Unplugging for a Brighter Future
A KA210 Youth Project on Internet and Social Media Addiction
Visit the Full Project WebsiteProject ID: 2023-3-SK02-KA210-YOU-000174848
Project Mission
The rise of Internet and Social Media Addiction (ISMA) has accelerated globally, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic. This shift has increased cyberharassment, digital discrimination, and social exclusion among youth. “Unplugging for a Brighter Future” is a small-scale partnership designed to address this critical issue head-on. Our mission is to empower youth workers, trainers, and educators with the essential competencies in digital well-being education needed to guide young people. By developing innovative conceptual tools and practical intervention strategies through non-formal methods, we are fostering a generation that can navigate the digital world with self-awareness, challenge personal biases, and build a safer, more inclusive online and offline community.
2
Project Meetings
3
International Trainings
36
Local Workshops
3
Days of Activism
International Learning, Teaching, and Training Activities (LTTAs)
Our international trainings were the cornerstone of our project, fostering collaboration and sharing expertise. Explore all transnational activities →
1st LTTA: Marijampolė, Lithuania
“Prevention, Protection, Rejection”
This initial training focused on defining digital citizenship and understanding the root causes of cyber addiction. Participants explored creative methods like Storytelling and Forum Theater to simulate real-life scenarios, helping them identify issues and brainstorm solutions to promote responsible online behavior.
2nd LTTA: Athens, Greece
“Tranquility Matters”
The second LTTA shifted to practical coping strategies and digital wellness. Sessions focused on recognizing addiction triggers, building digital resilience, and maintaining a healthy online-offline balance. The “BAG” campaign was born here, with participants painting linen bags to become walking ambassadors for the project.
3rd LTTA: Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
“Education for Life”
The final training brought all the learnings together, focusing on innovative educational approaches. Participants engaged in interactive lectures, Animation Theater, and even created a public puppet theater performance with recycled materials to address digital addiction in an engaging, community-focused way.
From Theory to Action: Best Practices & Local Workshops
The knowledge from our international trainings was compiled into toolkits and brought back to our local communities through 36 hands-on workshops, empowering youth directly.
Lithuania LTTA Toolkit
A guide on Prevention, Protection, and Rejection of digital addiction, with tools for educators.
Greece LTTA Toolkit
Focusing on why “Tranquility Matters,” with strategies for digital detox and self-care.
Spain LTTA Toolkit
A collection of creative non-formal methods for “Education for Life” in the digital age.
“3 Days of Activism” Online Campaign
Our creative online campaign reached a wide audience with powerful messages. Discover the full campaign →
Day 1 – BAG: Bring Awareness to Generations
Participants turned linen bags into powerful canvases for personal stories about their digital lives. With QR codes linking to our project, our team became “walking ambassadors” for digital balance, sparking conversations in their communities.
Day 2 – Beat the Challenge
We used the viral “Yi Wang” social media trend to critique the platforms themselves, mirroring the repetitive cycle of online behavior. This creative paradox used a viral challenge to critique the very platforms that foster addiction, raising awareness from within the digital space.
Day 3 – A Common Message
Our international team co-wrote and recorded a unified message for a healthier digital future, delivered in both native languages and English. This video demonstrates that while our cultures differ, our mission to promote digital well-being is a universal cause.
Our Partners
Meet the teams behind this initiative. Learn more about the organizations →
STEP (Slovakia)
Marijampole VET Center (Lithuania)
IN-PLANET (Greece)
CIFP César Manrique (Spain)
Spreading the Word: Dissemination Highlights
Spreading our findings is crucial for long-term impact. Read about our dissemination efforts →
- Presentation in Poland: Project insights were shared with 36 youth leaders at the ‘DigitalYOU’ exchange in Olsztyn, gathering fresh cultural perspectives.
- Media Coverage in Lithuania: Articles in newspapers like Santaka, Draugas, and Suvalkietis highlighted our activities promoting digital citizenship in schools.
- Official Recognition in Spain: The Government of the Canary Islands’ Ecoescuela portal and the newspaper El Día featured our project’s innovative work at CIFP César Manrique.
- Outreach in Greece: The project was presented to 47 youth workers in Athens, expanding our network and sharing non-formal education methods like puppet theatre.
- Cross-Project Collaboration: We disseminated our findings during other Erasmus+ youth exchanges in Slovakia and Greece, fostering a broader dialogue on digital wellness among young Europeans.