- What happens when you stop thinking in projects and start thinking in communities?
We didn’t want to write another generic project update.
Because let’s be honest—most organisations working on social impact face the same challenge. We run one project on media literacy, another on AI, a third on civic engagement, a fourth on community building… each with its own website, newsletter, events and reporting.
But the people we work with don’t experience life in projects.
Older adults don’t separate misinformation from AI, online scams, stereotypes or digital skills. They experience them all at once, every single day.
So this autumn, we’re trying something different.
So this autumn, we’re trying something different – we’re experimenting with a more connected approach. LEVEL UP, SUM and CADiDE each explore a different part of the picture — from media literacy and peer-to-peer learning to community dialogue and resilience. Together, they give us a chance to look at the needs of older adults from several complementary perspectives.
In practice, this means experimenting with different formats — community events, educational games, exhibitions and peer-to-peer activities — and learning which approaches work best in different settings.
One of the approaches we’re exploring is our Senior Ambassadors programme. Built around peer-to-peer learning, it supports active older adults who want to become educators, guides or facilitators for their peers, helping others feel more confident navigating today’s complex information environment.
We’re also experimenting with more playful learning formats — including a board game for older adults that opens up conversations about misinformation, critical thinking and everyday digital dilemmas. We’ll be testing it in real-life settings this autumn and learning from how participants respond. (Sneak peek above!)
And because good resources should travel further than one project, all LEVEL UP educational materials—including presentations, activities, videos and our interactive online game—are already freely available in four languages.
👉 Explore them here: levelup.fundacionmaldita.es/en/
Now we’re curious:
What innovative approaches are working for you?
Have you experimented with peer-to-peer learning, games, community-based formats or other creative ways of engaging older adults with media literacy and the changing digital world?We’d genuinely love to exchange ideas. Feel free to reach out to katerina.lukanicova@tol.org — especially if you’ve tested something that surprised you, worked particularly well, or failed in an interesting way. 😅❤️
- Transitions joins the conversation on trustworthy AI
How can artificial intelligence strengthen democracy and public trust? And what makes an AI system truly trustworthy?
These were the central questions at the CZDEMOS4AI conference, which brought together researchers, public institutions, technology experts and civil society to discuss the development of specialised AI assistants for areas such as crisis communication, media resilience, law and education.
One of the key ideas behind the project is that trustworthy AI should not only provide accurate answers, but also explain where those answers come from, communicate uncertainty openly and remain transparent throughout the decision-making process.
Transitions contributed to the discussion by bringing the perspective of media literacy, public trust and digital inclusion. We highlighted that resilience is not built solely by giving people access to reliable information—it also depends on whether they understand why they should trust a system and feel confident using it.
We also emphasised the importance of involving older adults and other underrepresented groups in the design and evaluation of AI tools. If these technologies are intended to serve society, they should be developed with the people who will ultimately use them.
The discussions also opened opportunities for future collaboration, particularly around user testing, focus groups and participatory approaches that can help ensure AI systems are not only technically robust, but also understandable, accessible and trusted in practice.
We are pleased to contribute this perspective to the ongoing development of CZDEMOS4AI and look forward to continuing the conversation on responsible, human-centred AI.
- From ideas to action
In the article above, we shared why we’re trying something different this autumn: bringing several European initiatives together into one community-based programme for older adults in the Czech Republic. That idea didn’t emerge overnight—it has been shaped by inspiring conversations and collaboration with partners across Europe.
One of those moments was the LEVEL UP Forum in Brussels, where policymakers, journalists, researchers and civil society organisations came together to discuss how we can better support older adults in today’s rapidly changing information environment.
The forum showcased practical tools developed through the project—from educational resources and videos to the interactive game Veri—all designed to help older adults build confidence in navigating information online.
–> Want a glimpse of the day? Watch our short highlights video here.
- Meet the Newsrooms Joining the Rebuilding Trust Project
We’re excited to introduce the newsroom cohort joining Rebuilding Trust: A Multi-Stakeholder Data-Driven Journalism Initiative for Democratic Resilience.
Over the coming months, these newsrooms will work alongside researchers, civil society organizations, data experts, and other partners from across Europe to explore how data-driven, evidence-based, and solutions-focused journalism can contribute to stronger information ecosystems and more resilient democracies.
Meet the newsrooms joining us on this journey:
Capital (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
A business and investigative news outlet reporting on the economy, public finances, corruption, and other issues of public interest.Nyugat (Hungary)
Regional newsroom covering public affairs, politics, culture, and everyday life in western Hungary.KecsUP (Hungary)
Regional newsroom reporting on local government, public spending, urban development, environmental issues, and community life in central Hungary.Debreciner (Hungary)
Regional newsroom covering local government, civic affairs, environmental issues, education, and accountability reporting in eastern Hungary.Radio Goraždevac (Kosovo)
A community-focused media outlet providing local news and reporting on issues affecting Kosovo Serb communities.Sestry (Poland)
A bilingual Polish-Ukrainian media platform amplifying women’s voices and fostering dialogue between the two countries.Storyteller (Serbia)
Media outlet producing community-focused journalism for the multilingual Slovak-Serbian community in Vojvodina and the Slovak diaspora.Page Not Found (Czech Republic)
Czech media outlet specializing in slow journalism, long-form reporting, and investigations into labor rights, gender, and social justice.Okraj (Czech Republic)
A regional, investigative newsroom empowering communities in the Moravian-Silesian Region through local public-interest journalism.Romea (Czech Republic)
Czech newsroom reporting on Roma communities, human rights, discrimination, and social issues.Over the coming months, these outlets will collaborate with experts and researchers from journalism, civil society, and data to produce solutions-focused reporting that helps strengthen information resilience across Europe.
- Going on Assignment in Prague – Summer 2026
From 11–26 July we ran our flagship “Going on Assignment” foreign-correspondent course in Prague in close collaboration with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK). Thirteen participants from the U.S., Germany, Greece, and the Czech Republic joined the program; UTK sent a contingent of students and contributed faculty and logistical support that significantly enriched the curriculum. Our instructors included seasoned correspondents and editors – among them Raphael Minder (Financial Times), Michael T. Martinez (UTK), Jana Ciglerová (Czech Radio), Michael Winfrey (former Reuters/Bloomberg foreign correspondent) and Parisa Sohbati (RFE/RL).
Participants also had the opportunity to meet journalism fellows from our Global Journalism Program in Prague and engage in lively conversations with journalism students from Africa (Makerere University) and Asia (Hong Kong Baptist University). These exchanges created a valuable space for sharing perspectives, experiences, and networking across different regions and media landscapes.
Students worked on real reporting projects: pitching on-the-ground stories, developing sourcing strategies, and producing multimedia pieces under tight deadlines. Alongside classroom instruction, the course featured newsroom visits (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Seznam.cz), hands-on sessions in newswriting and video storytelling, and dedicated mentoring from course faculty on story structure and editorial ethics.
The Prague experience combined practical training, professional networking, and cultural context – exactly what aspiring foreign correspondents need. We’re now opening applications for June 2027. Apply here!
Photos by Sarka Truxova.
- Research Meets Practice: Transitions Joins Two International Networks
How can research and practical experience better inform one another? At Transitions, we believe the strongest solutions emerge when academics and practitioners work side by side.
We’re proud to announce that Transitions has joined both the UNESCO Media and Information Literacy Alliance and ACTOR (Association of Conspiracy Theory Researchers). These international networks bring together researchers and practitioners working on media literacy, disinformation, and democratic resilience areas that have long been central to our work.
For years, we’ve worked directly with journalists, educators, librarians, civil society organizations, and local communities across Europe. By joining these networks, we’re looking forward to contributing our field experience while developing new collaborations that transform research into practical action and practical challenges into meaningful research questions.
Interested in collaborating on applied research or developing a joint project? We’d love to hear from you via transitions@tol.org.
- From information to agency: Transitions at European Communication Conference 2026
How can journalism help people move beyond simply understanding society’s challenges and give them a greater sense of agency in responding to them?
On 7 September, Transitions’ Solutions Journalism Program Manager, Meenal Thakur, will explore this question at the ECC 2026 pre-conference, in Brno, Czech Republic, where she will co-present with Kyser Lough, Associate Professor of Journalism at the University of Georgia.
Their presentation, “From Information to Agency: Solutions Journalism as a Practice of Democratic Resilience,” will examine the theoretical and methodological foundations of solutions journalism and consider how the approach can contribute to more informed, engaged, and resilient democratic societies. Bringing together research and practice, the session will reflect on the application of solutions journalism across diverse settings, including cross-border collaborations, climate reporting, and journalism in fragile and conflict-affected environments. It draws on Transitions’ experience of delivering solutions journalism programs with more than 40 newsrooms across Europe, alongside more than a decade of academic research into the approach’s foundations, reporting practices, and effects on audiences.
The presentation offers an important opportunity to bring insights from Transitions’ work into conversation with the international academic community and to demonstrate how collaboration between researchers and practitioners can strengthen both journalism and public engagement.
Will you be attending ECC 2026? Don’t miss the session! We would love to see you there.
- Bringing a Solutions Lens to Visual Journalism
July 6-9, 2026, the beautiful Provençal city of Arles hosted the renowned Rencontres d’Arles international photography festival. Our colleague, solutions journalism trainer and mentor Lucie Černá, was invited by the VII Foundation to speak on a panel exploring Solutions Visual Journalism.
Together with photographers Pablo Tosco and Patrick Gaillardin, Lucie explored what it means to bring a solutions lens to visual journalism – documenting not only the challenges communities face, but also the responses already making a difference. The panel also examined how an evidence-based, image-led approach complements traditional visual reporting, bringing audiences closer to stories of resilience, innovation, and positive change. Photo: © Romain Boutillier/ VII Foundation
- Applications are now open for the 2027 edition of our summer international reporting course!
Embark on an adventure this summer through the charming streets of Prague, where centuries of history converge with modern-day intrigue. Join us in June for our annual “Going on Assignment” course, offering an excellent opportunity to learn from seasoned correspondents about international reporting and hone your craft.
This program is a fantastic opportunity for students to broaden their professional and journalism skills while gaining invaluable experience abroad. Students will have the opportunity to learn from media professionals who have worked for Reuters, The Financial Time, Bloomberg, The Observer, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and other local media outlets and gain hands-on experience multimedia reporting and writing in the field.
Under the guidance of Michael T. Martinez, a professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and Jeremy Druker, the editor-in-chief of Transitions, you’ll delve deep into the art of storytelling amid the fascinating historical and political landscape of Central Europe.
“Overall the course was amazing,” said Fani Apospori, a July 2026 participant from Greece. “I’m very, very happy that I took it. Worth it 100%, great choice and I have learned tons of things that otherwise I’d have to spend time doing a masters to learn.”
Join us for an online webinar on October 19, 2026, at 02:30 PM EST/08:30 PM CET, where Mike and Jeremy will answer any questions you may have.
Since 2005, our course has worked with hundreds of people from across the globe to teach them the critical skills needed to work in the journalism industry and produce ethical and excellent work. Many of our alumni have published their work in Transitions (our online news magazine), local news outlets, and their universities’ publications.
If you don’t have experience reporting or writing, don’t worry. Our team will provide hands-on support throughout the entire course, offering advice on story structuring, source procurement, and multimedia integration. Whether you’re a novice or an experienced journalist, our comprehensive coaching will equip you with the tools needed to excel in today’s media landscape. Watch our Going on Assignment in Prague 2026 video.
By the end of the 18 days, you’ll not only leave with a compelling piece of foreign reporting but also an understanding of the evolving role of journalism in Central Europe.
Location: Prague, Czech Republic
“We’ve tried to design a course to introduce anyone interested in foreign reporting about what it really is like to be a foreign correspondent. Part of the course is hearing lecturers about their experiences and giving tips on how to do a story once you hit the ground, but a big part of the course is having participants do their own stories, so they get a real taste of foreign reporting.”
Jeremy Druker, Co-founder and Executive director of Transitions.
Find out more, watch our earlier video and sign up here.
- Reimagining Media Literacy at the POINT Conference
How can media literacy move beyond fact-checking to help people navigate today’s increasingly complex information environment? That was the focus of a panel discussion in mid-June at the POINT Conference in Sarajevo, one of Southeast Europe’s leading gatherings on democracy, technology, and civic engagement.
Transitions Executive Director Jeremy Druker joined experts from Estonia, Lithuania, and Lebanon/France to discuss how media literacy initiatives can better engage communities, build resilience, and become guides through the crowded and sometimes treacherous information space. The discussion explored approaches ranging from game-based learning and AI-powered educational tools to solutions journalism and “future literacy,” emphasizing the need to move beyond fear-based messaging and toward empowering citizens to engage constructively with their communities.
Jeremy argued that media literacy initiatives should avoid reinforcing fear and instead focus on constructive engagement. “We don’t want to do even more harm,” he said at the panel. “We try to design our programs based less on the threat and more on offering people hopeful alternatives.”
As Transitions continues to expand its media literacy work across Central and Southeastern Europe, the conference provided an opportunity to share lessons from our training programs while learning from innovative initiatives across the region. It was also a chance to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Zasto ne, the conference organizer. Originally established as a youth peace organization with the aim of working on the demilitarization of Bosnian society and establishing the right to conscientious objection in the country, the organization has grown into one of the region’s leaders in using civic tech to fight for government accountability. - AI, Media Literacy & Strategic Communication Course for Civil Society Representatives
In the first week of June, Transitions held a six-day training course in Prague for Polish civil society representatives, including NGO staff, volunteers, and students from Universities of the 3rd Age. Most participants work directly with vulnerable citizens in their local communities and towns across Poland.
The program focused on strengthening participants’ skills in digital communication, media literacy, artificial intelligence tools, and countering disinformation. Through interactive workshops led by senior digital literacy manager Kateřina Lukaničová, participants learned practical approaches to social media management, storytelling, and the use of AI tools such as Gemini, Canva, and NotebookLM to support their daily work.
“What made this training especially inspiring for me was the diversity of the group. Participants brought together different generations, experiences and perspectives, creating a space where learning flowed both ways. While I shared practical approaches to building a safe and effective AI-powered work ecosystem, I also gained valuable insights from the participants themselves. The exchange of ideas, questions and real-life experiences made the whole programme richer for everyone involved.” — Kateřina Lukaničová
Participants also developed their media literacy skills with advanced training in methods for identifying disinformation, deepfakes, and AI-generated content, while gaining a better understanding of social media algorithms and fact-checking techniques.
As part of the study visits, participants visited the major Czech news outlet Seznam.cz, where they met media professionals and toured the Radio Expres FM studio and the Seznam newsroom, gaining valuable insight into Czech society, digital media operations, and innovation in the media sector. A further visit to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty introduced participants to the organization’s history, mission, and the important role of independent media in promoting democratic values and countering disinformation.
The training concluded with sessions led by Transitions Director Jeremy Druker on solutions journalism and practical methods for addressing disinformation. Overall, the course equipped participants with new tools and knowledge to communicate more effectively, strengthen community resilience, and better support vulnerable groups in their local communities.
- Older Adults, the EU, and Media Literacy: A Conversation Worth Watching Live
How do we better protect and empower older adults in today’s information environment? That is the question at the centre of our upcoming forum in Brussels, and we want you in the conversation.
On June 25, Transitions joins European partners at an event bringing together MEPs, civil society organisations, researchers, and media professionals to discuss media literacy for older adults across Europe. Transitions’ Katka Lukanicova will speak on the panel “Media Literacy for Ageing Societies: Challenges and Solutions for Europe.”
The event is hybrid, and online attendance is free. Wherever you are, you can follow the morning programme live (10:00 to 13:00 CET). If you happen to be in Brussels, join us in person at Press Club Brussels Europe (Rue Froissart 95).
Register to join online or in person!
- A Multi-Stakeholder Data-Driven Journalism Initiative for Democratic Resilience.
Over two days in Prague April 29-30, we officially kicked off our project, Rebuilding Trust: A Multi-Stakeholder Data-Driven Journalism Initiative for Democratic Resilience. Journalists, researchers, academics, civil society actors, librarians, data practitioners, and representatives of vulnerable communities, including senior citizens, came together around a shared challenge: how do we strengthen information resilience in a fragmented, fast-changing information environment? Participants mapped the challenges facing newsrooms and communities today, and began shaping responses together, from data-driven solutions journalism to new forms of collaboration across sectors.The event also brought a strong focus on local media and how to build resilience among vulnerable communities by grounding the conversations in real-world practice and impact.
We also explored one of the defining issues of our time: artificial intelligence. Not through a lens of fear or hype, but through deeper reflection and practical engagement:
- What does AI mean for our understanding of what it is to be human?
- How can citizens, not just tech experts, engage with and shape AI systems?
- What does it take to make AI work for society, not just around it?
This is just the beginning. Over the coming months, this diverse group will continue working together to co-create, test, and refine approaches that strengthen democratic and information resilience across Europe. The event was made possible through the general support of Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland.
© Transitions Online 2020. All rights reserved. ISSN 1214-1615
Published by Transitions o.s., Baranova 33, 130 00 Prague 3, Czech Republic.