MEME - Me and the Media: Fostering Social Media Literacy competences through interactive learning sets for adults with disabilities

Compared to only a decade ago, the way in which people access, absorb and elaborate information has drastically changed. With new forms of media emerging on the scene, such as online journals, websites and social media, the use of online media has grown rapidly and new services and communication tools, such as blogs, video stream and social media have become increasingly prominent. Young people, including young adults with disabilities, are more affected: in Europe 97% of young people (including young adults between 18 and 30) use the internet at least once a week [Eurostat, 2017]. Young adults generally possess a wider range of ICT skills, but less is known about the way these new media represent diversity, in particular disability and disabled adult people, on the effect this representation (often stigmatisation) has on people with and without disabilities and on the way young people with disabilities participate in social media and the barriers they encounter (Ref. UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities).

The studies at national level in LT, IT, PT and AT provides quite common situation overview in all partner countries - the main image of the disabled people is formed by the professional journalists and media, while the potential of disabled people to represent themselves in media is not revealed. Improving Digital media skills is of direct importance to young adults with disabilities, to facilitate better social inclusion and the capacity to tackle discrimination, segregation and cyberbullying while, at the same time, being able to better represent themselves on media.