PMA’s Desilon Daniels, who attended the Guyana workshop, noted that what stood out across the three days was how genuinely collaborative and engaged the teams were. While there had been a concern that, with different sectors and experiences, participants’ engagement levels would vary, this was not the case, with every team member contributing and speaking on their team’s behalf. Better yet, the feedback exercises built relationships not just within teams but across them, she said.

Meanwhile, Nicole Walford, Country Trainer for Jamaica, described the energy in the room as the programme built momentum across the three days. “It was great to hear participants say the elements are starting to come together,” she said. “By the final day, it was clear they had gained a full understanding of the workshop, and an appreciation of how the previous days’ work cohered. They left more confident in the role they and their sector play in MIL.”

Day 1: Laying the foundation

The first day focused on setting the stage, both in terms of shared understanding and group formation. Groups were deliberately mixed across sectors from the outset. Participants were introduced to what MIL is and is not, explored the information ecosystems shaping how different generations consume and share content, and examined the ethical responsibilities that come with MIL practice, such as do-no-harm, inclusion, and safeguarding.

Meanwhile, a cross-sector mapping session helped participants understand what each sector brings to collaborative MIL work, before a case clinic put those ideas to the test. The day closed with structured reflections that began to surface the common ground participants would build on over the following two days.

Day 2: Designing for audiences

On day 2, the focus shifted from foundations to practice. Participants worked through an audience insight toolkit before diving into dedicated sessions on designing MIL activities for young people aged 6–17 and for older adults aged 50 and above, two audiences with distinct information environments, vulnerabilities, and access needs. A micro-skill session on shame-avoidance facilitation principles gave participants practical tools for working sensitively with older adults, while prototype labs challenged teams to sketch out real session designs for each audience group. By the end of the day, participants were beginning to move from concept to design and, as Walford noted, the feedback in the room reflected it.

Day 3: Budding ideas

The final day brought the work together. Teams moved through sessions on cross-sector project framing, turning a broad focus into a specific objective and outcome pathway, activity and partnership design, and the basics of monitoring and learning. The day culminated in a concept pitch session, in which each team presented their draft initiative to a decision-maker of their choice.

By the end of the workshops, each cross-sector team had developed a draft MIL initiative concept, which can be taken forward within the project or outside of it. Notably, the range of ideas that emerged reflected the diversity of contexts and communities the participants work in.

In Guyana, one team developed Think, Click, Respect, a session-based programme tackling cyberbullying among school-age children, while another designed CLICK (Cautiously Look Into Content to Keep) Safe Online, targeting older adults at the National Library’s seniors club. In Jamaica, one team is developing Seniors Using Smartphones Safely, a workshop-based programme for older adults navigating WhatsApp and online information. In Trinidad & Tobago, one team developed The CLEAR Concept, a community caravan reaching both young people and older residents in the coastal village of Charlotteville, while another concept, Pause. Check. Ask., focuses on helping both youth and older adults identify AI-generated videos.

What’s next?

The next milestone is the Media Literacy Lab, a one-day virtual regional session on 16 July 2026. The session will bring together 24 selected MIL Champions (eight from each country) for cross-border peer exchange and structured initiative development. This is designed not only to strengthen individual initiatives, but to support the building of a regional network of MIL practitioners.

Beyond the Media Literacy Lab, the MIL Champions will work towards in-country MIL Action Days in October 2026, where each country team will pilot their initiatives with real community audiences.