#AlwaysON For Youth

Background Digital youth work & digital inclusion were fast moving from emerging topic to something that is required more than ever in order to support young people at all times, even when physical contact is not possible. Young people are facing with unemployment, underemployment, mental health challenges, going through major crisis, with economic, social, political consequences in the years to come. As such, organizations need to increase its capacity and develop innovative strategies to reposition and respond to the emerging needs much faster than before. Key needs were: increased capacity of youth workers to reach out to youth with fewer opportunities through digital youth work, in conditions of quality, safety; increased understanding among partners + networks of the importance of remaining updated with the latest technology trends to support young people to be more aware of their digital safety, privacy, data; to provide quality & innovative solutions to NGOs and support development in terms of digital youth work with relevant tools, practices; to have quality standards, practices& recommendations, impact assessment tools on digital inclusion, digital youth work; to identify innovative ways of serving communities, online and offline. Objectives We aimed to increase the capacity of youth organizations from Romania, France, Bulgaria, Belgium and the federated networks of the partnership to serve young people (including vulnerable youth) extensively and intensively through digital youth work, digital inclusion, safety practices. Objectives 1. Develop a collaborative learning space focused on digital inclusion and digital youth work between 5 EU-based youth organizations through the sharing of best practices and national approaches in a 28-month timeframe. 2. Increase the capacity of at least 150 youth workers from minimum 4 EU countries to engage in digital inclusion, digital youth work activities in a 28-month timeframe. 3. Increase the capacity of at least 25 youth organizations from minimum 4 EU countries to improve or adopt digital inclusion practices for reaching out to young people with fewer opportunities from their communities in a 28-month timeframe. 4. Raise awareness among minimum 100 youth workers from 4 EU countries around the opportunities, challenges and solutions surrounding digital safety and privacy (including humane technologies and algorithms) in a 28-month timeframe. Target group: youth workers, organizations, teachers ; indirect - vulnerable youth Implementation Management: Partnership Agreements related main responsibilities, budget and funding rules, payment dates and installments , communication plan, evaluation, dissemination plan , 14 online meetings, reporting 5 Transnational Project Meetings Baia Mare, Ro- June 2021, Brussels, Belgium -November 2021, Bucharest, Ro- April 2022, Bansko, Bulgaria -September 2022, Paris, France-January 2023 Creating the Digital Youth Work Community of Learning (DYWCL) as a collaborative learning space focused on digital youth work, digital inclusion, wellbeing and safety – 3 events, engagements, sharing Creating, Launching and Disseminating IO1 - “Shaping digital inclusion and safety in a post pandemic world” research Creating, Testing, Piloting, Launching and Disseminating IO2- MOOC on Digital Inclusion and Safety Creating, Piloting, Launching and Disseminating IO 3 - Digital Youth Work Gamification Pack (5 online interactive tools based on gamification) Organizing the digital youth work training course in Bansko, Bulgaria -31.08.2022-08.09.2022 (with travel) Organizing and evaluating 4 Multiplier events (Brussels-April 2023, Baia Mare &Sofia - June 2023, Bucharest -July 2023) Disseminating the results to different target groups and stakeholders Achievements Digital Youth Work Community of Learning – 168 youth workers, teachers and youth practitioners from min 30 European countries “Shaping digital inclusion and safety in a post pandemic world” research, published on www.youthwork.digital Min 150 youth workers have a better understanding of digital youth work, digital inclusion, safety, being more capable of supporting young people with topics related to deepfakes, fake news, digital privacy, safety, inhumane algorithm MOOC course on digital inclusions and safety 5 gamification tools created for youth organizations to interactively engage and use to develop digital inclusion strategies/activities 30 youth workers benefited from comprehensive digital youth work training course in Bulgaria 4 multiplier events with 137 youth workers, policy makers, NGO representatives, teachers, actively engaged with IOs who have the opportunity to implement them in own context Min 26 youth organizations are better equipped to implement digital inclusion, digital youth work methodologies/strategies Min 50 teachers benefited from the project results and are able to adapt them in class Voted Amendments made to Romanian Youth Law-introducing the concepts of young people`s digital well being, safety.