Input in "Young people and youth workers in online communities" -webinar on November 11th, 2019

1. Reaching young people
online
Webinar - Young People and Youth Workers in Online
Communities
Juha Kiviniemi, Verke

2. In this part
• Verke
• Digital life skills
• Young peoples social communication on digital platforms
• Young people in their online communities
• Young people in youth work -connected communities
• Examples

3. Verke - National Centre of
Expertise on Digital Youth Work

5. Verke’s goals 2018-2019
1. Knowledge of ways of using digital media and technology
will increase and expand in the field of youth work
2. The structures of youth work will support the use of digital
media and technology in youth work
3. Innovative youth work services and concepts using digital
media and technology will be created

6. What does Verke do?
Train professionals:
Last year over 2600 participants
in 14 provinces
Produce materials:
videos, guides, article
publications, podcasts etc.
Consult:
Innovation partnerships,
memberships in steering groups
Facilitate networking:
SomeCamp, Friday chats, other events
Research:
Surveys on digital youth work,
research collaborations
Communicate:
newsletter, blog,
social media, #digi10-challenge

7. Digital life skills

8. ”If youth work fails to embrace the
use of technology and social media
there is a risk of becoming
outdated and irrelevant to young
people who use youth work
services. ”
- Youth Worker, Screenagers -study
(2016)

9. Why is it vital to understand
young people’s digital lives?

10. Digitalization is not
something in the future.
It’s happening now.

11. Young people don’t “go online”.

12. The ownership of information
has irrevocably changed.

13. Digital skills = citizenship
skills

14. Digital skills = digital life
skills

15. Who are the digital natives?

16. There aren’t any.

17. #punchacolleague
(please don’t actually punch them,
but you have my permission to
gently but firmly correct them)

18. Digital divide
(It’s not only about age!)

19. “The idea that someone would understand
everything about digital media [or technology] just
because of their young age is just just as ridiculous
as the thought of me understanding all there is to
know about the world just by sleeping in a library.”
- Anu Pöyskö, WienXtra - medienzentrum

20. Digital divide
• Access to technology
• Skills to use that technology
• Level of understanding how technology works
• Participation vs. Access to information - who is in control?

21. Digital youth work in Finland

25. Young people communicating on digital platforms

26. Young people on digital platforms
• Part of their day-to-day social networks
• Organic part of everyday life
• Remember - most young people don’t “go online”
• What digital skills and competencies do young people need to
find their communities? How can we support them?

27. About platforms..
• The “rules” and culture of communication is very platform-
dependant
• If youth work wants to work within these communities, we have
to play by the same rules
• Speed and intensity of communication
• Style of communication
• Language used etc.

28. Whatsapp
• Direct messaging or groups
• What if we offer to be contacted via whatsapp?
• How are young people connected via whatsapp?

29. Instagram
• A very visual media
• You need to engage young people with the same visual cues
• What could be the youth work angle?

30. Snapchat
• Very unedited, very “straightforward”
• Needs to be on a personal level
• Do we get to see what young people share? Should we?

31. Online games
• Understand the game to understand the culture
• Be a player
• How can youth work exist in this space?

32. Online communities

33. Online communities
• What is our purpose in the online community?
• Who do we represent?
• Are there issues we need to tackle?
• Do we have a “justification” to be there?

34. Online communities
• Hobby groups
• Maker activities
• Photography forum
• Political forums (left-right etc.)
• General communities like 4chan
• What else?

35. Youth-work provided communities

36. Youth work communities
• What is the community for?
• What is the target group?
• What is the added value for young people?
• Who sets the rules?
• Who are mainly communicating?

37. Examples

38. Netari

39. Cyberhus

40. Fisucraft

41. verke.org
Materials, publications, resources..
digitalyouthwork.eu

42. Kiitos!
juha@verke.org