LGBTIQ+ hate speech.
  • 6 modules covering important topics on combating online hate speech.
  • International 4-day Training event in France where youth and educators will receive a YOUTHPASS to record skills and competencies acquired.
  • A Seat at the Table for LGBTIQ and non-LGBTIQ youth ensures stakeholders include young people to co-create, consult, and implement plans for combating hate speech.

Project Website:  https://lgbtiqyouthnet.eu

MUFOCOM

While this diversity enriches the linguistic and cultural diversity of Europe, it also challenges political decision-makers on the adequate means to assume henceforth their responsibilities, that is to say work to the overall development and well-being of the people they have accepted to welcome to their territory.

Objectives: 

1. Diversify and innovate
2. Preserve generational skills
3. Empower learners
4. Up skilling migrants’ educators

Outputs: 

1. Transnational analysis of integration policies – Professional training and good practices for migrants’ insertion in the labor market
2. Formal and non-formal education  – Multiple approaches for fostering the linguistics skills of adult migrants 
3. Which jobs for migrants? Towards a vocational guidance in relationship with migrants’ needs and the needs of labor market
4. Mentoring To improve learning abilities valuing different pathways
5. Storytelling For empowering and motivating adult migrants: success stories

Project Website: www.mufocom.eu

EMNHS LGBTQI+

WE WORK FOR NO HATE SPEECH LGBTQI YOUTH PEOPLE’S SAFETY, EQUALITY, FREEDOM AND NO DISCRIMINATION

Countries Partner: France, Spain, Ukraine, Luxembourg, Bulgaria 

In today’s digital age, the issue of online hate speech is escalating, posing a significant risk to marginalized groups, including LGBTQI youth. The EMNHS LGBTQI project is committed to tackling this problem head-on.

The project, EMNHS LGBTQI, is actively addressing the alarming surge in online anti-LGBTQI hate speech, a critical issue adversely affecting the mental health and well-being of vulnerable youth. With a staggering 84% of young individuals acknowledging the existence of such hate speech online and a distressing 91% feeling threatened by it, there is an urgent imperative to empower these individuals with the necessary tools to combat this form of discrimination. In the midst of an increasingly digital landscape that has magnified these issues, the project is dedicated to nurturing resilience, advocating for inclusivity, and establishing safer online spaces for youth, particularly those within the LGBTQI community.

The escalating problem of online anti-LGBTQI hate speech poses a formidable challenge to the mental health and overall welfare of at-risk youth. Despite the extensive connectivity and social opportunities facilitated by digital platforms, they also serve as channels for disseminating harmful speech. Educational institutions and youth support programs bear a shared responsibility in arming young people with the skills required to counteract this negativity.

Project Website: www.emnhslgbtqi.eu

No violence

Countries Partners: France, Serbia, Greece, Jordan ,Turkey Greece, Bulgaria and Spain.

Research has estimated that domestic violence results in the loss of a total of 9 million years of productive female life, a greater loss than that caused by all forms of cancer, motor vehicle accidents, war and malaria. Studies show that 3-4 million children between the ages of 3-17 are at risk of exposure to domestic violence each year. Statistics say that 95% of domestic violence cases involve women victims of male partners.

Non Formal and informal method will be used in this training course, Main Working methods :

Diagnostic methods of victims of violence and abuse Behavior analysis, text analysis, drawings, narration with objects, painting and using empathy methods. Drama activity Role-play Empathy Activities Therapy methods (psycho-Drama) Group work, presentations, discussion workshops, interactive activities, theater, individual work, brainstorming, etc.

The main objective of this project is to provide participants with knowledge of how to protect from abuse and violence:
and we aim Equip the participants with methods above mentioned in order recognize abuse and violence victims.

We aim: personal and professional development.
1. Stimulate interaction between participants and youth leaders, providing a space to share experiences, knowledge and learn constructively from each other.
2.  Encourage cross-cutting synergies between participants, organizations and, ultimately, all the actors involved in the project.
3.  To promote the feeling of collective construction of European society.