Co-created Baltic Youth MIL Hackathon Series

Deliverable 4.5 for the EU-funded project with the ID 118471, coordinated by the University of Tartu (UTARTU).

Inger Klesment | University of Tartu
Gretel Juhansoo | University of Tartu
Ieva Ivanauskaite | UAB Delfi, Lithuania
Filips Lastovskis | AS Delfi, Latvia
Erik Moora | Ekspress Meedia
Lāsma Antoneviča | Baltic Center for Media Excellence

Media literacy and critical thinking are increasingly recognized as essential skills for youth in the Baltic countries—Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. In an era of rapidly evolving digital landscapes and the spread of misinformation, these competencies are crucial for young people to critically evaluate information, engage responsibly with media, and develop informed perspectives.

The Baltic countries have made significant strides in integrating digital competence into their national education systems. Digital literacy is embedded in the curriculum, with a strong emphasis on problem-solving, analytical thinking, and responsible media consumption. Students are introduced to technology early, gaining hands-on experience with robotics, coding, and artificial intelligence. Virtual reality and other innovative tools are also used across subjects, enhancing learning engagement and digital awareness.

Despite these efforts, several challenges remain: Gaps in Research and Data – Studies on youth media literacy in the region lack depth and consistency, making assessing students’ needs difficult. Without comprehensive research, the development of targeted educational initiatives is hindered. Insufficient Teacher Training – While media literacy is gaining prominence, many educators lack the necessary training to integrate it effectively into their teaching. Regular and systematic professional development programs are needed to ensure teachers are equipped with up-to-date knowledge and pedagogical strategies. Lack of Educational Resources – The absence of comprehensive, standardized methodological materials poses a significant challenge. Teachers often lack structured lesson plans, case studies, and interactive tools to facilitate engaging media literacy education. Varying Levels of Digital Access – While urban schools often benefit from advanced technology and digital tools, rural areas may experience disparities in access. Ensuring equal opportunities for all students, regardless of location, remains a crucial goal. The Need for Cross-Sector Collaboration – Strengthening cooperation between educational institutions, media organizations, policymakers, and civil society can lead to more effective media literacy strategies and initiatives. Joint efforts can help create engaging programs, educational campaigns, and interactive learning experiences that resonate with youth.

To tackle these challenges, BECID strives to develop teacher training and high-quality educational resources, as well as foster collaboration among key stakeholders. These efforts are essential in equipping the next generation with the critical thinking skills necessary to navigate the complexities of the digital world with confidence and responsibility. The Youth MIL Hackathon, organized in collaboration with media organizations across all three Baltic countries, was a vivid example of how to achieve this goal by directly involving young people and the media, with the youth themselves becoming creators of MIL content.

This report is the deliverable for Task 4.5 (T4.5 from here on), with contributions from five of the BECID partners: UTARTU, UAB Delfi, AS Delfi, Ekspress Meedia, and BCME. The task aimed to create innovative and engaging MIL content for youth, produced by the youth themselves. The project nurtured a new generation of media content creators by organizing a collaborative media course and hackathon across all three Baltic countries. In the first half of the event, experts, including investigative journalists involved in WP3—led a series of hands-on workshops covering critical thinking, media logic, ethics, fact-checking, visual literacy, and mobile journalism, including social media marketing. These sessions provided participants with essential skills and insights into the media landscape. The second half of the event transitioned into the time-constrained hackathon, where participants were challenged to create relevant MIL content tailored for young audiences. The content was designed for distribution through platforms most commonly used by youth, addressing important topics such as health, the environment, immigration, and more. A jury then evaluated and selected the best pieces of content production, recognizing outstanding creativity and impact. 

To achieve T4.5 goal, all partners were involved in recruiting and selecting participants, developing a training program, conducting MIL training in each Baltic country, and organizing a joint MIL Hackathon (Mediathon) in Riga.