"European Youth4Media Network" (Y4M) is a non-governmental non-profit association which involves cultural, educational and media organisations and young people from across Europe. It now has over 24 member organisations from 12 countries. The aim of the association is to enable young people of Europe to have a voice through participative youth media and cultural activities. Y4M aims to promote intercultural understanding, lifelong learning, active citizenship and a civil society based on knowledge between young people. Examples of Y4M activities are the “Free Media Bridges” and the ''Local Television Network (LYTnet)'' projects.

Policy Context

Youth4Media Network is a recognised European association and is constituted under German law.

Description of target users and groups

Our taget group is primarily young people aged 16-25 from across all communities and countries of Europe. We also target socialy excluded and ethnic minority groups and bring togther young people from diverse cultures backgrounds to enable intercultural communication and to develop active citizenship.

Description of the way to implement the initiative

The network has a democratically elected executive board which represents the interests of the member organisations of the network. Each member organisation is represented by a project co-ordinator. All member organisations are responsible for developing a local area network within there own communities and countries. Young people are central to the decision making and management of the network with 10 European Volunteers involved in the management of the network on a European level and over 120 volunteers on a local level.

Technology solution

Y4M exploits the potential of user-friendly software, hardware, freeware and Internet technologies by encouraging innovation and creativity. Y4M empowers young people to be pro-active in the creation of media productions on social, political and youth issues, which is accessible, even on a small financial budget. To support this work Y4M is developing a Europe-wide technical infrastructure including web–TV platforms, technical protocols, access to and funding for equipment and resources. This is also supported by training seminars, skills exchanges, job shadowing, volunteering and formal training accreditation programmes such as “EU Media Trainer.” Innovative uses of digital technology are central to Y4M activities and projects: - Development of international web-TV platforms - Creation of regular web-TV programs - Web-TV service used by members for intercultural communication. - Live media production broadcasts by young people. For example the “Economic Forum of Young Leaders” in Nowy Sacz in 2007 and 2008 and "Let's Debate" a training seminar, attended by 28 young people from 10 European countries. - Pan European broadcasts. - International media camps involving film and multimedia productions and Internet TV broadcasts on youth and European issues. - Online conferencing and debates using freeware such as Chat Shack.

Main results, benefits and impacts

Examples of Y4M activities: - ''Free Media Bridges'': Young people from Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Germany, France, Poland and Ukraine are involved in active citizenship by creating TV broadcasts about Europe. Activities include training, international media workshops, regional conferences, the creation of the community internet television service www.ngotv.eu and the production of the European web TV program "Prioritaire!" - ''Local Television Network (LYTnet)'': Young people from England, France, Germany, Poland, Sweden and Norway. The project included local productions created on issues such as racism, democracy and relevance with live Web TV magazine broadcasts, international media camps where young people worked collaboratively producing film and TV broadcasts on youth and European issues.

Return on investment

Return on investment: Not applicable / Not available

Lessons learnt

Lesson 1 - Clarity with communication. If English is the common language for the project remember that not everyone speaks the same English as you! Lesson 2 - Discard all assumptions about other cultures and countries when working on European projects. They are wrong! Lesson 3 - Be patient and willing to learn new approaches to working on European projects. We are all different but all working towards the same goal. Scope: International