NEW EDUCATION
Ways of non-formal education empower individuals of all ages with the skills and confidence to think critically, engage creatively, and navigate today’s rapidly evolving world and influence the future. Through non-formal education projects like the Media Lab, Mediathon, and Capacity Labs, we promote media literacy, combat misinformation, and encourage independent and critical thinking. Initiatives such as the Media Lab Baltic acceleration program and Critical Thinking workshops connect participants across Europe and Latvian regions, offering hands-on experience through hackathons, journalism labs, and international competitions with professional guidance and mentorship. Together, these programs shape a new generation of socially engaged thinkers and innovators across the New East.
Gamification and Deep Engagement
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Our educational experiences are anything but ordinary. Whether we’re working with youth, seniors, or professionals, we turn learning into an adventure. Through gamified formats like hackathons, role-playing simulations, and interactive media challenges, we spark curiosity, foster collaboration, and make education not only accessible — but unforgettable.
Balance of Theory and Practice
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We believe that learning only becomes meaningful when it’s applied. That’s why every program strikes a thoughtful balance between knowledge and practice. Participants dive into real-world scenarios through discussions, creative workshops, content production, creating their own projects, research tasks, and public presentations. They don’t just learn — they grow confident in using what they know.
Cultivating Critical Minds
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In a world overflowing with information — and misinformation — critical thinking and media literacy aren’t optional. They’re essential. Our programs empower participants to spot manipulation, verify facts, analyze sources, and navigate the digital landscape with clarity and independence. We build skills that protect, empower, and inspire informed action.
NEW EDUCATION
EDUCATION PROGRAMS
Media Lab
An educational program focused on media literacy and critical thinking for youth. Participants collaborate with journalists, editors, and content creators to learn how to produce, analyse, and promote media responsibly.
Media Lab Baltics
Acceleration program uniting 100 young people from Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, with online lectures and assignments. Teams competed for a grant dedicated to the purchase of new technical equipment.
StayAtHome
An online competition launched during the pandemic to promote media literacy and counter disinformation, by engaging 200+ participants from various countries with online lectures and assignments.
Media Lab Балтия
A practical workshop series with professional journalists for Baltic and Belarusian youth focused on storytelling and linguistics in journalism.
Radio Hackathon
A three-day program celebrating Latvian Radio’s 95th anniversary, with 15 teams from Latvia participating in an educational and practical program led by experts from Latvian Radio, Warsaw University, the US Embassy, LSM, IREX, Start Strong, and marketing agencies.
Critical Thinking Program
A regional initiative with 110 participants from across 10 countries from Eastern Europe tackled misinformation through online courses and guided practices, and assignments given by young journalists and media experts.
Mediathon
A media-focused hackathon where participants design social campaigns addressing real-world issues. Teams receive mentorship and training, which they turned into a pitch of their media concepts that were judged by a jury. First Mediathon launched in 2020 was a hackathon developed on subjects to combat misinformation during the pandemic, the event featured expert-led lectures by Toms Grēviņš and Evita Puriņa and supported two winning teams in launching their regional campaigns on Latvian Radio and LSM.
Business Lab
A simulation-based learning program for students to explore entrepreneurship. Participants take on real-world roles and challenges in business environments, from marketing to finance, learning through experimentation and teamwork. Our task is to develop the potential of young entrepreneurs and schoolchildren from Student Enterprises. First launched in 2017 and created with the Latvian Investment and Development Agency (Daugavpils Business Incubator), the program builds entrepreneurial skills in youth through realistic, game-based simulations.