About the project
Nordic Youth Media Lab
An international initiative bringing together young people, educators, journalists, and civil society organisations across the Nordic region — to build a generation that reads, questions, and shapes the information around them.
What this project is
The Nordic Youth Media Lab supports young people aged 16–30, including those from minority and vulnerable backgrounds, in developing critical media skills and a deeper understanding of how information shapes society and democracy. Through training, co-creation, and cross-border collaboration, participants gain both the analytical tools and the creative confidence to engage meaningfully in today’s digital public sphere.
This project is not only about media. It is about building resilient, informed, and active citizens.
Why it matters
Today’s information environment is complex, fast-moving, and often deliberately manipulative. Young people are simultaneously the most exposed and the most powerful actors in digital spaces — yet they are systematically underrepresented in the public conversations that shape policy, culture, and truth.
The challenges we address
Spread of misinformation and propaganda. Declining trust in media and institutions. Lack of youth voice in public discourse. Digital inequality and exclusion from civic life.
What we strengthen
Critical thinking and media literacy. Democratic participation and civic engagement. Responsible digital storytelling. Inclusive representation across backgrounds and borders.
For participants
What you will do
As a participant, you will take part in international workshops with media professionals and educators, produce your own podcasts, videos, and digital campaigns, collaborate with young people from across Nordic countries, and develop hands-on skills in fact-checking, AI awareness, and media ethics. Your work will be presented at an international festival alongside peers from the whole programme.
No previous experience required. The only prerequisites are motivation and curiosity. We welcome young people from all backgrounds, including those with fewer opportunities and those from minority communities.
Project in numbers
“Young people are not just media consumers — they are creators of democratic culture.”
Project roadmap
Nordic Youth Media Lab — timeline
Project start & Youth Steering Group
Official kick-off. Formation of the Youth Steering Group (10 representatives, 2 per country). Planning of curriculum and communication strategy.
Online Skills Trainings — 4 sessions
Hybrid sessions led by media professionals, journalists, and psychologists. Topics: fact-checking, ethical journalism, digital storytelling, media warfare, AI awareness, and emotional wellbeing. 25 participants per session.
Digital Labs
80 youth creators (20 per country) produce podcasts, videos, and digital campaigns on truth, manipulation, inclusion, and democracy — guided by professional mentors.
Nordic Media Festival — Finland
Showcase of youth work: panels, exhibitions, podcasts, campaigns. Launch of the Nordic Youth Media Manifesto. Livestreamed for international audiences.
Project outcomes & ongoing collaboration
100+ young people trained across 4 countries. Open-access Nordic Youth Media Hub launched as a shared repository of campaigns, podcasts, and toolkits. A cross-Nordic network of youth creators, educators, and civil society actors continues with joint actions, peer mentoring, and annual digital meet-ups — sustaining media literacy and democratic participation beyond the project period.
“Collaboration in media literacy strengthens the resilience of Nordic democracies.”
Project partners
Who we work with
Five organisations from Finland, Sweden, and Denmark — united by a shared commitment to youth, media literacy, and democratic participation across the Nordic region.
Helsinki-based NGO advancing gender equality, legal empowerment, and inclusion for migrant women. Operates the Femina Legal Clinic serving 750+ clients and coordinates international EU-funded projects across the Nordic-Baltic region.
Malmö-based youth hub and civil society network active since 2014. Focuses on employment, human rights, gender equality, and sustainable development for young people in diverse urban communities.
Upper secondary school in Gothenburg providing education to a diverse student body. Brings structured educational expertise, youth facilitation capacity, and school-based networks to the project’s training activities.
Independent free school on Vestmøn founded in 2023, built on a progressive pedagogy that nurtures curiosity, civic awareness, and global citizenship. Engages younger participants and bridges school-based learning with real-world projects.
Long-established Danish civil society organisation with a national network of local chapters. Promotes democratic participation, adult education, and cultural dialogue — contributing broad outreach capacity and civic engagement expertise.
From the lab
Latest materials
Reflections, stories, and insights from participants, trainers, and partners across the Nordic Youth Media Lab network.
Media literacy
How young people are fighting disinformation in the Nordics
Participants from four countries share what they learned during the first intensive training week.
AI & Ethics
AI in your newsroom: friend, tool, or threat?
A trainer’s perspective on introducing AI awareness into youth journalism education.
Civic participation
From audience to author: what changes when youth create the story
Three participants reflect on making their first documentary and how it changed their perspective.
Youth voice
Speaking up: minority youth and the right to be heard in media
Young creators from migrant and minority backgrounds on visibility, representation, and self-expression.
Fact-checking
Five tools every young journalist should know in 2026
A practical guide from our Digital Lab trainers — free resources for verifying sources and spotting manipulation.
Nordic cooperation
What Finland, Sweden and Denmark can learn from each other on media education
Partners and educators reflect on national differences — and the shared values that unite them.
Digital democracy
Can a podcast change a mind? Youth media and the limits of influence
Reflections from participants after producing their first episodes — on impact, reach, and responsibility.
Wellbeing
Emotional resilience in the age of information overload
A psychologist working with the project on how to protect mental health while staying informed and engaged.