From July 26 until August 3, 5 students of the Pelagonia Association, aged 15–17, visited Lecco, Italy, for a project of the Italian organization Associazione Joint, representing the partner organization SFERA International from Bitola, North Macedonia. It took place near Lecco, in the Region of Lombardy in Northern Italy, just below the Bergamo Alps.
The title of this Youth Exchange was “TikTok… time for stories,” an important introduction to one of the most significant aspects of medium literacy for youngsters. Along with the other 25 participants and their leaders from Italy, Estonia, Bulgaria, Estonia, and Romania, the teenagers present at the facilities of the “Ostello Parco Monte Barro” shared knowledge and experiences about social media with organizations from different European contexts.
The project organizers provided young people with a space where they could discuss and confront the topic of social media and the kinds of narrations that they use, as well as gain theoretical and practical knowledge on digital storytelling, fake news, and campaigning.

Perhaps the most important task participants had to accomplish was promoting social media as a tool for social commitment and involving them in the creation of content and campaigns.

This YE also aimed at creating tools and strategies useful for organizations and youth workers in order to reach and involve young people in social and volunteer activities through social media, which can be used as a tool for inclusion and involvement.

The YE gave teenage participants the chance to discuss and reflect on the use they make of social media, deepening the topics of digital storytelling, fake news, and the creation of campaigns, and discussing platforms, contents, and the most popular narrations among young people.

Of course, the participants did not miss the opportunity for a visit to the wonderful city of Milan and a cruise on the Lake of Lecco.