In a context where third-country nationals are affected by the proliferation of misleading information with discriminatory attitudes, young teenagers (11-14 y-old) must be prepared to enter the online world with proper tools.

NEMO aims to fight stereotypes against third-country nationals focusing on the multiplying role played by online information through an awareness raising and training process addressed at young people approaching the online environment.

In particular the project aims to:

• To gain a better understanding on the use of digital media by young adolescents, in particular in relation to the spread of biased news and discriminatory behaviours.
• To raise awareness of key agencies (parents and teachers/school environment) about discrimination of third-country migrants on new media (social media and Internet) and make them aware of the crucial role they play to support the child in facing the phenomenon.
• To stimulate the change of behaviours in territories and social environments where integration appear to be really challenging involving both migrant and non –migrant parents.
• To promote migrants’ parents, especially mothers’, participation in children’s school life because integration also encompasses visual contacts. Online behaviours and critical attitudes towards biased information can be enhanced by daily human interactions

NEMO intends to guide young adolescents ( 11-14 years old students) to the conscious and balanced use of online communication and information tools about the migratory phenomenon and third-country nationals. To do so, the project will create an innovative toolkit for secondary schools developed through factual data, and reinforced through an innovative large-scale communication campaign.

Thus, Project’s objectives will be reached through the following set of activities:

• A background study to identify stereotypes and discrimination of third-country nationals in online and off line world among target groups and assessment of effective responses to misinformation
• A co- created toolkit for schools set-up with stakeholders- migrants, pupils, teachers, migrant and non-migrants parents – providing activities and tools to fight against online discrimination of third-country migrants
• Pilot tests of the toolkit in selected schools in 5 countries
• A communication campaign focusing on a positive narrative of migrants, including testimonies from third-country nationals will reinforce the path developed in schools;
• Evaluation of the impact of the project

The methodology is built around the concepts of evidence-based and participatory approaches.

Indeed, social interventions and communication campaigns are effective if based on clear needs and data as well as on shared decisions. This also contributes to the empowerment of specific actors.

Involving parents and teachers is the best way to link the two socialization agencies of family and school in a relationship which reinforces the impact of activities on pupils. In addition, in the specific context of a project dealing with migrant- social issues, within migrant families, NEMO will involve preferably mothers. Indeed, the male parental figure often assumes the exclusivity in the relationship with the scholastic institution.

NEMO will generate a short term direct impact on:

• Students will develop new awareness on discrimination and stereotypes and tools to fight against misinformation phenomenon
• School staff will acquire awareness on their role as positive change agents. They will also develop new specific knowledge on stereotypes, how these are constructed and spread, reinforced and crystallized, as well as how these can be countered by means of alternative positive narratives
• Students’ families will support their children’s educational path with an inclusive and non-discriminatory approach through the participation in the creation of the toolkit

NEMO will also have indirect long term impact on:

• Young population in the 5 countries where NEMO is implemented will benefit from the communication campaign
• Schools will have the toolkit and documentation on the results of the pilot project available
• Institutions will be able to monitor the results of the pilot project and which will acquire new information through the first phase of needs assessment

The main outcome of the project in the short and medium-term will be to raise awareness about the positive value and provision of the migrant to the EU society especially in those countries where political elites are more xenophobic. Discriminatory attitudes and biased information shared on the new media overcoming boundaries very easily.