Lesson Learned: Enabling Local Information and Media Literacy for a Better-Informed Society in Colombia
Long-term sustainability and efficiency of a project is dependent on a building a strong network of partnerships with relevant actors such as civil society organisations, schools, and community media. Building and leaning on strong partnerships can allow projects to build on existing initiatives rather than act in isolation, duplicate efforts, and ensure longer-term funding and support from relevant actors. For example, in this project a Training-of-Trainers approach through partnering with academic institutions to implement a diploma in an academic setting could have ensured the programme’s continuation to train new cohorts of teachers and expanded its national reach. Additionally, supporting projects to develop independent income streams through partnerships with government agencies, philanthropies, or private actors could work to reduce dependence on stipends in the long-term.
This strategic four-year project works to increase the presence of local news in rural areas of Colombia, so as to encourage civic participation, sound governance and democratic discussion. Building on previous projects the grantee has implemented for UNDEF, journalism labs will expand from two regions to four, bringing more media and digital literacy training programmes to community leaders and groups, women and young people; support post-training local content production and communication to ensure at least one monthly product on local issues; and build an experimental media and digital literacy programme for local schools. The project is highly relevant in the Covid-19 world and its aftermath, where the fight against disinformation and for freedom of information, media literacy and online safety will be crucial; and where it will be essential to advance understanding of the specific impact of the crisis on women and young people, ensuring that responses uphold their rights and are inclusive of their needs.