How to communicate digital related threats and provide tools to young people

While the benefits that new technologies have brought to the daily lives of each of us are obvious, in recent years, and especially since the pandemic, there have been increasing problems related to the use and misuse of digital tools and devices by (not only) young people. From cyberbullying to digital addiction and privacy violations and cyberviolence, daily news shows the increased number of potential risks connected to the digital world.

While they have the technical skills to use these tools (for example, all young people know how to make a video on a smartphone), many young people (and adults) do not have the basic skills to use these tools safely for themselves and others (for example, not everybody understand the privacy implications of sharing photos and videos online).

While the European Union has developed and is developing operational and regulatory tools to govern such an important sector, how can these issues be addressed with young people, how can youth workers and organisations be given tools to deliver engaging and not boring or too much theoretical digital safety and wellbeing activities?

Why not use the tools of gamification? Why not use games to engage and interest young people and make them more aware of their own wellbeing, rights and safety as digital users?

As a follow-up to the Erasmus+ project SADE – Safety awareness in the digital age, the Italian association InformaGiovani ETS is organising a training aimed at youth association operators, teachers, social workers and journalists, where the possibility of using gamification and escape games will be shown.

The training is based on the content of Dig.Comp. 2.2, the European Digital Competence Framework and will focus in particular on four aspects:

– protection of devices: smartphones, PCs and networks
– protecting personal data and privacy
– protection of users’ health and well-being
– protecting the environment in digital contexts.