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E-Sports in Digital Youth Work
E-Sports in Digital Youth Work
Kontenido
Explore a cool practice how youth workers and young people organised a tournament of "League of Legends" video game among youth centres in Lithuania.
By completing this activity, participants will…
- Discover how esports can be leveraged as a powerful engagement tool in youth work to develop life skills such as teamwork, communication, problem‑solving, resilience, and time management.
- Understand the social and emotional benefits of esports, including building confidence, self‑esteem, peer support, inclusion, and a sense of belonging.
- Learn how to create and structure esports-based youth activities, from planning infrastructure and securing parental involvement to forming youth-led teams or leagues.
- Recognise the potential of esports for relationship building, with youth workers planting the seeds of trust and support through shared gaming experiences.
2. Get Inspired
In Druskininkai, Lithuania, youth worker Justinas Baltulionis together with a group of young people used a well-known video game League of Legends tournaments into an inclusive, educational, and empowering esports initiative. The organising team
- Helped youth co-create projects—securing funding for computers, organizing tournaments, and building an E-Sports Academy.
- Fostered peer to peer learning and responsibility by involving youth in everything from building PCs to streaming competitions.
- Maintained live streaming and engagement, including Discord-based interaction, reflective evaluation, and even inviting a professional player for motivational talks.
- Placed focus on time management and mental health, encouraging structured training and open conversations about well-being.
This model demonstrates how esports can be a dynamic platform for learning, collaboration and digital literacy.
Watch the full story here (in Lithuanian langauge with English subtitles)
3. How can you start using Esports in your youth work organisation?
Based on this good practice and Information And Recommendations For Esports Activities In Municipal Youth Work, published by Verke and Centre of Expertise for Municipal Youth Work, 2020 (Finland)
Start small and build structure
- Begin with open gaming where young people play casually at your centre. Over time, introduce goals such as teamwork, fair play, and emotional reflection.
- Support youth-led initiatives, such as organising mini-tournaments, creating commentary, or streaming sessions.
Ensure inclusiveness and well-being
- Emphasise a positive gaming culture where everyone feels safe and included, regardless of skill level, gender, or background.
- Balance gaming with discussions about healthy routines: time management, physical activity, and rest.
Practical requirements
- Equipment: invest in a few good-quality computers or consoles and ensure reliable internet connections.
- Space: create a dedicated, ventilated room with both gaming stations and a separate space for casual talks.
- Guidance: youth workers don’t need to be gaming experts but should focus on relationship-building, group dynamics, and supporting young people’s learning.
Use E-sports for building transferable skills
- Time management: regular training and tournaments help young people practise organising their schedules.
- Teamwork and communication: cooperative play strengthens collaboration and conflict resolution.
- Technical literacy: assembling PCs, setting up accounts, or learning to stream can build valuable digital skills.
Claim Open Badge for recognition
By completing this activity, participants can earn the “E-Sports in youth work” Open Badge.
To claim the badge, you must:
- Watch a video interview shared above
- Share 2-3 ideas on how you can use E-sports or Video games to achieve youth work goals
Who promotes this good practice?
This good practice was developed by Druskininkai Youth Centre. Interview conducted by Laimonas Ragauskas from NGO Awero.
Cities of Learning Network members developed this activity and badge to appreciate and celebrate good practices in digital youth work:
- Awero, Lithuania (Project Lead)
- Partner organisations from the Cities of Learning Network
Optené badge di aktividat
E-Sports in Digital Youth Work Optené e badge akí
This badge shows curiosity in exploration of how esports and video games can be used in youth work to build transversal skills. The badge recognises the readiness to engage with video games, reflect on learning, and connect video gaming to real-life youth work goals.
Cities of Learning Network partners value badge earners’ efforts and issue this badge after reviewing the provided evidence.
Tasks
Task no.1
Evidence verified by: un organisadó di aktividat
To get the badge, you must watch a video interview with a youth worker sharing experiences on creating esports tournaments with other young people.
Now share 2-3 ideas on how you can use video games and esports to achieve youth work goals. You can write text or upload a short recorded audio here in the evidence field.
Organisadónan
Digital Youth Work Resource Hub
Badgecraft ta fasilitá e plataforma akí i ta desaroy'é huntu ku organishonnan líder den edukashon. E programa Erasmus+ di Union Europeo a ko-finansiá kreashon di e promé vershon di e plataforma akí. Tuma kontakto ku support@badgecraft.eu.
Plataforma
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