I want spaces where children and everyone else can
practice their freedom of speech, and not be limited. I want children to have
the right to speak because we all have rights, because we are all equal.
Victor, 10 years, Tlahuac Declaration
In this
experience, young people are direct protagonists in all processes of expression
and learning with the media. They learn how to adopt a critical approach to the
media and then how to construct their own channels for expression. The
organization has a sophisticated theoretical framework that supports its
actions, particularly in the fields of audiovisual literacy and media
education. It has worked in 16 states in Mexico
Citizens are not
created spontaneously. For this reason, APANTALLADOS carries out processes that
contribute to building citizenship through communications media and new
information technologies given that a childhood that exercises citizenship is a
socially and culturally educated and strengthened one.
Finally, mention should be made of its efforts to reach a broader
audience through the organization and visibility of demands by boys and girls as
petitions lodged with the political decision-makers policies in their
communities. One example of the result of such actions was the Declaration of Tláhuac, made by the children of Tláhuac after a
workshop at which they analyzed the media and their rights.
GOALS SOUGHT
Mexican boys and
girls are viewed by the communications media industry as consumers, and not as
citizens with rights. This initiative aims to contribute to the strengthening
of the exercise of information rights of children using inter-generational
dialogue and participation using communications media and information and communications
technologies (ICTs) as a tool for visibility.
It also aims to create
spaces of participation and visibility for children to express their ideas,
dreams, demands, vision of the world, and as spaces for respect and personal
growth in their communications and in communications media. This is achieved
through multiple screen, television, video, internet, radio and spaces such as
workshops, seminars and the festival APANTALLADOS.
To contribute to
the comprehensive training of students and to instill in them an informed and
analytical approach toward information and communications technologies (ICTs),
promoting the development of their understanding of audiovisual narratives,
analytical thought, and participatory attitudes through an experience of
acquiring audiovisual literacy.
WHAT IT INVOLVES
The core of this
initiative is Media Education. Using a unique methodology of constructivist
guidance, learning through play and discovery, boys and girls are introduced to
a critical approach toward communications media and its narrative, with the
goal of improving their understanding of its messages, intentions and
interests, as well as of their own rights in this area.
Media Education
is a curriculum that covers seven core topics: violence, gender and
stereotypes, information rights, consumerism, rescuing identity and oral memory,
trash television and quality television, and the information society and
internet. This are approached within the framework of rights education.
Children study
contents related to the topic of citizen participation, in order to encourage
them to express themselves through the creative and collaborative production of
radio and video materials. Participants jointly decide on the topics and their
priorities.
TARGET AUDIENCE
The experience is
designed for children between the ages of 8 and 14, because it is very
difficult to develop a critical sense at such early ages since they do not yet
have the tools for reading and writing and for understanding the meaning of
such concepts of reality and fantasy.
The experience
recognizes the country’s children as creators, and generators of meaning and
not simply as passive receptors of a television’s content to which they do not
fell identified with. It also considers of vital importance the creation of
unique models of children’s television that take into account children’s needs,
and strengthen the quality of television production.
ACHIEVEMENTS
The focus on
media education builds a new relationship between children and the media.
Children are no
longer mere consumers, but become bearers of information rights. However, what
is most important is that this kind of education provides them with tools of
dialogue and a collective construction of ideas and expressions not only useful
to collaboratively produce a video, but also, in the future, to learn to build
collaboratively a more democratic community. Giving them tools to promote
dialogue and increase their knowledge about information rights and a critical
analysis of the media makes a valuable contribution to the construction of
citizenship and democracy.
To date, the
following has been implemented: 2 “APANTALLADOS” festivals, more than 70 video
productions, nearly 200 radio productions and 20 Children Communicators Groups,
20 Children Observatories of Communications Media, and
more than 100 Media Education workshops. Children’s work has been recognized
by, and displayed in International Audiovisual Festivals for boys and girls.
The working
methodology has been recognized by UNICEF as one of the best practices by civil
society. Its publication has led to the many adaptations and copies by
organizations that work with children, by educational institutions and in
processes of popular education.
SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES IN
WHICH THE PARTICIPANTS COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE MEDIA
During the workshops,
radio and video productions are made in collaboration with the group of
participating boys and girls. The media is the subject for reflection during
the workshop.
Then, during the
production stage, participants develop the ideas that will be expressed in
group, and work together on creative actions such as, screenplay preparation,
research, act, dance, and participating in radio and video production, that
they later upload to the internet. In other
activities, such as the Festival, children’s participation is a little
different, since it consist more of interacting with the pedagogical or
expressive proposals in communications media. It is worth mentioning that
during the 2010 and 2012 Festivals, nearly 3,700 and 6,000 people participating
respectively. During these Festivals, various workshops that link
communications media with freedom of expression are organized. Other workshops
on video, radio, handcrafts, and internet and information society are also
organized.
HOW THE PARTICIPANTS’
UNDERSTANDING AND USE OF THE MEDIA HAS CHANGED
Participating
children clearly change the way they see the media. The creation of these participatory
spaces for reflection makes them born questioners. The video “The Declaration
of Tláhuac”, which includes testimonials from participating boys and girls, is
a clear example of this. This video, with the participation of 300 children,
was produced as part of an experience that developed in 2010; it was the first
activity on audiovisual alphabetization implemented din the field.
These changes occur due to children’s
greater awareness of their information rights, and their greater capacity for reflection vis-à-vis the media.
Children are also affected during
the radio and video production since their participation in creative process
helps them think differently about the media and how it works.
INVESTMENT AND FINANCING
This project has
had an average annual investment of 200,000 U.S. dollars, mostly from national
and international competitive funds, or as a result of collaborating with local
or federal government institutions.
EVALUATION AND RESULTS
The project has
been scientifically evaluated once under an arrangement with the Autonomous
University of Mexico City (UACM). It was carried out using qualitative
methodologies and its results indicated that it was successful with the
reflection exercise and with developing the participants’ capacities.
RISK FACTORS
According to the
designers of this initiative, the main risk factors that have been identified
are:
a) They feel
very small compared to the scale of large media conglomerates;
b) Lawmakers are
not interested in protecting children in this area;
c) There is lack
of interest in sectors related to development, education, and culture, which
can be seen, inter alia,
in a shortage of resources for funding the activities proposed by projects of
this kind.
FUTURE PLANS
Their future
plans include the following initiatives:
- Create children’s media observatories in different parts of the country so that children’s voices can be heard.
- Increase impact with the implementation of a 360-degree multi-screen project involving television, radio, internet, and web.
- Strengthen the implementation of the Children and Media Festivals, and continue creating communicators’ collectives across the country.
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