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About the Digital Competence Check
This playlist is directly linked to Competence Area 1 of the Digital Competence Check, which is based on the European DYW SNAC Model. The Check covers 5 areas, 14 specific competences, and 38 indicators, helping you to map your starting proficiency level. By following this playlist, you will specifically target and improve the skills identified as areas for development.
This playlist features activities from the platform, all directly connected to this competence area. It is up to you to decide which activities are the most interesting and relevant for your professional development.
Within each activity, you will find four different badges. One badge is specifically intended for the Youth Worker. There are also badges for the Youth Worker's Manager and for Young People, should you wish to involve them in your development. This joint growth path is essential and is rooted in the Digital Systemic Team approach. Evidence shows that digital youth work is best realised when these four roles (Youth Worker, Manager, Young Person) collaborate.
Theme: Competence Area 1: Supporting Creative Self-Expression
Welcome to the fundamentals of digital youth work! This playlist focuses on your ability to inspire young people to create. It is about deploying the right digital tools and methods to help young people produce their own digital content.
Whether it is video, music, gaming, or other digital forms, the goal is to create an environment where young people view technology as an accessible and fun means of expression. In this playlist, you will learn how to encourage this "Do It Yourself" (DiY) mentality and establish the necessary conditions for young creators.
Key Focus Areas in this Playlist:
- Effective use of devices and digital tools (C1.1).
- Stimulating and guiding the production of digital content (C1.2).
- Creating a digital 'playground' where creativity and fun converge (C1.3).
Actividades a realizar
Complete las siguientes actividades, gane insignias y verá el progreso de su lista de reproducción actualizada
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This activity highlights how digital tools and youth work practices can create safe spaces for open dialogue, reduce polarisation, and build stronger communities grounded in shared values.
By completing this activity, you will:
- Understand the importance of dialogue in overcoming polarisation among (young) people.
- Explore the Hard Topics App and other free tools for fostering conversations between individuals with differing views.
- Reflect on how you can integrate dialogue methods into your personal, professional, or organisational context.
Get Inspired
Why dialogue? In a world where social polarisation is increasing, creating spaces for young people to share perspectives respectfully has never been more important. Dialogue builds trust, reduces fear, and encourages curiosity instead of conflict.
The Hard Topics App connects people with opposing views, turning disagreement into a chance for learning and aims to empower young people and youth workers through dialogue, training, and innovative tools.
Take action: activities for different roles
Explore the role-specific badges below to access tasks that guide reflection and practice in dialogue work:
- Young people can use the Hard Topics App and dialogue tools to reflect on their own perspectives, learn how to listen respectfully to different opinions, and practice constructive conversations in safe settings. By engaging with the tools, they can discover new ways to connect with peers across differences and strengthen their confidence in addressing “hard topics” in everyday life, school, or online spaces.
- Youth workers can integrate the Hard Topics resources into workshops, mentoring sessions, and group activities. They can use the app to structure meaningful conversations, apply dialogue methods in their daily practice, and create supportive environments where young people feel safe to share differing views. This helps reduce polarisation and empowers youth to build empathy and critical thinking skills.
- Youth organisations and managers can use the Hard Topics recommendations to develop long-term strategies for dialogue-based youth work. This includes embedding dialogue methods into programmes, policies, and organisational culture, supporting their staff with training, and building partnerships with other organisations in the Dialogue Network. By doing so, they strengthen their capacity to address polarisation systematically and promote shared values across communities.
Suggested follow up activities
- Host a Dialogue Café: Organise a safe and structured dialogue event where young people with different perspectives can meet and discuss “hard topics.” Use the Hard Topics App to guide conversations and ensure everyone has space to share and listen.
- Run a Dialogue Skills Exchange: Invite peers, youth workers, or community members to share practical methods for constructive dialogue — from active listening to non-violent communication. Match these skills with the needs identified in your group and practice them together.
- Organise a “Bridging Differences” Meetup: Bring together young people, educators, and community leaders to explore how dialogue can address polarisation in schools, communities, or online spaces. Use the Hard Topics toolkit as a framework, and invite guest speakers or facilitators experienced in mediation and dialogue.
- Join the Dialogue Network: A international community of individuals and organisations committed to dialogue, where you can join online meetings, share dialogue-related knowledge, skills, and tools, discover best practices in dialogue, showcase your work and connect with credible partners for your next project.
Claim Open Badge Recognition
After completing this activity, you can earn digital badges that recognise your progress in:
- Dialogue skills and the ability to engage respectfully across differences
- Awareness of tools and methods that reduce polarisation in youth settings
- Commitment to fostering inclusive, safe, and meaningful conversations
Who created this resource?
This activity is based on the Hard Topics project, co-developed by Socialna akademija (Slovenia), IniciativAngola (Austria), KatHAZ (Hungary), and Documenta (Croatia) as part of a European Erasmus+ initiative to strengthen dialogue and reduce social polarisation among young people. The project has created innovative tools such as the Hard Topics App, dialogue training methods, a handbook, and a blog to support youth workers, educators, and organisations in fostering constructive discussions on sensitive social and political issues.
The Digital Systemic partnership and the Cities of Learning Network use these resources to create this activity, aiming to promote inclusive dialogue, empower young people with critical conversation skills, and showcase quality European educational resources that respond to the challenges of polarisation in youth work.
Next steps: Deepen your learning by creating your own dialogue scenarios based on real-life challenges in your community or youth work practice. Try integrating the Hard Topics App into workshops or training programmes to spark meaningful conversations across different perspectives. You can also use this activity as inspiration to design your own dialogue-based tools or online resources that youth organisations worldwide could adapt to strengthen democratic participation and reduce polarisation.

Consigue la insignia de actividad
This badge is awarded to anyone — youth, youth workers, or managers — who actively engages in exploring dialogue as a tool for connection and inclusion via Hard Topic digital app. It highlights your commitment to respectful conversation and reducing polarisation in everyday life or work. Tiene que terminar 2 tareas para obtener la insignia
Tareas
Evidencia verificada por: Un organizador de actividades
Reflect on a key learning or “aha moment” from using the Hard Topics resources and share how it applies to your role or context.
Evidencia verificada por: Un organizador de actividades
Identify one personal or professional action you can take to support dialogue in your community or workplace.
Evidencia verificada por: Un organizador de actividades
Describe what respectful, inclusive dialogue means to you and why it matters in today’s world.