DevelopINg Scientific and digiTAl citizenship skiLLs for disadvantaged YOUTH

<< Background >>ReasonsThe European Commission's emphasis on science education and digital transformation aligns with the main goal of the Install Youth project, as it was designed to foster responsible digital citizenship and increase scientific education competencies among the target groups.The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the urgency for youth to critically analyze information, learn the dangers of online platforms such as misinformation or cyberbullying, as well as to gain crucial skills for the 21st century to be active citizens in the digital world.The needs addressed by the project:- To provide equal opportunities for personal development and civic empowerment to disadvantaged youth by offering them modern, non-formal learning opportunities designed to effectively cultivate skills that are fundamental in the 21st century.- To bridge the knowledge and skills gap between what educators are trained for and what they are called to teach, created by the rapid technological and digital transformation.- To enrich the capacities of participating organizations to better cater to the needs of their local community in terms of the sphere of educational activities organized and the impact organizations create.<< Objectives >>The concrete objectives of the project were to:1.Establish a partnership to research&exchange experiences & good practices on digital citizenship & science educationfor disadvantaged youth2. Contribute to the improvement of digital citizenship & science literacy education by developing a set of non-formal education tools & methods that will complement formal curricula & that are tailored to the needs of the target group (both disadvantaged youth & educators/youth workers), through integrating end user’s feedback in their creation process.3.Provide a group of disadvantaged young people with learning opportunities that will equip them with a set of skills that are necessary in the 21st century for their uncompromised participation in professional & social life, & for their empowerment as critically thinking & active citizens4. Strengthen youth educators’ competencies in working with disadvantaged youth & increase their pool of empowerment approaches & education methods, aimed at enhancing core competencies & life skills for the 21st century.5.Enhance cooperation among organizations & stakeholders active in the field of youth empowerment, digital citizenship & science education<< Implementation >>During the project, the following activities were implemented:1. Research on non-formal Digital & Scientific Literacy Best Teaching Practices2. Development of the non-formal education handbook for science literacy and digital citizenship education3. Blended Mobility for educators and youth4. Local Challenges for youth in partner countries5. Online Youth Competition6. Dissemination activities<< Results >>By implementing the project activities, the following results were achieved:Tangible:1.Joint report of 45 good practices for digital citizenship and science literacy education (Annex 1)2.A virtual map of 45 non-formal education teaching programs and good practices3.Install Youth Handbook for Digital Citizenship and Science Literacy Education (Annex 2)4.A quiz questionnaire of a set of 150 questions to foster digital citizenship and science literacy5.Promotional video of Install Youth project and its resultsIntangible:-Increased capacity of youth educators in the context of youth education for science and digital literacy through non-formal education-Enhanced digital citizenship and science literacy knowledge and skills, as well as a set of other important transferable skills, such as teamwork and cooperation, critical thinking, communication, and presentation skills, among young people who were involved in the various project activities-Enhanced confidence, sense of belonging, and commitment to active participation among youngsters who face situations of exclusion-The enriched pool of education methodologies for the youth educators involved-Increased international cooperation capacities among the involved organizations