The project "Youth for Better Media" is implemented by Mediacentar Sarajevo in partnership with CSO JaBiHEU funded by European Union, dedicated to the development of an innovative approach to strengthening independent media in Bosnia and Herzegovina and improving media literacy. The basis of the project is to encourage the activism of youth in our country. We want to encourage and support stronger engagement of young people in advocating for media freedom and increasing the safety of journalists. The project is implemented from 1 Jan, 2021 to 31 Dec, 2023.

 

Youth from all over the country will learn about the media and the role that journalists play in democratic societies. They will learn about the postulates of professional, responsible journalism so that they can recognize, appreciate, and demand higher standards from the media they trust - quality, reliable, verified and accurate information on topics that are important to young people.

 

Through project activities, we will connect youth with journalists, editors, decision makers, and help build platforms and mechanisms that will enable young people to cooperate with each other, learn from each other, but also to direct their ideas, needs, and concerns to those who can  influence the changes that youth wants to see in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Our goal is to build sustainable knowledge, networking and advocacy resources for young people for a better media environment in BiH.

 

With this approach, we try to overcome the lack of civic initiatives focusing on protecting media freedoms, the rights of journalists, and the lack of public demand for more responsible and professional journalism.

 

The project supports the current and announced support of EU interventions in the field of protection of freedom of expression and media independence, in accordance with the recommendations contained in the EC Opinion on the application for membership of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

 

Planned Achievements:

 

• 1000 young people will participate in educational and advocacy activities, improve their knowledge on media and the media environment, the mechanisms of change and advocacy that they can use to achieve the changes they want to see in BiH.

• 200 journalists and decision-makers will work with young people to develop knowledge about the media, identify challenges for professional journalism and improve media freedom policies.

• 20 CSOs will participate in this project and have opportunity to develop media programs for young people in their communities.

• Young people will launch at least 80 initiatives aimed for better media coverage of topics important to youth, a safer working environment for journalists, a stronger response from BiH authorities to the recommendations contained in the Opinion of the EC on BiH's application for EU membership.

• Research on media habits of youth in BiH will be conducted with intention to provide better insight into the media content that young people access.

• The Youth Forum will enable youth, journalists and decision-makers to meet and network, and create an opportunity for them to learn about advocating and representing their interests.

• 30 Advocacy meetings (meet-ups) will encourage young people to communicate regularly with government officials and identify areas for action and ways that will bring change.

• An Informal network of young people gathered around the project will create space for cooperation, exchange of content, publication of content, development of advocacy documents.

• 20 Media Workshops and 6 Youth Camps will be held with the support of local youth organizations. Innovative workshops will empower young people to be active media users, critical of the content they use, competent to recognize quality media content and encouraged to seek for such content from the media.

• The Youth Competition will encourage young people to produce content, reflect on impact of technology on the media and media freedom, and stimulate interest in ways young people can take the initiative and support better journalistic standards.

• The huge Public Campaign will support the achievement of project goals and send strong messages about active and interested young people who advocate professional, credible journalism and a high level of media freedom.