#NewME - New Media for Green Citizenship. Empowerment of youth as active reporters for sustainable citizenship through the development of new media skills

As a media, arts, & cultural center rooted in participatory education and civic engagement, the Arbeitskreis Ostviertel e.V. is deeply committed to using media as a tool for social change. Our decision to co-initiate and lead the #NewME: New Media for Green Citizenship project stemmed from a recognition of two intersecting needs: the growing urgency of environmental challenges, and the critical need to support young people in becoming empowered, responsible creators – not just consumers – of media. We applied for this project alongside partners from the Czech Republic, Poland, Ukraine, & North Macedonia, because we recognized the urgent need to engage Youth and Youth Workers (YWs) in environmental storytelling, not just as a topic but as a creative and empowering practice. In times of climate crisis and digital overload, we believed it was essential to offer young people accessible tools, relevant knowledge, and collaborative spaces that would allow them to both understand and shape the world they live in. Ultimately, #NewME addressed a clear need for creative, practical, and empowering tools that bridge climate education and digital literacy.

In our work with Youth and Youth Workers, we saw that while many young people are active on digital platforms, they often lack the confidence, tools, or guidance to use these platforms meaningfully, to tell stories that matter, to advocate for sustainability, and to influence their communities. At the same time, YWs across Europe expressed a need for concrete, creative methods to engage youth in climate-related topics without overwhelming or alienating them. This project allowed us to extend our work in media education into a vital new direction: digital environmental storytelling. It also strengthened our commitment to fostering youth participation in democratic life, by equipping them to speak up about what matters most – their future on this planet. That’s why #NewME: New Media for Green Citizenship was important to us. The project united two powerful approaches – media literacy and environmental education – into one practical, creative, and future-oriented framework. Together with our partners, we set out to co-create resources that would empower both Youth and YWs to use digital storytelling as a tool for green reporting, climate activism, and sustainable action.

We successfully developed 3 IOs aimed at empowering Youth & YWs through environmental media education: Collaborative authorship of the Green Reporters Guide for Youth Workers, a comprehensive digital handbook with 4 chapters on green reporting, sustainability, digital storytelling, & motivational techniques. Design of the e-Platform, an interactive online learning space for Youth, incl. a modular MOOC with activities, self-assessment tools, & creative tasks to guide Youth in becoming active Green Reporters. Establishment of the #NewME Youth Editorial Board across all partner countries with national & international (online) meetings. Young participants created and published their own environmental stories via the project’s e-Crossmedia-blog & Newsroom. Also produced were the 2 editions of the e-Magazine & e-Brochure for Youth Workers, offering guidance on facilitating youth-led editorial boards. 2 LTTAs supported the development & testing of the outputs: Joint Staff Training (C1) in Štip focused on reviewing and piloting the e-Book and a Blended Mobility of Youth (C2) in Brno, which included hands-on media production, e-platform testing, and storytelling workshops. Lastly, PM work during 5 TPMs across partner countries.

The #NewME e-Book addresses the needs of YWs by offering them a structured, accessible guide to working with environmental themes through non-formal education and digital media. The e-Platform directly targets Youth – inviting them to learn at their own pace, reflect on their role as Green Reporters, and build concrete storytelling skills. Integrated into the platform is a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) in the form of a 4-part module series modified from the e-Book and directed at Youth, which also includes activities and self-assessment. And the e-Crossmedia-blog in the form of a digital Newsroom creates a real, shared space for Youth voices to be published, shared, and heard, locally and internationally. Along with the publication of 24 "Green Stories" created and produced by Youth, we have two editions of the #NewME e-Magazine and e-Brochure for Youth Workers.