CodeCivics developed a methodology for youth workers to use coding and computational thinking for active citizenship, civic engagement, youth initiatives and youth entrepreneurship. The project provided resources and training for youth workers to teach introductory coding in non-formal settings, and offer practical opportunities for young people to develop digital skills through hands-on experiences and engage in civic projects that address community challenges. The objectives closely aligned with the selected priorities for this cooperation partnership. The specific objectives of the CodeCivics cooperation partnership were: • To develop a methodology for youth workers to use coding, programming, and computational thinking for civic engagement and employability; • To empower youth workers with the resources and training they need to teach in non-formal settings; • To provide young people with practical and accessible opportunities to develop digital competences; • To engage young people in active citizenship and civic engagement projects that address community challenges; • To enhance the entrepreneurial skills and employability prospects of young people through the development of both technical and soft skills.
We applied for the cooperation partnership “CodeCivics - Coding Better Communities” in order to help bridge the digital divide and promote social inclusion by providing equal access to digital learning opportunities. Computational thinking and programming skills have become and are getting more and more essential for everybody, especially youth. These skills provide a better understanding and interaction with the increasingly digital and data-driven world. By empowering youth workers with the resources and training they need to teach basic coding and programming to young people, this project provided a practical and accessible way to develop their digital skills and kick-start their digital journey. As a result of young people’s participation in the project, they have started to become more digitally competent, with skills that can be used for both civic engagement and employability. Our project addressed several essential needs related to the digital divide, active citizenship, employability prospects and entrepreneurship, and innovation. Namely, they are: • Reduced digital divide; • Active citizenship and sense of initiative; • Employability prospects and entrepreneurship; • Innovation in youth work; • Cognitive development.