In a world increasingly reliant on technology, youth need to be given an opportunity to learn ICT skills in interesting, innovative and relevant way. In Europe non-formal education initiatives are needed not only to cultivate basic ICT skills at an early age, but also to raise interest in continuing with computing-related studies after school. The Competitive European Youth project aims at enhancing youth (14-18 years old) ICT and project management skills critical for their professional development through applying innovative approaches of non-formal education. The specific objectives are:1. Through exchanging the practices among partner organizations to develop blended non-formal education programme (methodology and online training course) to promote greater inclusion of ICT and project management in youth non-formal education;2. To empower 16 youth leaders as ambassadors to pursue ICT-related career paths;3. To enhance 80 youth (14-18 years old) ICT and project management skills through applying innovative practices of non-formal education and thus improve their competitiveness on the job market;4. Through application of innovative methods to keep the youth workers up to date to the rising challenges of the digital age. Expected results:1. Developed blended non-formal education programme (methodology and online training course) which promotes inclusion of ICT and project management in innovative way in non-formal education.2. Empowered youth leaders as ambassadors of IT career promoters.3. Improved competitiveness of at least 80 youths’ competitiveness through enhancing their skills in ICT and project management. 4. Strengthened and improved digital skills of 4 youth workers in new educational approaches and methods through synthesis of ICT and project management education.5. Created 16 IT projects by the youth.Special added value lies in the composition of the partners involved in this project. The project covers four organizations that represent different countries and regions across Europe (Lithuania, Hungary, Cyprus and Spain). Each partner is a provider of youth non-formal education in its country and has a wealth of experience in lifelong learning. We hope that through this project we will boost the potential of ICT in youth non-formal education. Within the project we aim to introduce flexible, innovative non-formal learning methods. We strongly believe that these alternative to formal education learning methods would contribute a youth to find a pathway to the marketplace. Also, through this project we will put strong emphasis on youth leaders and workers and their capacity to use ICT and to gain the competences necessary for empowering young people in their countries.
In a world increasingly reliant on technology, youth need to be given an opportunity to learn ICT skills in interesting, innovative and relevant way. In Europe non-formal education initiatives are needed not only to cultivate basic ICT skills at an early age, but also to raise interest in continuing with computing-related studies after school. The Competitive European Youth project aimed at enhancing youth (14-18 years old) ICT and project management skills critical for their professional development through applying innovative approaches of non-formal education. The specific objectives were: 1. Through exchanging the practices among partner organizations to develop blended non-formal education programme (methodology and online training course) to promote greater inclusion of ICT and project management in youth non-formal education; 2. To empower 16 youth leaders as ambassadors to pursue ICT-related career paths; 3. To enhance 80 youth (14-18 years old) ICT and project management skills through applying innovative practices of non-formal education and thus improve their competitiveness on the job market; 4. Through application of innovative methods to keep the youth workers up to date to the rising challenges of the digital age. Results reached: 1. The blended non-formal education program YOUth Cre@te IT Project (methodology and online training course) was developed. .2. 16 Youth ambassadors of IT career promoters were empowered .3. Competitiveness of 200 youths’ through enhancing their skills in ICT and project management was improved. 4. Digital skills of 16 youth workers in new educational approaches and methods through synthesis of ICT and project management education were improved.5. 19 IT project – web-sites were created. Apie projektą “Konkurencingas jaunimas – Europos ateitis” Nors šiandien neformalaus jaunimo ugdymo veiklų įvairovė gana plati, tačiau informacinių technologijų krypties užsiėmimų trūksta ne tik Lietuvoje, bet ir kitose Europos šalyse. Švietimo dalyviai, tyrėjai kaip pagrindines problemas įvardija ne tik pasiūlos trūkumą, tačiau ir formalaus bei neformalaus švietimo vykdančių institucijų žmogiškųjų bei finansinių išteklių stoką parengti ugdymo veiklas orientuotas į kūrybišką informacinių technologijų taikymą bei suteikti jaunimui pagrindą ateities profesijai bei karjerai. Todėl siekiant prisidėti prie problemos sprendimo šiuo tarptautiniu projektu buvo siekiama diegti inovacijas neformalaus jaunimo švietimo srityje Lietuvoje, Ispanijoje, Vengrijoje bei Kipre sudarant 14 – 18 metų jaunuoliams sąlygas ugdyti ateities karjeros įgūdžius ypač technologijų srityje išnaudojant IRT siūlomas galimybes bei šiuolaikinių mokymo metodų bei priemonių potencialą. Projekto metu sukurta mišri ugdymo programa “YOUth Create IT Project”, kuri apima metodinę medžiagą, mokymo(si) turinį ir nuotolinio mokymo kursą orientuotą į jaunuolių ateities karjerai reikalingų IRT bei projekto valdymo kompetencijų stiprinimą. Mokymo programa skirta neformaliajam ugdymui. Ji yra parengta penkiomis kalbomis: anglų, lietuvių, graikų, ispanų ir vengrų. Jos įgyvendinimas trunka 40 akademines valandas. Rekomenduojama 14 – 18 metų jaunuoliams. Mokymo programoje daugiausiai dėmesio skiriama besimokančiųjų asmeninėms (socialiniams ir komandiniams), praktinėms (projektų planavimo technikoms bei IT) kompetencijoms tobulinti. Programą sudaro trys esminės veiklos sritys, kurios visos programos metu persipina ir dengia viena kitą: komandinis darbas, projektų vadyba ir praktinis IT projekto įgyvendinimas. Lietuvoje projektą įgyvendino Asociacija Viešieji interneto prieigos taškai kartu su Anykščių Jono Biliūno, Šalčininkų Tūkstantmečio Lietuvos, Kaišiadorių Algirdo Brazausko bei Vilniaus Antano Vienuolio gimnazijomis.