Internationale Jugendarbeit.digital

The international youth work field, too, is increasingly turning to digital formats in order to offer exchanges, training courses and events in the virtual space. But how can digital and hybrid formats be integrated into the range of methods used in international youth work in such a way that any insights gained can be scaled up? And what quality standards are required for this to happen?

To assist this transformation, the Internationale Jugendarbeit.digital project (IJA.digital) was launched. It serves to train experts in digital international youth work, imparts digital transformation knowledge and provides a space for innovation. It offers a space for experimentation, helps draw up an improved set of quality criteria for international youth work activities, and collates information, experiences and trends and makes them available to a wider audience.

The project comprises a number of components that are briefly described below. For more information, please click on the links to the project components at the bottom of the page.

• A research project

• Activities for practitioners (training, information, network-building)

• An international component in the form of regular exchanges of good practices and innovative ideas

In early 2021 IJAB teamed up with JFF – Institute for Media Research and Media Education (JFF – Institut für Medienpädagogik in Forschung und Praxis) and the specialist and funding agencies for international youth work to launch a research project for IJA.digital. The first phase of the project was dedicated to analysing project reports, the second to the participatory observation of digital youth exchanges and interviews and group discussions with experts and young people that were subsequently evaluated. Once the project has concluded, a set of quality criteria for digital youth work will be drawn up based on the research outcomes.

The project also offers a variety of activities for practitioners, notably a series of monthly participatory sessions known as DIY² Lab. Since March 2021, experts have been using DIY² Lab to experiment with digital tools and methods and discuss both fundamental and practical issues around digital international youth work. Publications, workshops and advisory services are also available.

The international dimension is mainstreamed throughout the project, e.g., in the shape of Digital Transformer Days, an international BarCamp, the international DIY² Lab series of events, and the Facebook group DIY² Net.

The IJA.digital team also incorporates a working group (AG Digitale Zusammenarbeit) that regularly liaises with the specialist and funding agencies for international youth work, participates in joint projects such as the DINA.international platform, and coordinates such as the International Digital Transformer Days BarCamp.

For a review of activities in the first year of the project, read our article on page 16 and 17 of IJAB journal 2/21 (in German). For more information on the project components, click on the respective categories below.