All about it

The novel Coronavirus pandemic caused the spaces where young people could hang out, actively create, and engage socially, to shrink drastically. At the same time, it also revealed the unpreparedness of many sectors, especially those based on socializing, to operate in digital spaces.

The Creative Digital Spaces project aims to contribute to young people’s civic participation by developing creative digital spaces that will work on three levels: socializing, community, and initiative. In these spaces, young people will strengthen their digital competencies (defined in the “Digital Competence Framework”) and creativity through creating (artistic) social initiatives.

THE GOALS OF THE PROJECT are:

1. Young people socialize in digital spaces and use tools to develop creativity, art, and initiative.
2. Through the processes of youth work and creation, young people acquire digital competencies and competencies for innovation.
3. Through strengthening (digital) cooperation among young people at the international level, European awareness and active European citizenship are enhanced.
4. Young people with weak access to digital technologies and those with weak social capital improve their social inclusion.
5. Youth workers and other “companions of young people” acquire competencies in creating spaces for young people (through facilitation, tools, methods, and attitude).
6. The quality of youth work increases through the intersectoral integration of stakeholders.
7. The sectors of culture and youth work, which have been severely affected by the Covid crisis, will be strengthened by using digital technologies and increasing the employability of young people in both areas.

As part of the project, four INTELLECTUAL RESULTS will be developed:

1. A toolbox with useful digital tools and tips for young initiators and creators.
2. Online training and a manual on establishing creative digital spaces – for youth and cultural workers.
3. Online training and a manual on creating a high-quality digital coaching or mentoring experience for young social initiators (mostly 1 on 1).
4. A handbook for local communities, which connects diverse stakeholders in the local environment, in order to help them support youth initiatives.

Two MOBILITIES will be carried out to test the results:

1. A training for young initiators, where we will answer the question of how to lead a group of young people remotely.
2. A training for youth workers, trainers, and coaches, where we will answer the question of how to support groups and individuals in digital environments and offer them an inspiring user experience.

In addition, the following activities will take place in the project, which will lead to the following RESULTS:

• Events during Presidencies of the Council of the EU,
• Research of needs and opportunities in participating countries,
• Policy recommendations on supporting initiatives,
• Two international and three local conferences at the end of the project,
• A website and project campaigning.