The project aims to strengthen the role of youth workers as key figures in guiding young people to navigate the digital world critically, responsibly, and constructively. in today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, youth workers need new competencies to support young people in developing critical thinking, media literacy, and digital resilience. through this project, we aim to equip youth workers with the tools, knowledge, and methods necessary to address the challenges posed by the online environment. 1. what we want to achieve -empower youth workers to become mentors and guides for young people in the digital era. -enhance the quality of youth work by integrating digital literacy and critical thinking into non-formal education practices. -foster international cooperation among youth workers and organizations to share best practices and innovative methods for supporting young people in navigating online spaces. -promote european values such as inclusion, active citizenship, and democratic participation, especially in digital contexts. 2. objectives of the project (from the perspective of youth work practice) a) develop digital literacy and critical thinking skills among youth workers to provide youth workers with the knowledge and skills to identify, analyze, and counteract disinformation, fake news, and online manipulation. to train youth workers in fact-checking techniques, media analysis, and evaluating the credibility of online sources. to strengthen their ability to support young people in developing a critical approach to digital content and online interactions. b) enhance youth workers’ competencies in supporting young people’s digital well-being to help youth workers understand the impact of social media, influencers, and online trends on young people’s identity, self-esteem, and mental health. to equip them with practical tools and methods to foster healthy digital habits, promote online safety, and address issues such as cyberbullying, digital addiction, and online hate speech. c) promote non-formal education methods tailored to digital challenges to introduce youth workers to innovative non-formal learning methods, such as newspaper theatre, story mapping, role-playing, and media campaigns, that can be effectively used to engage young people in discussions about digital realities. to create opportunities for youth workers to design and implement educational activities that address digital literacy in creative and participatory ways. d) strengthen the role of youth workers as mentors and role models in the digital era to build the capacity of youth workers to act as mentors and trusted guides for young people, providing them with the tools to critically evaluate online content, form independent opinions, and make informed decisions. to foster leadership skills among youth workers, enabling them to take active roles in promoting responsible digital citizenship within their communities. e) foster international cooperation and exchange of good practices to create a network of youth workers and organizations from different countries who share a common interest in digital literacy and critical thinking. to facilitate the exchange of experiences, strategies, and best practices in addressing the challenges of the digital world through youth work. f) contribute to the professional development of youth workers to support the continuous learning and professional growth of youth workers by providing them with new competences, methodologies, and tools relevant to the digital age. to increase their confidence and readiness to address emerging digital trends and challenges in their daily work with young people. 3. long-term goals to create a multiplier effect, where trained youth workers will continue to disseminate the knowledge and skills acquired through the project within their organizations and communities. to contribute to the development of youth work practices that are responsive to the needs of young people growing up in a digitalized society. to promote the integration of digital literacy and critical thinking as core components of youth work, ensuring that young people are better prepared to navigate the complexities of the online world. Through this project, we aim to create a lasting impact on youth work by empowering youth workers with essential digital competences, fostering international collaboration, and promoting innovative educational approaches. by strengthening the capacity of youth workers, we contribute to the development of resilient, critical, and informed young people who can actively participate in society both online and offline.