Procedure

This task consists of four parts.

In the first part, participants first think individually about how they would define digital youth work. To do this, they write definitions on cards in a Padlet. The cards are then clustered together and a generic term is sought for each cluster.

In the second part, the definition of the European expert group is briefly presented and compared with the terms/topics collected by the participants in a plenary session. Overlaps and differences are identified and discussed.

In the third part, the group is divided into three small groups of roughly equal size, with each group working on one of the three topics of digital youth work:

• Digital media and technology as a tool
• Digital media and technologies as an activity
• Digital media and technologies as content

The aim is to find as many concrete youth work offers as possible for each topic and to exchange experiences.

In the fourth part, the small groups then present their results to the whole group. Time should be set aside for questions and discussion.

Preparation

• It is useful to familiarize yourself with the definition of the European expert group and other possible definitions of digital youth work in preparation. You can find a brief overview and translation by us here: What is digital youth work?

Tips for moderation

• Depending on the group, it may be important to provide participants with current information and good sources from their relevant field for researching best practice examples.
• A good way to conclude the session could be the following exercise:
  • “I understand the definition of digital youth work” (ranking from 1 to 100)
  • “I feel most confident/proficient in this field of digital youth work” (assignment to the three areas of digital youth work)
  • “In this field, I would like to expand or further develop offers” (assignment to the three areas of digital youth work)
• The definition and recommendations of the European Expert Commission can be found here: Developing digital youth work