ON|OFF LINE: Youth Engagement Using Digital Tools Erasmus Project

Project Title

ON|OFF LINE: Youth Engagement Using Digital Tools

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Capacity Building for youth in ACP countries, Latin America and Asia

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics:

Project Summary

Living in the “digital era” offers a wider range of opportunities for youth activism and engagement but does not always gives the desired impact and the change we want to see. Starting from this assumption, the project ON|OFF LINE: Youth Engagement Using Digital Tools strives to detect which tools of active youth engagement are better to be used, whether using online or offline tools, or maybe a combination of both, eventually results in achieving the desired effect, the goals that are placed and thus changes occur. The project also transfers the capacities of all three partners’ organizations around this common idea to detect the potential of using digital tools for youth activism and engagement. The project addresses the development of innovative methods for enhancing digital skills of young people and promotes their active citizenship at the same time. Digital skills are developed in parallel with skills for civic engagement in dealing with current social issues. Youth engagement recognizes young people’s right to participate in decisions that impact them and acknowledges the great skills and strengths they can bring to the table. It injects young people as valued stakeholders into creating effective and inclusive policies, programs and environments. Youth engagement can and does change lives. However, effective youth engagement leads to positive outcomes for young people at several levels: (1) Individual level-increased personal skills, healthy choices, and sense of identity, (2) social level-stronger positive connections with friends and adults, and a larger support network, (3) system level-greater civic engagement, policies and programs responsive to the needs of young people, and new creative ways to govern. When young people are engaged in decision-making, they feel connected to their environment and community; they build relationships with their peers and adults and learn new skills. They are more likely to make the right decisions, have socially adequate behaviour and make fewer wrong risks. Engaged youth are also more likely to do well in education and continue learning throughout their lifetime. But what makes youth engagement effective and how it can be achieved? The issue of finding the right approaches and methods to engage youth effectively, continuously troubles youth CSOs as they struggle in channeling their efforts to convert youth participation into youth engagement, achieve impact and improve the situation of youth through the world. Participation is the simple act of showing up, but engagement occurs when head, heart, feet and spirit are involved. Engagement is a process that is dynamic, reciprocal and interactive.The project aims to discover which methods provide biggest impact on youth and what kind of tools prove to be most efficient in order to inspire young people on action. This enables support to overcome the abovementioned challenges and further supports youth organizations and youth workers.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 67906 Eur

Project Coordinator

VEREIN FUR BILDUNG POPEDU & Country: AT

Project Partners

• CENTER FOR INTERCULTURAL DIALOGUE ASSOCIATION
• ASSOCIACAO DE JOVENS ENGAJAMUNDO