The Peace Journalism Lab at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki is participating in the Erasmus+ program "MELISE: Media Literacy for Senior Citizens in Europe" with the aim of collaboratively creating media literacy courses for senior citizens across Europe, in partnership with organizations and universities abroad.
The goal is to promote transnational cooperation among universities and organizations in Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Germany to develop the skills that seniors need to be media literate. The Lab took part in the program's first meeting, held in Barcelona at the headquarters of the organization OCTAEDRO on May 14-15. During this initial meeting, the partners gathered to discuss the launch of the program's activities. MELISE focuses on developing a platform and educational content aimed at enhancing the media literacy skills of senior citizens in Europe. Specifically, the program will address gaps in training for older individuals regarding media literacy and will develop tailored courses to meet the needs of each country. Courses on topics such as news verification, personal data protection, and understanding narratives that lead to misinformation will be designed to be offered through an online learning platform for seniors.
The program aims to develop media literacy skills so that citizens can distinguish misinformation from various sources, as older adults may be particularly vulnerable to misinformation due to their limited exposure to digital media and lack of familiarity. Additionally, the program seeks to prevent scams, teaching seniors how to avoid fraudulent means. Senior citizens will learn how to use social media and messaging applications, while also improving their mental health by learning to use these platforms ethically and responsibly.
For more information about the program, visit the following website: www.meliseproject.eu
