This project is a collaborative study on the use of Information and Communication technologies (ICT), digital and social media in youth work. This project would complement work that the partners have been doing at a national and international level on the issue of ICT use in youth work. In 2014 the partners were involved in organising Screenagers international seminar. The seminar highlighted the innovative practices in ICT use in youth work and the learning outcomes for young people. However, the seminar also highlighted the challenges and identified needs for the youth sector. There is a resistance to ICT use in youth work due to fear around child protection issues, lack of competency by youth workers and lack of common policy on the issue of ICT use in youth work. Gaps in regional and national policy for the youth sector and gaps in implementation of European policy were also identified as an overarching challenge. The project rational is in line with the objective of the Erasmus+ programme: “an increased level of digital competence [and] more strategic and integrated use of ICTs…by education, training and youth systems.” (pg 93-94, Erasmus+ Programme Guide, 2014). The objectives of this project are directly linked to the objectives of the Europe 2020 strategy. One of the main aims of DAE is enhancing digital literacy, skills and inclusion and the need to equip young people with the right skills to enable them to succeed in the labour market. In Ireland, it is highlighted as an aim in national policy in the Better Outcomes Brighter Futures publication. “ [To] support initiatives in out-of school settings, to teach children knowledge and skills relating to information management, new technologies, coding and digital literacy” (Better Outcomes, Brighter Future, pg 69) The government commits to enhancing digital literacy of young people to build their skills and increase their employability and safety online. However in the national policies of some partner countries there is a focus on formal education in relation to ICT use and young people. This project aims to focus on strategic partnership development and research. The project involves five partners The National Youth Council of Ireland, The Youth Council for Northern Ireland, Verke, National Development Centre for Online Youth Work in Finland, wienXtra from Austria and the Center for Digital Youth Care in Denmark. In order to achieve the objective this project aims to produce an international research report, a synthesis of the five national reports. The partners will agree on the research questions and develop a standardised research design and carry out research at a national level with youth organisations, youth worker and young people. We plan to use a variety of methodologies such as focus groups and an online survey to ensure the inclusion of diversity of organisations, youth workers and young people in the research and a wide scope. This research report aims to address the lack of information on use of ICT Map the use of ICT, digital and social media in youth work show best innovative practice the outcomes of the use of ICT, digital and social media in youth work the challenges and barriers to use of ICT, digitial and social media in youth work identity examples of how these challenges have been overcome identify training available for the youth sector identify recommendations for training needs Such information will help to highlight gaps in practice and will also inform policy in the area. It will also benefit the wider sector and a broad range of stakeholders in the public and private sector. The expected impact of this project is on the partners involved, youth workers and youth work organisations involved, young people and policy Raise awareness of the potential of ICT use in youth work. Increased awareness among policy makers of the value of ICT use in youth work. Evidence on which to base policy systems Inspire youth workers to engage in ICT in youth work with the aim of increasing young people’s engagement in youth work and their digital literacy. This increase in digital literacy will in turn increase the skill set of young people and their employability. The project outcomes will be disseminated widely nationally and at a European level. There will be a dedicated website. The partners hope to use the research outcomes to inform future projects. Research shows young people are using ICT, digital and social media. This cannot be ignored by youth work due to lack of knowledge, investment or fear. There is a difference between a young person using ICT and being digitally literate. Youth work can assist young people in becoming digitally literate and to use ICT to its potential, to their advantage and safely. However, in order to do this we need to know how youth work is successfully doing this and what the challenges are to the youth work sector in responding to this identified need.
This project is a collaborative study on the use of Information and Communication technologies (ICT), digital and social media in youth work. This project complemented work that the partners have been doing at a national and international level on the issue of ICT use in youth work. In 2014 the partners were involved in organising Screenagers international seminar. The seminar highlighted the innovative practices in ICT use in youth work and the learning outcomes for young people. However, the seminar also highlighted the challenges and identified needs for the youth sector. There is a resistance to ICT use in youth work due to fear around child protection issues, lack of competency by youth workers and lack of common policy on the issue of ICT use in youth work. Gaps in regional and national policy for the youth sector and gaps in implementation of European policy were also identified as an overarching challenge. The aim of the collaborative research was to explore the extent, value and development of the use of ICT, social and digital media as a tool in youth work, and to provide an evidence-base for recommendations to promote the development of ICT in youth work at organisational, national and European levels. The project involves five partners The National Youth Council of Ireland, The Youth Council for Northern Ireland, Verke, the National Development Centre for Online Youth Work in Finland, wienXtra from Austria and the Center for Digital Youth Care in Denmark. This project produced the Screenagers international research report,"Using ICT, digital and social media in youth work A review of research findings from Austria, Denmark, Finland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland", a synthesis of the five national reports and a summary infographic report. This report presents an overview of key findings from research conducted by the five partners, and more specifically it aims to identify and demonstrate: • the use of ICT, digital and social media in youth work; • best innovative practice; • outcomes of the use of ICT, digital and social media in youth work; • the challenges and barriers, and supports required; • training available for the youth sector and recommendations for training needs. Central Research Questions 1. What is the extent of the use of i) social media and ii) digital media in youth work? 2. What types of digital media are used in youth work, and for what purposes? 3. What is the value / contribution of the use of social and / or digital media in youth work for young people, and for youth work practice? 4. What are the challenges of the use of social and / or digital media in youth work and how can these challenges be overcome? 5. Is there training available to the youth work sector, and what supports are required to enable youth workers to apply social and digital media as a tool in their youth work? Methodology Variation in Methodological approach Given the different contexts in which the research was undertaken, it was agreed that a standardised research design with identical data collection tools was not feasible. At the research design stage, the research partners agreed that different methodological approaches to answer the 6 common research questions could be employed, but that fieldwork must include: • Desk research to provide an overview of the youth work and ICT context • A survey, to encompass the central research questions • 4 focus groups (2 with youth workers and 2 with young people) • 3 case studies Common findings/ recommendations • strategic financial investment - in infrastructure, hardware, professional development, and practice development • meeting the identified training needs of youth workers at all levels, from introductory basic skills training to professional development and bespoke courses, and with a focus on the practical application of skills • the need to challenge resistant mind-sets, and to support a fuller and more creative use of ICT in youth work • ensuring policy commitment within youth work sectors • written guidance for youth workers, laying out principles of best practice and demonstrating impact, which could be supported through national Centres of Excellence and/or through national champions for ICT in youth work