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Digital Citizenship through 'Are you connected?' challenges
Digital Citizenship through 'Are you connected?' challenges
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This example of a good practice invites youth workers to explore how interactive challenges, inspired by digital child rights, can empower young people to become active and responsible digital citizens.
Through engaging, participatory activities, participants will learn how to facilitate discussions around digital well-being, online safety, and community connection, fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills in response to real-world digital challenges.
By completing this activity, you will:
- Understand how digital rights frameworks can empower youth in digital spaces.
- Learn how to design and facilitate "Are You Connected?" connection challenges.
- Identify how youth work can address digital well-being and citizenship through youth-led initiatives.
Get Inspired
The "Are You Connected?" initiative, developed by the Digital Child Rights Foundation, focuses on connecting young people with themselves, others, and their environment in the digital age. This approach uses interactive challenges and "connection desks" to promote digital well-being and active participation, recognizing that young people's lives are seamlessly integrated with digital environments.
Explore this example
In Rotterdam, the Digital Child Rights Foundation, led by Peter Joziasse, is implementing "connection desks" and "connection challenges" in youth hubs and libraries.
This initiative is designed to address the gap between young people's digital experiences and the support they receive from adults and institutions. The project emerged from the recognition that young people often feel unheard and unsupported in their digital lives, despite facing significant challenges like cyberbullying, misinformation, and mental health issues.
The core idea is to create a safe and inspiring space where young people can explore their digital identities and develop skills to navigate the online world responsibly. Participants, aged 15-29, engage in challenges based on 10 themes derived from the UN's General Comment 25, focusing on fairness, freedom, privacy, and inclusion. They use "change cards" and interactive games to stimulate discussions and actions that benefit themselves, their peers, and their communities. This youth-led approach empowers young people to become "connection coaches," providing peer-to-peer support and coordinating activities within their neighborhoods.
How can you use "Are You Connected?" Challenges in Youth Work?
- Use the 10 themes from General Comment 25 as a framework for discussing digital rights and responsibilities.
- Implement "connection challenges" to encourage young people to reflect on their digital lives and take positive actions.
- Establish "connection desks" in your youth center or library as safe spaces for digital well-being support.
- Train young people to become "connection coaches" to provide peer-to-peer mentoring and guidance.
- Facilitate discussions about online safety, mental health, and digital citizenship using interactive activities and games.
- Encourage young people to create digital projects that address community needs and promote positive online interactions.
- Collaborate with local organizations and municipalities to build a supportive digital ecosystem for young people.
- Recognize participation with Open Badges or community events to celebrate their contributions.
With "Are You Connected?" challenges, you can help young people develop essential digital citizenship skills and build stronger connections within their communities.
Claim Open Badge for Recognition
Upon successful completion of the activity, you can claim the digital badge recognizing your increased knowledge on how to:
- Use digital rights frameworks to empower young people.
- Facilitate discussions on digital well-being and online safety.
- Implement youth-led initiatives to promote digital citizenship.
Who created this resource?
This youth-led approach to digital citizenship was developed by the Digital Child Rights Foundation in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
The activity and badge were adapted by the Cities of Learning Network to inspire wider use in digital youth work.
Who is behind this activity and badge?
Cities of Learning Network members developed this activity and badge to support digital youth work and youth empowerment:
Next steps
Try this approach in your own youth work setting. Start by facilitating discussions on digital rights and well-being. Use the "connection challenges" and "connection desk" concepts to create engaging activities. Then, explore more resources on digital youth work and youth empowerment at https://www.digitalyouthwork.net/.
Get activity badge
Are You Connected? Planning Badge Get this badge
This badge recognizes youth workers and educators who explore and reflect on the use of 'Are You Connected?' challenges as a tool for fostering digital citizenship and well-being in youth work settings. The badge demonstrates your understanding of how youth-led initiatives and digital rights frameworks can support young people's active participation and community connection in the digital age.
By earning this badge, you show that you are committed to empowering young people to navigate their digital lives responsibly and to creating safe, inclusive online spaces for meaningful dialogue and skill development.
Cities of Learning Network partners value badge earners’ efforts and contributions and issue this badge after reviewing the provided evidence.
Ülesanded
Task no.1
Evidence verified by: one activity organiser
Reflect on your current or future youth work practices and share a short text (or audio) addressing this question:
- Where and how could you implement 'Are You Connected?' challenges to engage young people in exploring digital citizenship and well-being?
Think about the specific themes (e.g., online safety, digital rights, community connection), the format (e.g., group discussions, peer-to-peer mentoring, digital storytelling), and the role you would take as a facilitator in creating a safe and empowering space.
Organiseerijad
Digital Youth Work Resource Hub
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