The Covid pandemic we are dealing with brings out a lot of weaknesses both at an individual and collective level, but also offers some important opportunity, one of the most important being the development of new ICT tools and the increased diffusion and use of already existing ICT tools for supporting our daily life. Young people have a greater propensity to any ICT tool and this is both an opportunity – especially for education- and a threat as many youngsters fall in dangerous addictions to games, social media networks etc. with serious long-term effects. One of the most dangerous effect is youngsters’ isolation in front of a computer, that leads to an even higher disengagement in social and civic life, with negative impact both as individuals and community. The risk that young people will alien in front of the computer is greater in a period of pandemic, when we are forced to stay home. On the other side, Young Europeans do value democracy but the way young citizens get involved in the democratic life is changing and the challenge consists in helping the younger ones to find a proper way –closer to the millennials style– to be active in the civil life of communities. Fondazione Toscana Sostenibile (Italy), Asociatia Pro-Xpert (Romania), Mobilizing Expertise (Sweden), CEBS (Poland) and Real Time Video Ltd (UK) works to find out new strategies to inspire young people and involve them in the civil life and to find together with their young participants new ways to shape their role in the decision-making process. In this framework, the idea to use participatory videos and Virtul Reality arises with the objective to: 1.Foster youth participation in the civil life and in general promote citizenship competences for a democratic culture by offering innovative and interactive non-formal educational instruments 2.Develop skills related to communication and ITC since a group of 20 youth workers will learn to make videos using VR with the purpose to involve young citizens in active participation to the democratic life. Creativity and a reflection on democratic life issues to develop the contents of the messages. Technical competences to create the videos using VR. 3.Implement high quality learning opportunities tailored to the needs of individuals - especially from different marginalised groups (that are more difficult to reach and involve) 4.Promote the international dimension of non-formal education for a democratic culture The project addresses the following needs: A) of youth workers: -Improving qualification and expertise of youth workers dealing with youth -Develop high-tech and interactive training methodologies that should be tailored to the needs and background of young learners -Set up new inclusive pathways to bring young people closer to policy-makers and to the decision-process finding out new strategies and methodologies closer to the style of millennials B) of young people: -To have their needs considered and included in the decision-makers agenda -To be included in creative activities that give them the chance to express their emotions, potential and aspirations -To be active protagonists in the civil life of their communities Target group is composed by: - Youth workers looking for new and creative approaches to help younger ones to be key players in facing the challenges of pandemic; - Young people aged 18-26 in contact with each partner organization: they will be involved during the preparatory work in their communities and a group of 25 (5 per partner) will take part in the blended activity.
The idea to use participatory videos and Virtul Reality arised with the objective to: 1.Foster youth participation in civil life and in general promote citizenship competences for a democratic culture by offering innovative and interactive non-formal educational instruments 2. Develop skills related to communication and ITC since a group of 20 youth workers has learned how to make videos using VR with the purpose of involving young citizens in active participation to democratic life. Creativity and a reflection on democratic life issues to develop the contents of the messages. Technical competences to create the videos using VR. 3. Implement high quality learning opportunities tailored to the needs of individuals - especially from different marginalized groups (that are more difficult to reach and involve) 4. Promote the international dimension of non-formal education for a democratic culture
The Pandemic made us reflect on the opportunities offered by new ICT tools, which are now a part of our everyday life. Young people are "digital natives", and this is both an opportunity and a threat as many youngsters fall in dangerous addictions. One of the most dangerous effect is youngsters’ isolation, which leads to high disengagement in social and civic life. On the other side, Young Europeans do value democracy but the tools by which young citizens can be active in democratic life need to meet their needs as "millenials" and "gen z". As partners, we have worked towards new strategies to inspire and involve young people in civil life, and to find new ways to shape their role in the decision-making process. For youth workers, the project has adressed the need to: - Improve expertise of youth workers dealing with youth; - Develop high-tech and interactive training methodologies tailored to the needs of young learners - Set up new inclusive pathways to bring young people closer to the decision-making process, with new "millenial" strategies For young people, the project has adressed the need to: -Have their needs included in the decision-makers' agenda -Be included in creative activities -Be active protagonists in civil life