Tools for social visibility

Aims & objectives

The Training Course (TC) "Tools for social visibility" aimed to enhance youth workers' ability to effectively promote diversity, intercultural/interreligious dialogue, media knowledge, critical thinking, and youth initiatives using digital tools suitable for reaching young people ("millennials"). It sought to strengthen youth workers' expertise, provide methods for professional development (including digital youth work), and increase the visibility and impact of NGOs' work. The project also aimed to promote Erasmus+ as a platform for impactful initiatives and motivate participants to implement productive ideas in their communities.

Specific objectives included:
- Discovering the Erasmus+ programme, its objectives, and priorities to motivate future collaborations.
- Creating a platform for youth workers to share and discuss promotional tools (social media, photo, video, exhibitions, street actions).
- Raising awareness about social issues relevant to Erasmus+ priorities.
- Stimulating participants' sense of responsibility through new methods for activating youth.
- Highlighting the role of digital skills in tackling youth unemployment.
- Developing basic digital skills creatively through workshops and practical work on social media, photo, and video.

The project addressed the need for youth workers to improve their digital competence and utilize modern tools (social media, video, photo) to effectively reach young people and promote EU values. It recognized the inefficiency of traditional outreach methods for millennials and the need to enhance the visibility of NGO activities and social campaigns. The project responded to the digital skills gap and the importance of these skills for youth employability in the current job market. The need was identified through research (e.g., on video traffic dominance) and discussions among partner organizations facing similar challenges.

The project fit the partner organizations' goals by providing their youth workers with crucial digital skills and promotional tools needed for effective youth work in the modern era. It supported organizations working on diverse social issues with marginalized youth by equipping their staff to better disseminate results, promote activities, engage young people, and increase their overall impact. The collaboration also fostered international partnerships and aligned with organizational interests in areas like digital literacy, youth participation, employability, and non-formal education.

Target group & international/intercultural composition of the group & team

The target group consisted of 27 participants in total (including project coordinators, mentors, marketing/promotion staff). Participants were youth workers actively engaged in their organizations. The profile included a mix of those experienced and those newer to using digital tools in youth work. Key selection criteria included being socially active, interested in digital tools and social issues, having a basic knowledge of English, and readiness to participate fully and share learning. No specific age range was mentioned for participants in this application. Gender balance (50/50) was a criterion.

The training course involved participants and organizations from 6 countries: Belgium (Applicant), Latvia (Host Country for the activity), Poland, Spain, Lithuania, and Bulgaria (Partners).

Training methods used & main activities

The training course employed a participative and learner-centered approach based on non-formal and informal education methods. Activities were designed to be diverse and stimulating. Specific methods included:
- Workshops (e.g., on social media, photo, video, social campaigns).
- Practical work in interest groups (Social Media, Photography, Social Video, Street actions, Fairs, Exhibitions).
- Learning games.
- Open space dynamics.
- Peer-to-peer learning and sharing experiences.
- Team building activities and icebreakers.
- Discussions and debates.
- Project/Problem-based learning.
- Collaborative learning.
- Demonstrations / Good practice examples.
- Simulations / Role-play.
- Creation of promotional products (videos, photos, handbook).
- Public exhibition and potential street actions.
- Daily reflection sessions.

The project emphasized "learning by doing," active participation, creativity, and initiative. Participants worked on practical tasks like creating social campaigns and promotional materials throughout the course. Youthpass was used for competence recognition.

Outcomes of the activity

The TC aimed for participants (youth workers) to acquire:
- Knowledge: Understanding of Erasmus+; awareness of digital transformation and its impact on jobs; knowledge of digital tools/platforms for youth work and promotion (social media, video, photo); methods for social campaigns; non-formal education principles.
- Skills: Digital communication and collaboration; digital content creation (photo, video, social media posts); planning social campaigns; using ICT tools effectively; teamwork; intercultural communication (English); critical thinking; learning-to-learn; networking; project development; flexibility.
- Attitudes: Increased self-awareness and self-confidence regarding digital tools; motivation to use new methods; sense of responsibility; critical perspective on digital content; openness to collaboration and intercultural exchange. Tangible results included the creation of pilot social campaigns, promotional videos/photos, and a handbook. The project aimed to enhance the quality and visibility of youth work in partner organizations and build a sustainable network.

Project success was measured through:
- Daily reflection and evaluation sessions involving participants and the project team.
- A final evaluation session to assess overall satisfaction and achievement of learning objectives.
- Observation by the trainer team during the course.
- Development of follow-up project ideas and partnerships.
- Creation of a check-list for social advertising projects (mentioned in evaluation criteria).
- Use of the official Erasmus+ feedback tool (Mobility Tool+) for participant reports.
- A 1-month follow-up contact to check on the realization of follow-up projects.
- Defined success indicators (e.g., % of participants indicating learning, number of new partnerships, number of follow-up projects, average satisfaction score).
- Use of Youthpass for documenting learning outcomes.

Your tasks and responsibilities within the team

- Designing and delivering training sessions and workshops focused on digital tools for social visibility (social media, photo, video, campaigns).
- Guiding participants through practical exercises and the creation of promotional materials/campaigns.
- Facilitating group work, discussions, team building, and reflection sessions using NFE methods.
- Sharing expertise in digital marketing, social media strategy, content creation, or relevant NFE methodologies.
- Supporting participants in understanding and documenting their learning via Youthpass.
- Contributing to the daily evaluation and adaptation of the program.
- Fostering a collaborative and intercultural learning environment.

I worked on this training for 8 days as a full time trainer.