Apply Now: Digital Citizen Ambassador Training 2023: A Media Literacy Project
Become a Digital Citizen Ambassador–
Safe, Savvy, and Social
“Application will be available until March 12, 2023”
Take part in the free Media Literacy Project to develop a deeper understanding of how to use technology in an empathetic, socially responsible, and positive fashion.
There is a pressing need for engaging online material for youth in Armenia that not only teaches the foundational skills of fact-checking using proven techniques but that moves beyond identifying and analyzing to encourage critical thinking, mindfulness, positive engagement, and real-use dialogue techniques for addressing challenging interactions online.
This Project aims to reduce the impact of disinformation campaigns on AArmeniansociety and increase public confidence in identifying valid information, equipping people to make educated, rational decisions that strengthen public trust in media institutions and uphold democratic processes.
Goals of the Project:
Modify and improve the DCA curriculum by developing additional content on the topic of news and information literacy (DCAT 2.0), creating a curriculum for digital citizenship that is delivered through a combination of engaging video and online meetings based on current frameworks and best practices;
Assist participants to become responsible digital citizens by delivering a hybrid curriculum model. These citizens should be able to discern between misleading info and factual data and should exhibit the standards of responsible and constructive interaction with technology and other users;
Form a regional multicultural media literacy cohort to create an international approach to serve as digital ambassadors and teach local youth responsible digital citizenship.
At the end of the Project, Digital Citizen Ambassadors and their students will be able to:
SAFETY
Session 1: Privacy
Session 2: Digital Footprints
Session 3: Phishing
SAVVY
Session 4: Conspiracy Theory
Session 5: Emotions, Source, Claims -ESC
Session 6: Fact-Checking
SOCIAL
Session 7: Perspective-Taking
Session 8: Responding to Conflict
Session 9: How to Use Social Media For Good
An important aspect of the project is to spread the acquired knowledge among the community.
The three phases of the project:
1. Train the Trainers
2. Curriculum Translation & Development by Armenian Digital Citizen Ambassadors
3. Digital Citizen Ambassadors deliver online/hybrid training to regional Armenian youth to become media literate and a Digital Citizen that is Safe, Savvy, and Social.
Phase I: In-Person Teambuilding Meeting, April 8-9
All selected participants will participate in a 2-day teambuilding meeting in Yerevan on April 8-9
(Travel expenses, accommodation, and meals will be provided by the organization)
Phase II: Online, April 10-28
Through a Train the-Trainers model, Digital Citizen Ambassadors will participate in the 5-week online program synchronously and asynchronously providing digital training:
Phase III: Hybrid, May-August
Local trainings delivered between May and August 2023 with at least 30 youth each. DCAs will advertise sign-ups in advance of their training events. In fact, the online course will be bookended by two separate in-person events: the sign-up event and the final celebration event. The youth sign-up events may be held at community centers, schools, American Corners, Info Houses, and other event spaces across the country. DCAs will introduce the content and goals of the curriculum, walk participants through the process of signing up for the online-course and taking an introductory survey, engage them in introductory activities and icebreakers, and discuss how they will support one another as they make their way through the online course. Each DCA will be responsible for developing an online content calendar, that includes weekly check-ins after each lesson.
Application will be available until March 12, 2023, 11։59 PM․
How to apply?
Got to the application form․
Fill out the application form which consists of personal data and answer open-ended questions, on this basis participants will be selected.
The application is sent only after you confirm its completion by clicking “submit” at the end of the form.
Information about the results will be sent to all applicants after March 17, when recruitment is over.
All the shortlisted candidates will be invited for an online interview on March 20-24.
Eligibility Requirements
· You must be:
- between 16-26 years old (on May 1, 2023),
- enrolled as a student at high school/university before the first day of the program (May 2022) or
- a volunteer in local organization or
- engaged in local community life in your environment,
- Live in a region outside Yerevan, or from a region while attending university in Yerevan.
· You must demonstrate an interest in Media Literacy, while also demonstrating a willingness to organize dissemination activities for your regional youth after the training is completed․
Selection process
We especially invite people socially involved, as well as employees and volunteers of NGOs who are interested in the topic of Media & Information Literacy and who want to spread knowledge on this subject in Armenia. Participants will be selected based on the responses provided in the application form, taking into account their motivation to participate in the workshops and ideas for using the acquired knowledge in educating Armenians about Media Literacy in the future․
The Digital Citizen Ambassador Project is sponsored by the U.S. Embassy in Armenia and coordinated by American Councils for International Education in Armenia.