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The Urgent Need for Digital Citizenship & Toolkit to Tackle It

Let's face it - we're all glued to our screens. The internet isn't just something we use anymore; it's where we live, work, and connect with the world. But here's the thing: knowing how to swipe and click doesn't mean we know how to navigate this digital world safely or responsibly.

That's why the "DigiACT – Contemporary Digital Citizenship" project was designed. The project aimed to tackle the messy and complicated reality of being young and online today.

Back in November 2024, a group of youth workers, educators, and community leaders from six European countries (Lithuania, Poland, the Netherlands, Romania, Bulgaria, and Italy) gathered in Lithuania for a 7-day training course. Funded by the EU through Erasmus+ and organized by Loud&Clear, they rolled up their sleeves to dig into the stuff that actually matters to young people online.

We're talking about the real problems: fake news spreading like wildfire, cyberbullying that follows you home, the blurry lines of what's okay to share and what's not, and figuring out your rights in spaces that didn't exist when most laws were written.

The Toolkit

One of the key outcomes of this project is the “DigiACT Toolkit for Digital Citizenship and Literacy Education”. The toolkit includes ready-to-implement workshops with interactive elements and creative activities covering digital literacy, cyberbullying prevention, online ethics, digital rights, and digital well-being. It's freely available and specifically designed for educators, youth workers, and anyone supporting young people in developing strong digital citizenship skills. The Toolkit is available for download HERE. 

Making It Count Back Home

The learning didn't stop in Lithuania. After returning home, participants got to work, putting their new skills into action in their own communities. They ran online games and challenges to test digital literacy, launched awareness campaigns on misinformation and online hate, and facilitated workshops for schools, youth centers, and local groups.

Why This Matters

Here's the reality: being online isn't separate from "real life" anymore. It IS real life. We fall in love, lose friends, find jobs, learn new skills, and shape our identities through screens. The idea that digital literacy is just a nice-to-have skill? That ship has sailed.

Young people are growing up in a world where their online choices have real consequences for themselves and for everyone else sharing these digital spaces. Teaching them how to navigate this world safely isn't just helpful; it's absolutely essential.

The project was funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ programme and implemented by Loud&Clear.