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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).
Activities to complete
Complete the following activities, earn badges and you will see your playlist progress updated
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This activity combines all badges developed from the key digital youth work resources on the Digital Youth Work platform, specifically designed for youth work managers.
It supports you in developing a strategic, resilient, and partnership-driven approach to digital youth work within your organisation. By completing this activity, you will strengthen your ability to integrate digital strategies into programmes, build strong teams, and ensure quality and impact in the digital transformation of youth work.
By completing this activity, you will:
- Adopt a strategic approach to using playful digital tools to strengthen teamwork, communication, and problem-solving.
- Build a clear, values-based digital strategy for your organisation.
- Forge sustainable partnerships with local organisations and experts.
- Support young people in applying their digital skills for positive change.
- Contribute to a resilient, strategically minded youth work organisation.
- Understand the building blocks of digital youth work strategy and apply them in practice.
- Recognise the importance of quality assurance in digital youth work and learn structured ways to collect feedback and evidence of impact.
- Reflect on your engagement, learn from others’ experiences, and contribute collaboratively to a practical, youth-centred digital strategy.
Get inspired
This pathway draws on insights and resources from European and international reports on digital youth work strategies, including:
- European Guidelines for Digital Youth Work.
- Report on Digital Youth Work – National Strategies.
- Developing Digital Youth Work: Policy Recommendations and Good Practices.
- Digital Competences and Capacities in Youth Work.
These resources highlight how managers can align digital strategies with organisational values, quality standards, and long-term sustainability.
Take action: reflect and collect.
This activity invites you to complete the Digital Youth Work activities and gather the badges most relevant to management and strategy. Along the way, you will:
- Analyse your organisation’s digital practices.
- Co-design a draft digital youth work strategy with your team.
- Engage with case studies and examples from across Europe.
- Document and share your reflections with peers.
Claim open badge recognition.
By completing this activity and earning the related badges, you will qualify for a “Strategic Digital Youth Work Leader” meta-badge. This badge recognises your contribution to building a resilient organisation, forging partnerships, and leading the digital transformation of youth work in line with quality standards and youth-centred values.
Who created this resource?
This meta-activity has been developed by the Digital Youth Work partnership and Cities of Learning partners, based on resources available through www.digitalyouthwork.net.
Next steps
Use your badge collection to:
- Embed your organisation’s digital strategy into practice.
- Share your insights and learning with colleagues, partners, and funders.
- Mentor other managers and youth workers in developing their own digital youth work strategies.

Get activity badge
Awarded to youth work managers who complete a structured learning journey across multiple digital youth work themes. This badge recognises your leadership in building organisational resilience, forging partnerships, and embedding digital strategies that are values-based, inclusive, and sustainable.
Skills and experiences gained:
This badge is aligned with the Digital Capacities of Youth Work Organisations framework, covering key dimensions of organisational development in the digital age:
- Strategic Capacity – Building and implementing clear, values-based digital strategies; recognising the importance of negotiation, long-term planning, and systemic development.
- Partnership and Collaboration – Forging sustainable partnerships with local organisations, experts, and communities to expand digital youth work opportunities.
- Programme and Service Design – Adopting playful digital tools in youth programmes to strengthen teamwork, communication, and problem-solving.
- Quality and Evidence – Collecting feedback and measuring impact through structured processes; recognising that digital youth work quality varies across contexts.
- Youth-Centred Empowerment – Supporting young people in applying their digital skills for positive change and ensuring their voices are central in digital strategy development.
- Organisational Resilience – Contributing to a strategically minded and adaptable organisation able to thrive in changing digital environments.
This badge demonstrates your commitment to strategic leadership, organisational development, and digital transformation in youth work. The Cities of Learning Network partners recognise this achievement and issue the badge based on reflective evidence and completion of key activities.
Tasks
Evidence verified by: one activity organiser
You will earn the Strategic Digital Youth Work Leader badge after completing Digital Youth Work activities and earn badges tailored to management and organisational strategy.
Activity:
- Complete at least 60% of activities relevant to youth work managers on the Digital Youth Work platform.
- Collect and claim the corresponding badges for each activity.
Unlocking the meta-badge:
Once you have gathered your badges, reflect on your overall leadership journey:
- What strategic capacities has your organisation developed?
- How have you embedded digital youth work into your organisational mission, values and practices?
- What partnerships and collaborations have you strengthened through this process?
Add evidence:
Submit a reflection (written strategy outline, video presentation, or case study) that demonstrates how your organisation has progressed in digital capacity and strategic development.