Rappler, Deutsche Welle to train youth leaders to promote media literacy

MANILA, Philippines – Rappler, in partnership with fact-checking initiative #FactsFirstPH and Deutsche Welle Akademie – Deutsche Welle’s center for international media development and journalism training – is leading an advanced training program for media and information literacy (MIL) advocates in Cagayan de Oro City and Naga City this July and August.

The trainers’ training program called “Movers for Facts,” will engage 30 local youth leaders from Luzon and Mindanao on various MIL concepts, with a focus on countering disinformation. Participants will gain a better understanding of the current media landscape and work together to promote digital resilience against disinformation in their own communities. 

After their training, youth leaders should be able to pass on their skills in identifying and fighting disinformation in their communities, thereby helping bring about change.

“Movers for Facts” is the Philippine leg of DW Akademie’s series of interactive MIL workshops to train multipliers in Southeast Asia, including Indonesia and Malaysia. These workshops have a common theme: “Together against disinformation: Reliable facts and new ideas.” This project is financed by Germany’s Federal Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt).

What will the program cover?

• Five-day, in-person MIL training program in Cagayan de Oro City and Naga City. Youth leaders from Cagayan de Oro City, Naga City, and surrounding areas are invited to participate in an exclusive, interactive and hands-on MIL training. In the training, participants will learn to identify and counter disinformation. They will learn how to fact-check, research and verify information, and discuss the role of media in society. Participating youth leaders will also receive recommendations on how to navigate the internet safely. Additionally, the training will teach them skills in effectively passing on their MIL knowledge to their communities and how to create media content on these topics to raise awareness:
  • Cagayan de Oro City: Sunday, July 28 – Thursday, August 1
  • Naga City: Sunday, August 4 – Thursday, August 8

• Follow-through post-training. After completing the training, accepted youth leaders are encouraged to share their skills with their communities through meaningful actions.They can choose from two tracks:
  • (1) Hosting online MIL workshops in their communities – Youth leaders will team up with two others in their area. They should aim to train at least 20 participants in their workshops to effectively share MIL knowledge with their communities and inspire others. The aim is to hold an online workshop series with at least 20 participants to reach as many youth as possible. The youth leaders will receive a training manual that they can use to conduct the training.
  • (2) Creating media outputs – Participants are invited to demonstrate their creativity by producing three multimedia products that emphasize the significance of MIL. This may include videos, graphics, or other engaging content that connects with their audience. These will be shared on the pages of the organization that youth leaders are affiliated with, as well as on Rappler and DW Akademie’s social media accounts.

The deadline for both activities is October 31, 2024.

Who can apply? How many will be selected?

A total of 30 youth leaders from Luzon and Mindanao will be selected. The criteria for the youth leaders are as follows:

• Between 18 to 35 years old at the start of the program
• Previous engagement with Rappler’s MovePH or endorsement from Rappler or its partners is a major plus
• A member of, or affiliated with, an organization/community
• Based in or near Naga City or Cagayan de Oro City, and can undergo an in-person, five-day training program
• Committed to organizing online MIL workshops or publishing small media outputs in his/her community to apply skills learned from the training
• Motivated and interested in learning about and advocating for media and information literacy. Having a background or experience in MIL is a plus.
• Depending on tracks:
  • Has experience in training, campaign organizing, or community engagement
  • Has experience or background in media production, visual design, journalism, or communication

At least 15 youth leaders will be identified for each leg. Doing this in collaboration with, or with the support of, an organization that an applicant is a member of, is highly recommended.

What comes with the training program?

All accepted applicants to the Movers for Facts program will receive the following:

• Engage in hands-on training with experienced MIL and disinformation trainers from DW Akademie and Rappler
• Focus on disinformation and innovative MIL techniques, providing participants with effective teaching techniques to pass on their knowledge to their communities
• Learn from experienced trainers about content creation on MIL topics and engage in valuable exchanges with peers and experts
• Accommodations for 4 nights and 5 days throughout the training duration
• Breakfast, lunch, and snacks throughout the training
• Welcome and farewell dinners, and dinner allowance as needed. Local transportation allowance to and from the training venue.
• A certificate from DW Akademie and Rappler after they have successfully completed the training
• Participants’ media outputs will be published on DW Akademie and Rappler media channels, providing a wider reach. 

Accepted applicants will also be provided a stipend for the implementation of their follow-through plans post-training.

What are application requirements? How to apply? 

Interested applicants must accomplish a provided application form. Applicants will be expected to share a portfolio of sample works, a brief statement of purpose, and a one-page project proposal aligned with the chosen track. Deadline for submission is July 15, 2024, at 11:59 pm.

Applicants will undergo two levels of internal screening by Rappler. All will be notified about the status of their applications by July 22, 2024.  

For any questions or concerns, email move.ph@rappler.com. – Rappler.com

This project is supported by Germany’s Federal Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt) and DW Akademie.