Help Youth Engage With Democracy
WHAT?
Generation News Avoidance is a project funded by Tuborgfondet that runs until February 2025. Throughout the year we will visit a wide range of Danish schools (gymnasier, efterskoler, højskoler, FGU’er etc.) to hold workshops in constructive journalism and talk about the role of media in democracy. Research shows that selective news avoidance is an increasing issue across countries and that self-declared interest in news is lower amongst women and younger people. This is challenging not only for media companies, but also for the public democratic conversation.
The Generation News Avoidance Tour
Our goal is to reach 7.500 Danish students by the end of February 2025.
WHY?
Reports show that selective news avoidance is an increasing issue across countries and that selfdeclared interest in news is lower amongst women and younger people. This is challenging not only for media companies, but also the public democratic conversation.
HOW?
By teaching the students about the role of media in democracy and giving them concrete tools to make their own journalistic stories we hope to increase both the media literacy and democratic self-confidence amongst future generations. When engaging in the local democracy at their school, the students are inspired to take part in democracy in general.
At Aabenraa Statsskole our workshop resulted in a digital schoolpaper to support the local democracy at the school. Find it here:
Examples of the students’ stories
WHAT NOW?
Are you an educator of students aged 16 – 30 years? Then have a look at our Learning Lab, where you will find all the material you need for teaching young people in journalism, media and democracy.
Find our free learning material for the workshop ‘Journalist for a day’ here.
Key takeaway from the schools we have visited
It was cool to make a product so we actually learned how to use the journalistic tools ourselves.
It was really fun. We were quickly engaged and inspired to make our videoes even better.
Student feedback
Keypoints from the evaluation
of the students say that the workshop has given them concrete journalistic tools that they can use to shed light on different topics.
of the students say that the workshop has opened their eyes to the fact that they have a voice that is worth listening to.
of the students say that they have become more interested in following the news after the workshop.
of the students say that they now know a lot more about the role of media in democracy.