Online 21st century skills education

Background We applied to address the challenges during the COVID-19 crisis, physical contact and restricted access to traditional youth services have hindered support for young people. To tackle this, we proposed digitising youth work to provide necessary support in a digital format. Youth workers and young people emphasised the lack of programs targeting essential skills for today's and future generations. Recognizing the pandemic's impact and the growing role of technology in young people's lives, we believed digitization could effectively engage and support them. We aimed to explore digital youth work's potential and meet the changing needs of young people to bridge the gap between traditional and digital approaches, ensuring youth access the skills and support they need to thrive in the digital age. The project aligned with EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027, empowering young people with life skills and resilience. We engaged various youth groups in designing residential and digital activities showcased on the Cities of Learning platform. A mobile app now offers learning pathways for young people. The project successfully adapted to the digital era, providing valuable youth work services and fostering independence and resilience among youth. Objectives The primary objectives of implementing the project were as follows: 1. To create city-specific strategies aimed at promoting opportunities for young people to develop 21st-century skills. 2. To enhance the capacity of partner organisations in utilising the Cities of Learning framework to create innovative digital learning opportunities and effectively recognize the 21st-century skills of young people. 3. To improve access to 21st-century learning opportunities by developing a Mobile App for the Cities of Learning platform. 4. To actively promote new avenues for acquiring 21st-century skills within participating countries and at the European level, fostering awareness and engagement with these opportunities. Implementation During the project, we implemented several activities to achieve our objectives. These included: 1. Transnational Project Meetings: We organised five transnational partner meetings, bringing together representatives from all partner organisations. These meetings served as a platform for collaboration, decision-making, and exchanging ideas and experiences. 2. Intellectual Outputs: We developed three intellectual outputs as part of the project. These outputs included strategies for Cities of Learning, learning pathways for 21st-century skills, and a mobile app for Cities of Learning. These outputs were designed to enhance non-formal learning opportunities and recognition of skills. 3. Multiplying Events: We conducted six multiplying events to disseminate the project's results and intellectual outputs. These events aimed to reach a wider audience, including youth work, stakeholders, educators, and organisations interested in non-formal learning and 21st-century skills development. 4. Study Visit: We organised a study visit, allowing representatives from partner organisations to visit a specific location and learn from their experiences. This visit provided valuable insights and inspiration for the implementation of the project. Achievements Outputs and results: 1. City-specific strategies: The project developed comprehensive strategies tailored to each participating city, outlining specific actions and initiatives to promote opportunities for young people to develop 21st-century skills. 2. Capacity-building: Partners were equipped with skills and knowledge to use the Cities of Learning framework. They gained the capacity to create and implement innovative digital learning opportunities to recognize and validate skills acquired by young people. 3. Mobile App: A dedicated mobile App was developed, providing a user-friendly platform for young people to access and engage with learning opportunities. 4. Enhanced access to learning opportunities: Through the project's efforts, young people gained access to diverse and engaging 21st-century learning opportunities. The App and the the platform served as centralised hubs for discovering and participating in various digital learning activities. 5. Promotion of opportunities: The project actively promoted learning opportunities. Through targeted campaigns, the project created visibility and encouraged participation, ensuring that young people were informed and motivated to engage with these opportunities.