DIsinformation of SEniors in Rural Areas

<< Background >>The DIsinformation of SEniors in Rural Areas (DISERA) project aimed at improving the media literacy of rural adult and senior man and women in Italy, Ireland, Slovakia and Republic of North Macedonia through awareness-raising on disinformation, capacity-building on digital skills and promotion of critical thinking to access, recognize and act on information. With the project we intended:- To strengthen the capacity of partner organizations to work transnationally focusing on media literacy within the rural adult and senior population;- Raise awareness of the problem and consequences of disinformation in European rural communities;- To strengthen relevant digital skills in the rural adult and senior population to access news, analyses content and recognize disinformation;- To bring the European dimension to people living in rural areas to ensure project sustainability and impact.<< Objectives >>To support and promote equality and social/digital inclusion in rural areas, the DIsinformation of Seniors in Rural Areas (DISeRA) project aimed at improving the media literacy of the rural elderly-adult population in Italy, Ireland, Slovakia, and North Macedonia to access, recognize and act on information through:- awareness-raising activities;- capacity-building on basic digital skills and;- the creation of a European network to promote critical thinking.<< Implementation >>The consortium analyzed existing training material on media literacy and disinformation created by other EU projects and realized a specific course for the senior rural population. The project developed training works on digital skills for seniors.Partners adapted the content and transmitted it through local radio programs and podcasts in English, Italian, Slovakian, and Macedonian. Classes were recorded and are available as “podcasts” on the project website: https://www.disera.eu/.<< Results >>The project contributed to a more aware rural adult and senior population of disinformation with stronger digital skills to sort through information and choose what to believe. Local beneficiaries who participated in mobility and training, as well as in the local workshops, understood the role of the European Union and felt a sense of belonging to this community. Partner organizations can work well together across borders and have shown that they can meet the educational needs of adults and seniors in rural areas.