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Back Seminar and tool on supporting young people’s critical thinking in a digital age

In 2026-2028, under the goal of enhancing the youth work environment, the Youth Partnership will contribute to the professional development of youth workers, supporting and empowering young people, and addressing new challenges and emerging topics. This will build on the specific nature of this co-operation programme between the European Commission and the Council of Europe, grounded in youth research, bridging research and practice, and situated at the intersection of both institutions’ strategies and political agendas.

 Objectives of the seminar 

The seminar will explore the role of youth work in empowering young people to think critically, understand, challenge, and engage meaningfully in the digital era. As technology, digitalisation, and artificial intelligence (AI) have become integral to young people’s lives – offering both opportunities and risks – the seminar will reinforce the democratic foundations of youth work as a socio-political practice that fosters democratic and critical citizenship.

The seminar will draw on existing research, as well as on recent studies conducted by the Youth Partnership, including:

It will align with relevant initiatives of the two partner institutions, among others the EU Preparedness Strategy and the latest development for protecting democracy (in particular the Democracy Shield and considerations regarding the Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI)  and disinformation), and with the Council of Europe’s New Democratic Pact for Europe, and its pillar Learning and Practising Democracy, which emphasises equipping young people with the skills, attitudes and critical thinking necessary for active citizenship. The outcomes of the seminar will also feed in into the development of the future EU youth strategy and the new generation of the EU youth programmes. Complementarity with the initiatives of the Council of Europe’s Youth Department will also be ensured, with special respect to digital citizenship and artificial intelligence and youth work.

 The aim of the seminar 

The seminar aims at creating space for an exchange and capacity building about role of youth work and youth organisations in empowering young people to think critically, understand, challenge, and engage meaningfully in the digital era. It will equip participants with up-to-date knowledge on the topic, inspire them through existing practices and initiatives and provide guidance for the creation of a new support tool for youth workers.

 Participant Profile 

This event is designed for youth work practitioners and experts with experience or interest in critical thinking with young people. Participants must be over 18, able to communicate in English, and available for the full duration of the programme. Fifty participants will be invited through partner institutions and organisations from Council of Europe member states.