In Your Facebook
Start date: Aug 15, 2015,
End date: Feb 14, 2016
PROJECT
FINISHED
The context / background of this project has derived from several contingent concerns. Firstly we have experienced in our respective organizations examples of harmful uses of social media such as cyber-bullying, abuse, and over-sharing of information and images. The people involved on the Irish side include members of the Traveller community who have experienced a high level of mistreatment online and also misrepresentation online and through mainstream media sources.
Our partners have also expressed a concern with the ways in which young people use social media in harmful ways and the lack of knowledge in relation to youth self-presentation online and the ability to restrict employment and life opportunities due to unwise and reckless uses of social media.
The profile of the participants is varied with some from socially excluded ethnic minority backgrounds, some people from the gay community, and a mix of people with different educational backgrounds ranging from young school leavers to PhD graduates. Most of the participants are active within local/national organizations with a high level of engagement with young people on human rights issues, cultural activities, social and recreational activities. The age ranges are 18 to 30 for the most part with one of the project facilitators aged 37. There was an equal mix of male and females taking part.
We believe this mix of people was very positive as members of ethnic minorities were able to share interesting life experiences and viewpoints with people who in some instances are similar to themselves but came from other countries. In other instances it was positive for people from backgrounds with low levels of education to engage with people with high levels of education. This is where the social mobility aspect of the project was most prescient.
Overview:
This project took place in Ireland between the 31st of October 2015 to the 7th of November 2015 at a venue in the historic Boyne Valley area of Ireland.
Training involved workshops in the safe use of social media such as facebook, twitter and newer forms of social media. Self-presentation workshops also take place using a variety of tools such as mock, interviews, drama workshops, and reflexive video/documentary making techniques. This allowed us to examine and critique the manner in which we present ourselves digitally.
As part of the cultural exchange aspects of Erasmus Plus we paid a visit to the historic Bru Na Boinne Newgrange heritage site, an ancient UNESCO monument which predates the pyramids and attracts visitors from all over the world. We also enjoyed guided tours of Drogheda by the Irish partner who formerly worked in Irish Archaeology and tour guiding.
Overall the training equipped participants with the ability to use social media safely, to develop workshops of their own that can be disseminated to youth and peer groups, to learn the basics of filming for social media and to develop an awareness of reporting mechanism in relation to online bullying.
Get Access to the 1st Network for European Cooperation
Log In