This project aims to increase and support the active citizenship of Georgian youth and to enable a gradual increase of their influence on public life in Georgia. Donor: Transition Promotion Program of the Czech Foreign Ministry

Objectives

 The main objective of the project is to increase and support the active citizenship of Georgian youth and to enable a gradual increase of their influence on public life in Georgia. The projects aims to broaden students' sense of citizenship and consequently their activities regarding public life in Georgia. Toward that goal, the project aims to increase the professional skills of young journalists in order to encourage the broader use of media technologies and emphasize the role of journalists as communication mediators between different target groups. Another objective is to enhance teachers' skills in working with new technolgies by using the model of student parliament as a modern method of education.

 

Project Activities

 Project activities will include seminars on debating at schools and a debating competition; workshops for students participating in youth initiatives, teachers, and local representatives on new media technologies; and a conference on education for citizenship. A council of local initiatives will be created with the purpose of consulting and analyzing youth initiative projects. An interactive web portal will be created as well as several handbooks. These handbooks will include a methodology of debating for journalists and students of journalism, a handbook on hosting public debates and communication with politicians, and a handbook on good practices for young people and representatives of local authorities. There will be summer school courses offered on journalism and democracy and a common volunteer summer camp/work camp. A study tour to the Czech Republic will also be organized. The project consortium is led by Agora and includes, besides Transitons, the People in Need and Civitas Georgia organizations.

 

 

For more information about TOL's other current projects, please click here.

Updates

The New Media Generation

TOL ran four seminars for journalism students in western Georgia in early June. Author and social media specialist Sandro Asatiani conducted the seminars, which were organized separately for 30 students from Kutaisi and Batumi universities. Through the seminars, students became acquainted with different new media and social media tools. Many began working on new media projects, and the most active students will be chosen to participate in a summer camp from 24-30 July hosted in Georgia by TOL, Agora, People in Need, and Civitas Georgia. Seminar leader Sandro Asatiani is the author of the first book on Georgian social media, printed with support from TOL. The current Georgia project is supported by the Transition Promotion Program of the Czech Foreign Ministry.

 

 

A group of Georgian university students attended a weeklong summer camp for young journalists organized by TOL, Civitas Georgia, and Agora Central Europe. The event took place from 24-30 July in the eastern Georgian village of Patardzeuli. TOL was in charge of arranging sessions on new media and social media and was pleased to be able to invite Kevin Anderson – a leading new media trainer and consultant – to speak to the students. Kevin was formerly at the forefront of digital media at the BBC and The Guardian. Sandro Asatiani, one of Georgia's foremost new media experts, also took part as a lecturer. The summer camp is part of a 20-month project supported by the Transition Promotion Program at the Czech Foreign Ministry.