The event celebrated the continued growth of the Media Literacy Ambassador programme, which now includes 196 trained ambassadors at Derby College Group who have delivered workshops to 984 students so far.
The evening highlighted the critical role young people play in challenging misinformation, strengthening critical thinking and promoting democratic engagement.
Media literacy is the ability to access, analyse, evaluate, create and act using all forms of communication. It equips individuals with the skills to question information, recognise bias, understand influence and participate responsibly in today’s complex digital landscape.
A student-led programme
The evening opened with a welcome from Professor Neil Fowler, Executive Board Member at the University of Derby, alongside Tristan, 5th Generation Media Literacy Ambassador.
Clare Twelvetrees, Director of Programmes and Operations at The Guardian Foundation, introduced the wider aims of the partnership and the national context of the programme.
Student ambassadors from the 4th and 5th generations led engaging sessions on spotting misinformation and disinformation, identifying red flags on social media and challenging harmful online narratives.
Attendees also took part in an interactive Fake or Real session, applying media literacy skills in real time.
Dr Shelby Judge delivered a powerful session exploring the manosphere, examining how certain online spaces promote harmful ideologies and misogyny.
She outlined key digital red flags, discussed how extremist narratives spread and emphasised the importance of education in building resilience.
A highlight of the evening was a live interview between Khai, Derby College storyteller, and Professor Ruth Page, Professor of Applied Linguistics at the University of Birmingham.
The discussion focused on the ESRC-funded Influencer Stories of Mental Health and Young People project and explored how influencer narratives on platforms such as TikTok shape young people’s understanding of wellbeing and identity.
Following a networking reception and exhibition of ambassador work, a panel discussion brought together Professor Ruth Page, Professor of Applied Linguistics at the University of Birmingham; Dr Shelby Judge; Professor Julie Firmstone, media and communications academic; Paul Lynch, media professional; and Elliot Grainger, strategist, to explore journalism standards, artificial intelligence, online regulation, trust in news and the future of media literacy education.
Questions were led by 4th Generation Ambassadors Sophia and Dhyme and 5th Generation Ambassadors Faye, Oliver and Aadya.
The evening concluded with reflections from Grace and Michelle, 6th Generation Media Literacy Ambassadors, who shared future plans to extend the programme’s reach into Derbyshire secondary schools.
Partnership and purpose
Debbie Painter, Curriculum Manager for GCSE Plus at Derby College Group and member of the Media Literacy Ambassador Programme Advisory Panel, who led on the event said:
“This programme continues to be transformational for our students. We are seeing young people grow in confidence, question what they read and hear and lead important conversations within their communities.
“Reaching 196 ambassadors is a significant milestone and reflects the strength of this partnership.”
Professor Ruth Page said:
“It was inspiring to see students engaging critically with digital storytelling, influence and online culture. With the right tools, young people can interrogate digital narratives and contribute positively to the media environment.”
Clare Twelvetrees, Director of Programmes and Operations at The Guardian Foundation, spoke about the importance of media literacy in a climate of increasing social polarisation and fragmentation. She highlighted the Foundation’s commitment to social justice and holding power to account.
She said: “Media literacy is central to a healthy democracy. Our work is built around three pillars: news and media literacy, supporting young people to understand how journalism works; media viability, particularly in contexts where journalists have been forced to flee their countries; and voice and agency, ensuring young people have the confidence and opportunity to be heard.
“Our partnership with Derby College Group demonstrates what can be achieved when education and independent media organisations work together.”
Student voices
Third Generation Media Literacy Ambassador Jez delivered a passionate call for shared responsibility, saying:
“Time for change. We are children. It should not be on us alone to fix systems that allow misinformation and harm to spread. We are stepping up because we care, but platforms and policymakers must step up too.”
Asha, Third Generation Media Literacy Ambassador, who is progressing into a career in law, said:
“If you want to change it for the better, you have to do something about it. Media literacy has shown me that understanding the system is the first step. Now I want to be part of improving it.”
Tristan Purcell Jackson, Media Literacy Ambassador and A-level student studying Psychology, Criminology and Law, added:
“I want to be a pilot, but media literacy is important, whatever career you choose.
“It teaches you to think critically about what you see online. Those skills are essential in any profession.”
Looking ahead
Derby College Group was the first further education college to join The Guardian Foundation Media Literacy Ambassador programme and continues to lead nationally in embedding news literacy within post 16 education.
The symposium also highlighted plans, including a new pilot project embedding news literacy within Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 civic education, led by Dr Beth Wood at the University of Derby in collaboration with Derby College Group and The Guardian Foundation.
The event reinforced the power of collaboration in equipping young people with the knowledge, resilience and confidence to navigate today’s media landscape.
Find out more about The Guardian Foundation.
For further details about The Media Literacy Programme, please email: medialiteracy@derby-college.ac.uk
