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Broad-minded and transformational working culture
Broad-minded and transformational working culture
Content
This activity invites youth workers, youth work managers, and youth organisations to explore what it takes to create a broad-minded and transformational working culture.
The activity draws on insights from the Digital competences and digital capacities, European Report 2022 and the development of a framework dedicated to the digital transformation of youth work organisations: Digital capacities of youth work organisations. Broad-minded and transformational working culture is one of the 5 competences named in this framework.
By completing this activity, you will:
- Understand what a broad-minded and transformational working culture entails and its importance for effective youth work, especially in the digital realm.
- Reflect on your current practices and identify opportunities for fostering a more inclusive and belonging-oriented environment within your organisation.
Get inspired
Building a thriving culture: Where every young person, youth worker, and manager truly belongs – In every space, online and off!
Sometimes you just click with a group, right? You feel valued, understood, and like you're part of something bigger. That's the magic we're aiming for in our youth work organizations – a truly broad-minded and transformational working culture where everyone, from the young people we serve to every single youth worker and manager, feels like they absolutely belong. And in today's world, that belonging needs to extend seamlessly across all the spaces where young people live, learn, and connect – including the digital realm.
We've all heard stories, or maybe even experienced it ourselves, where people feel disconnected, undervalued, or just not quite in sync with their workplace. It's like that song Taylor Swift sings – you want to be with the one who truly appreciates you! And it's not just about good vibes (though those are super important!). When people feel a sense of belonging, purpose, and connectivity, our work thrives. Disengagement costs us so much – not just in numbers, but in lost opportunities to truly make a difference in young people's lives, both in person and in their ever-present digital worlds. An inclusive culture isn't a "nice-to-have" anymore; it's the engine that drives us forward, helps us solve complex problems, and keeps everyone passionate and engaged, whether we're in a youth center or on Discord.So, how do we make this happen, especially as youth work increasingly embraces its digital dimension? It’s not about doing things the same old way. It's a journey, a movement, and it needs all of us to be on board!
Gain practical insights and actionable steps tailored to your role (youth worker, youth work manager, or young person) to contribute to this cultural shift.
Take action: activities for different roles
Explore these role-specific entry points to build a thriving, digitally-inclusive culture in your youth work context:
- Youth workers can model desired digital behaviours, foster young people's ownership in digital activities, introduce new digital program designs, leverage digital networks for peer influence, and ensure their own digital well-being through supportive organisational cultures.
- Youth work managers can articulate a clear digital vision, invest in staff digital capability, empower digital adoption, embed new digital norms, identify and champion digitally adept staff, and prioritise staff digital well-being.
- Young people can show staff the way in online spaces, voluntarily enrol in digital engagement opportunities, shake things up with digital innovation, act as digital influencers, and advocate for their personal digital well-being.
Claim open badge recognition
Upon completing this activity, participants can earn badges that recognise:
- Their commitment to fostering broad-minded and transformational working cultures in youth work.
- Their understanding and application of concepts related to digital competences and capacities in youth work organisations.
- Their active participation and contribution to building inclusive and belonging-oriented environments for young people and youth workers.
Who created this resource?
This activity was developed by members of Digital Systemic partnership within the Cities of Learning Network, in response to the insights from the field of digital youth work policy and practice. It builds on the understanding that effective digital youth work depends on more than just tools — it requires infrastructure, skilled professionals, and strategic investment.
Contributors include:
- TiPovej! Institute – Slovenia
- Breakthrough Foundation – Netherlands
- Awero – Lithuania
- Curaçao Innovation & Technology Institute – Curaçao
Next steps: Use this activity to assess your organisation's readiness for a broad-minded and transformational working culture. Identify areas where you can invest in fostering a sense of belonging, promoting inclusivity, and empowering all staff and young people.
Start internal conversations around allocating resources for cultural development initiatives, providing staff training on inclusive practices, and establishing mechanisms for continuous feedback and adaptation. Look for ways to connect your efforts with broader national and EU-level strategies for youth empowerment and social inclusion. By doing so, you'll contribute to a more equitable, sustainable, and secure future where every young person truly belongs.
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Broad-minded and transformational working culture
Organisers
Digital Youth Work Resource Hub
Awero not-for-profit organisation manages this platform and develops it together with leading educational organisations. The European Union's programme Erasmus+ granted co-funding for building the first version of this platform. Contact support@awero.org.
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