ICT and SM in the Context of Youth Work

Insights from a European project

Digital innovation
in youth work

At Moufflons, we are proud to share our involvement in the “ICT and SM in the Context of Youth Work” project, a forward-thinking initiative funded by the Erasmus+ Program. The project aimed to enhance the competencies of youth workers across Europe by effectively integrating Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and Social Media (SM) into youth work practices.

From the 2nd to the 10th of February 2024, we had the pleasure of participating in a transformative training course held on an organic farm in Hemmersheim, Germany

Brezn and partners

This project, organized by Brezn E.V. from Munich, Germany, brought together a diverse group of organizations, including our own, Moufflons from Cyprus, along with the Regional Volunteer Center from Poland, Zavod Metlika from Slovenia and Trieskec from Serbia among others. The event saw the participation of 32 individuals, including youth workers, students, teachers, IT specialists, and volunteers, aged 17 to 32 years, with a balanced gender distribution of 17 females and 15 males.

The primary goal during this project was to share the outcomes and insights gained with a broader audience, including youth organizations, partner organizations, youth workers, and students. By highlighting the significant role of Erasmus+ Program resources, the host organization aimed to showcase how such funding supports and enhances youth work. Additionally, they focused on providing access to valuable project resources, including guidelines, templates, and digital content, to empower other youth organizations across Europe and beyond.

Going down on memory lane with Google Drive

The host organization, Brezn E.V., actively engaged in various dissemination activities to ensure the project’s insights and resources reached a wide audience. They created a detailed dissemination report shared with all partner organizations, outlining the project’s objectives, activities, outcomes, and key learnings. Brezn E.V. also contributed to establishing a comprehensive Google Drive repository containing all project presentations, photos, videos, and other materials, making it easily accessible for stakeholders. They conducted workshops and presentations at various conferences and meetings within their networks to share the project’s successes and lessons learned. Through targeted social media campaigns on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, they continuously highlighted the project’s activities and outcomes. Additionally, they shared updates and insights through articles in partner organizations’ newsletters, reaching an extended network of professionals and stakeholders in youth work.

Looking ahead

Feedback from participants and stakeholders has been overwhelmingly positive. Many participants reported significant improvements in their ability to integrate ICT and SM into their youth work practices. Partner organizations have also noted an enhanced capacity for digital engagement and expressed a strong interest in continuing collaboration for future projects.

Looking ahead, we are excited about the future possibilities this project has opened up. All partner organizations, including Moufflons, have committed to continuing our cooperation, with plans already underway to explore additional funding opportunities under Erasmus+ to address new challenges and expand the project’s reach.

project wrap up

In conclusion, the “ICT and SM in the Context of Youth Work” project has significantly strengthened the digital competencies of youth workers while creating a sustainable network of organizations dedicated to advancing youth engagement across Europe. The dissemination activities have ensured that the project’s valuable insights and resources are widely shared, contributing to the ongoing development of innovative and effective youth work practices.

This project would not have been possible without the generous funding from the Erasmus+ Program and the German national Erasmus+ agency, Jugend für Europa. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our project partners, coaches, facilitators, and participants for their invaluable contributions.