Join us on 10th February in Edinburgh for a day of insights, discussion and networking, with new resources, keynote speakers, workshops and plenty of interactivity. Meet the people thinking about Digital Youth Work in Scotland and further afield.
Join us in Edinburgh for a day of insights, discussion and networking, with new resources, keynote speakers, workshops and plenty of interactivity. Meet the people thinking about Digital Youth Work in Scotland and further afield.
The Digital Youth Work Conference is supported by Include Plus Network, Scottish Government Cyber Resilience Unit and the Heart of Midlothian FC – Innovation Centre.
Vicki Ridley and Emma Kyles – YouthLink Scotland.
Emma and Vicki from the No Knives Better Lives team at Youth Link Scotland will share information on their work to tackle online violence between young people. Come along and hear research insights, find out about resources that are already available and understand more about what you can do to support young people to stay safe, act safe themselves and contribute to making social media a more positive place to hang out.
Ryan McKay, Citadel Youth Centre and Les Ellis, Cromar Future Group.
Join the youth workers and young people from the Our Futures and AI project to unpack the new AI and Youth Work toolkit and hear about the outputs from the youth-led research into AI. Young people from Aberdeenshire and Leith have led the way on this project which has involved inputs from technology company Sopra Steria, lead educators Digital Skills Education, the Scottish AI Alliance and YouthLink Scotland with funding from the Include Plus Network.
Emma Williams, Wishaw YMCA.
Emma, Digital Development Lead at Wishaw YMCA and founder of Brave Esports shares how esports can be a really powerful tool in youth work. It’s not just about playing games – it’s about engaging young people, building digital and life skills, and helping them work together and gain confidence. Emma draws on experience with the Wishaw YMCA Esports Academy, the Y Esports Project, the Circuit Project, and Brave Esports to show how structured esports programmes can create meaningful learning experiences and real outcomes for young people.
Think expo marketplace and science centre all rolled into one. Use your workshop time to browse and take part in a range of digital youth work activities and opportunities. Take part in a coding activity, pick up new resources, find out more about film making, connect, discuss, and share. Repeats in the morning and afternoon.
Ainsley Carnarvon and the team from the Hearts Innovation Centre.
Come and explore what happens at the Heart of Midlothian Innovation Centre. Find out about their approach to digital youth work, hear about how their work is helping young people to develop the digital skills they need to thrive online. Practice sharing with practical application time.
Jess McBeath, Online Safety Consultant.
Join Jess McBeath for a bit of personal reflection and critical thinking. Explore how the apps you choose influence your level of safety and security online and take time to apply your own experience to the youth work context. Consider the impact of emerging technologies on our digital lives. This workshop is a mix of group work and personal reflection time.
Matt Backall – Space Youth Services, Devon.
Explore the design of wellbeing services for young people and how it does and doesn’t translate into the online world. Matt will share information about Space Youth Services online youth club and the pitfalls of presuming all young people are the same. If you are interested in digital wellbeing and the importance of youth voice and codesign in online services, this is the one.
Book your place!
Safer Internet Day is an international event taking place in 170 countries. Everyone’s talking about AI, and with many children and young people hearing about and using AI online, it’s important they have the skills and confidence to make safe choices when they are using smart technology.
This Safer Internet Day we are exploring the impact of AI on all of our lives, looking at how AI can be used for good, and giving advice and guidance that empowers people to use AI safely and responsibly.
Free educational resources will help schools and youth groups talk about this issue with young people of all ages, covering a range of issues from looking at voice assistants and chatbots, to exploring some of the ethical considerations in responsible use of AI technology. You will find top tips and advice for parents, carers and grandparents covering how to talk about AI, helping them to use new technology in safe and responsible ways.
At YouthLink Scotland we choose to run the Digital Youth Work conference on Safer Internet Day each year because youth workers have a vital role to play in supporting young people’s digital lives.
