Nordic CSOs Resilience & Digital Shield
Shielding democracy through digital literacy

Strengthening democratic resilience across the Nordic region.

Finland • Denmark • Sweden

Empowering women, youth and civil society organisations to counter disinformation, navigate digital environments critically and actively participate in democratic life.

12‑month project • 2026–2027
Nordic Digi‑Shield Network
Project focus
Resilience & Digital Shield
  • Media & information literacy
  • Digital resilience & advocacy
  • Civic participation & inclusion
LIVE PROJECT • CSOs & Youth

Why this project matters

Across Europe, democratic systems are facing increasing pressure from disinformation, digital polarisation and declining civic engagement. Women, youth and vulnerable communities are particularly affected due to limited access to digital and media literacy skills.

  • 1
    Without intervention, these challenges risk weakening trust, participation and social cohesion in our societies.
  • 2
    Civil society organisations often lack accessible tools and training to support communities in navigating complex digital information environments.
  • 3
    The Nordic CSOs Resilience & Digital Shield project responds directly to these challenges by equipping civil society actors and communities with the tools, knowledge and skills needed to navigate the digital world critically and responsibly.
Target groups
Who we work with

The project targets women and youth at risk of digital exclusion, as well as civil society educators and community leaders supporting democratic participation.

Women & girls
Youth (15–25)
CSO educators
Community leaders

Mission, vision & network

Mission
Empowering citizens through digital literacy

To empower women and youth with media, information and digital literacy, strengthening their ability to counter disinformation and actively engage in democratic processes.

Vision
A resilient Nordic democratic space

A resilient Nordic region where citizens are informed, critically aware and actively shaping inclusive democratic societies.

Network
The Nordic Digi‑Shield Network

Building a cross‑border network connecting NGOs, educators and youth organisations across Finland, Denmark and Sweden to share tools, methods and innovations for democratic resilience.

Cross‑border cooperation
Knowledge exchange
Civic innovation labs
Open digital tools

Project activities

The 12‑month project is implemented through four key activities combining planning, capacity building, digital development and civic innovation across Denmark, Finland and Sweden.

Activity 1 • Copenhagen
Kick‑off meeting & workshop

Project launch and coordination with 12 participants (3 per partner organisation). Partners align on methodology, identify key challenges related to disinformation and civic participation, and establish cooperation mechanisms.

  • Partner expertise mapping
  • Shared methodology & work plan
  • Roles, coordination and communication tools
  • Priority topics for training and digital materials
Activity 2 • Helsinki
Resilience & Digital Shield training

A 4‑day training and study visit with 16 participants (4 per partner) focused on media literacy, digital resilience and advocacy.

  • Workshops on media & information literacy
  • Digital resilience and countering disinformation
  • Advocacy approaches for democratic participation
  • Study visits to organisations in democracy education
Activity 3 • Online
E‑Training platform: Skills for Resilient CSOs

Co‑development of an open‑access digital learning platform providing tools for civil society organisations.

  • Modular training content for CSOs
  • Practical tools and guidelines
  • Downloadable resources and templates
  • Open access for Nordic and European NGOs
Activity 4 • Malmö
Nordic Resilience Hackathon

A hackathon in Malmö with 25 participants (5 per partner) co‑creating innovative solutions and campaigns addressing disinformation and strengthening democratic engagement.

  • Idea labs and co‑creation sessions
  • Campaign concepts for democratic engagement
  • Youth‑led digital initiatives
  • Showcasing prototypes and action plans

Our impact

63+
participants trained directly
5000+
people reached through networks
3
countries involved
20+
NGOs engaged
Skills that participants gain

Participants gain practical skills in:
• identifying disinformation
• critical media analysis
• digital advocacy

→ creating long‑term democratic impact as multipliers in their communities.

Cross‑border collaboration

Finland Denmark Sweden

A cross‑border collaboration combining expertise in democratic education, youth engagement and social inclusion. The project strengthens cooperation and knowledge exchange among Nordic civil society organisations and supports more resilient democratic communities through continued use of the digital training platform and shared knowledge exchange.

Democratic education
Youth engagement
Social inclusion
Civic innovation labs

Voices from the project

Participating in this project changed my understanding of digital media and gave me tools to protect my community.

Participant • Helsinki training

The hackathon empowered me to turn ideas into real democratic action.

Youth participant • Malmö hackathon

News & impact stories

Building Digital Bridges: Gender and Cybersecurity

New initiatives addressing digital inequality and online safety for women and girls in the Nordic region.

Nordic Youth Opportunities

Workshops and programmes empowering young people to become informed, active and resilient digital citizens.

From Participant to Leader

A young woman from Helsinki transformed her digital habits and later trained over 50 peers in media literacy.

Empowering Women

Participants gained confidence to engage in public discussions and influence community decisions at local level.

Cross‑Border Innovation

Nordic partners established long‑term cooperation frameworks that continue beyond the project lifecycle.

Resilient Citizen Toolkit

Open‑source tools, event summaries and policy briefs will be available on the project web platform.

How change happens

From inputs to long‑term impact, the project is designed to create sustainable democratic resilience in the Nordic region.

Inputs
Funding, partnerships, expert knowledge, digital tools.
Activities
Training, workshops, civic innovation labs, hackathon.
Outputs
Trained participants, digital platform, learning materials.
Outcomes
Improved media literacy and increased civic participation.
Impact
Stronger, more resilient democratic communities across the Nordic region.

Participants become multipliers, spreading knowledge and strengthening civil society beyond the project.

Policy alignment & partnership

Policy alignment
Contributing to European & Nordic priorities
  • • EU Digital Education Action Plan
  • • European Democracy Action Plan
  • • EU Gender Equality Strategy
  • • Nordic Vision 2030

The project supports digital resilience, civic participation and inclusive societies through cross‑border cooperation and open digital tools.

Partners
Project partners
Femina ry
Lead coordinator
Folkevirke
Democratic education
Compass Denmark
Youth engagement
IKF Malmö
Integration & inclusion

Why invest in this project

This project is a scalable investment in democratic resilience. It creates long‑term impact through digital tools, capacity building and cross‑border cooperation. Every euro invested contributes to stronger civic participation, increased digital literacy and sustainable social impact.

Join the initiative

Be part of building a resilient, informed and democratic future across the Nordic region.

Contact: info@feminary.fi

Nordic CSOs Resilience & Digital Shield • 2026–2027 • Finland • Denmark • Sweden