About the Project
Introduction
The activities of #SpeakUP Migrants will provide the target groups with knowledge and resources to tackle disinformation and misinformation in the mass media. The main objective is to tackle the problem through exploring innovative ways of digital storytelling (i.e. photo voice) by capitalising on the affordances of alternative media to challenge negative impacts of mainstream reporting. As a way to challenge the dehumanising language of the mainstream media that portrays migration as a disaster, the project will focus on individual stories; migrants will be encouraged to tell their individual migration stories and share their photos of their journey to the new hosting country. The stories will be told through photovoice and short videos. By using photography, this will help us understand the experience and perspective of migrants and the migration trauma for those coming from countries of war or other challenges. It is going to serve as an empowering tool for them to self-advocate and also as a transformational tool for local citizens to change their perspective and mindset regarding migration and migrants.
Target Groups
The target groups are adult migrants, adult refugees, adult NGOs workers and journalism learners. The indirect target groups are the families of these migrants, stakeholders, journalism educators and learners, and the local citizens in the hosting countries. Therefore, the project organisations will learn more about their beneficiaries and provide effective support to them according to their needs.
In the age of post-truth, efforts to cultivate critical thinking competency in the face of misleading media narratives should be more prevalent than they are. With the training activities, participants will be encouraged to sharpen their critical thinking skills in the context of media and be reminded of the necessity to be equipped with resources to develop effective digital storytelling strategies.
Expected Results
e-Guidebook
An e-guidebook on fake news and disinformation
Digital Stories
Photovoice and short videos (reels) to collect stories to be available online
Training
A pilot training course to test the e-guidebook
Online Exhibition
An online exhibition on alternative media o disseminate the digital stories
Project Objectives
Objective 1
Upskilling of the target group through digital knowledge and implementation of the latest technologies to boost inclusion and diversity
Objective 2
Using the alternative media to challenge mainstream narratives about migrants and minority groups in general
Objective 3
To provide participants with the tools that enable them to be more tolerant, knowledgeable about the issue and eager to take action
Objective 4
To explore and learn to use new innovative tools in alternative media to change existing biases and learn different tools to express their opinion
Objective 5
To introduce the use of photo voice and reels as tool for digital storytelling and teach it to adult workers and NGO workers
Objective 6
To develop critical thinking in underlying implications of the subtle language used by mass media regarding migrants and minorities
Objective 9
To create a network of active citizens, so that they can be inspired by actions and methods used by others to take action
Objective 8
To raise awareness of existing prejudice towards different cultures and backgrounds
Objective 7
To highlight the effects of negative media portrayals of migrants and minority groups on their daily lives
Raising Awareness
Studies in the field of refugees and migration show a need for a project that supports migrants and refugees to speak up and express their opinions to decrease hate speech. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), 1,021,667 refugees from Ukraine have been recorded in Germany as of 22 November 2022. Along with other urgent issues such as housing, health, education and employment; the integration and inclusion of refugees and migrants are among immediate priorities needed to be addressed in hosting countries. Inarguably, the media have the power to influence public perception of migrants and refugees. According to the World Migration Report 2018, media, in all its forms, plays a significant role in the framing of policy discourses that affect how people act, what people think, how policymakers prioritise agendas, and how migrants make decisions.
There is a growing awareness among EU officials, national and local authorities, and civil society for the need of better framing for the migration policy issues to promote a more balanced narrative, but these efforts, media narratives about migration still seem to further polarise societies, instead of fostering diversity, inclusion and integration. In addition to the subtle framing of the news stories about refugees with a dehumanising language and images, the danger of disinformation and misinformation about the refugees in the media contribute to public unrest and overall bias towards refugees and migrants. In a research (2020) conducted by the European Policy Center from May 2019 to July 2020 in Germany, Italy, Spain and the Czech Republic, 1,425 articles about refugees and migration with relatively high engagement were analysed only to find 16% of the articles were outright false while 23% used distorted and 34% misleading (e.g. accurate figures or facts used out of context) information. Migration remains a salient political issue and major subject of disinformation in the mass media. It seems crucial for the recipients of the news stories to be knowledgeable and aware of the consequences of falling victim to fake news, disinformation and misinformation. Along with a focus on digital literacy, this project aims at disseminating personal migration stories through photography. Images shape our perceptions of the world and have the capacity to become political forces themselves. In the context of the Syrian refugee crisis, the majority of news images in western media depict refugees as anonymous, faceless masses (the conversation, 2021). It is more likely for the recipients of the news to dehumanise the refugees and migrants when the media use images of unidentifiable refugees, and likewise, viewers are more likely to get invested in individual stories of identifiable refugees. That is why, this project is designed with a deliberate emphasis on personal stories of migrants and refugees in an attempt to combat the dehumanising language and framing in the media.
Project Partners
African Civil Society Finland (ACSF) was formed for the purpose of enhancing the awareness level among Africans. They provide a forum to enable them to participate in seminars, workshops, training, and conferences so that they can be fully involved in multicultural activities and be better informed citizens ready to positively influence the way we perceive ourselves and are perceived by the world at large. ACSF aims to promote positive understanding among Africans and the wider society to promote the integration and social inclusion process in Finland. ACSF will seek international co-operative projects that emphasise education and self-support in social and cultural activities
NIN3 Group Ltd is a research, development and consulting firm that specialises in designing, developing, managing and evaluating innovative digital solutions. With offices in Malta, NIN3 Group Ltd draws on a variety of academic disciplines across different fields, including Information Technology (IT), Education, Management and Business Administration. The company works with organisations and entities to develop, adopt and apply cutting-edge technology in the fields of IT, education, sustainable development and cognitive science. NIN3 Group Ltd has a dedicated team of experienced professionals, including consultants, analysts and developers with expertise in various fields such as Artificial Intelligence, blockchain technology and immersive technologies. As part of its services, NIN3 Group Ltd provides expertise to its clients in the areas such as digital transformation, organisational change management, business process automation, application design and development, and training.
Impact Circles is an expanding initiative of active change-makers united in 2020, building on the 2016 established Helpu NGO infrastructure. They have as individuals a collective experience of more than 17 years in the fields of NGO, social innovation, civic society, research, climate change, social science, business coaching, innovation management, legal advisory and the creative sector. Each one has worked with local, national, European and Global organisations with migrants and disadvantaged communities striving for inclusivity. These individuals have taken on leading, managerial, training, research and administrative positions among these organisations. Collectively, they have received recognition by awards, media coverage and other forms of acknowledgement for our effective work. Our vision is advancing and accelerating the social and socioeconomic development of migrants to achieve together a smooth and enriching inclusion and a sense of belonging within the thriving European society. They are actively creating and deploying a multilayered set of educational and entrepreneurial programmes delivered through non-formal Education methods targeted at migrant adults and the sectors who work with them, a cross-sectoral and cross-national collaboration. Through an emphasis on networking with NGOs and stakeholder entities encompassing the local/regional/national dimensions.