Fact or Fiction: Developing Inquiry and Critical Thinking Skills in Youth

The “Fact of Fiction” project aim to inspire youth aged 12-19 to practice intelligent disobedience – doing what’s right despite pressures. The main objective is to equip adolescents with the skills to confidently navigate the rapidly evolving digital environment and develop key competencies and digital resilience for independent functioning in adulthood.

The project is based on the participatory approach to ensure our workshop scenarios are evidence-based and address the real needs of today’s youth and educators. Outputs’ testing and implementation will equip participants with essential critical thinking skills for navigating a complex online world. On-site and international online multiplier events will ensure widespread dissemination of our activities and results, amplifying the impact among adolescents and educators.

Participants will explore social impact, cognitive biases and topics like economics and online culture, sharpening their ability to distinguish facts from opinions. Educators will gain insights into digital education tools and strategies for nurturing students’ CT and information verification skills. Deliverables include 18 CT workshops for youth, supported by a report with themed scenarios and exercises for integrating CT skills into daily lessons.

Activities of the project:

1. Consultation activities and workshops (Q1, Q2 2025)
We implemented consultation activities with youth aged 12-19, split into three age groups, interviewed teachers and parents to better understand needs of critical thinking and digital literacy topic.

2. Pilot Workshops (Q3, Q4 2025)

Currently we are doing pilot workshops in youth centres and schools to test critical thinking and digital literacy with youth.

3. Dissemination Events (Q1 2026)

We are planning to have several dissemination events at begin of 2026 so stay tuned!

Project Results:

We are proud to share with you our Workshop Manual for Developing Digital Resilience and Critical Thinking in Youth 🧠📘 — a practical handbook full of tools, ideas, and activities to help educators and youth workers navigate the digital world with confidence.

👉 Discover more about the project and download the workshop manual (click here).