Hi!

“Designing AI training paths for youth workers: Evidence from a European pilot initiative”: this is the topic of the new article authored by Gianluca Abbruzzese and Miriam Lanzetta — respectively CEO and Head of International Projects at Lascò, published in the Journal of Non-Formal and Digital Education.

This contribution forms part of the activities of the European project AI4YouthWork, an initiative co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme and for which we are the lead organisation.

The article analyses the results of the project’s pilot initiative developed by the project consortium and aimed at youth workers. The study involved 112 participants with heterogeneous backgrounds from across Europe, with the objective of understanding how to design training pathways that provide AI-related competences in a critical, ethical manner that is closely relevant to the profession.

The analysis of the project results led to the identification of three key principles for the success of digital training in the youth sector:

1. AI training proves more effective when it is organised into independent learning units. This allows professionals to adopt a personalised and non-linear approach, capable of adapting to their initial level of familiarity with technologies and to their time constraints.

2. Learning gains greater value when it is directly connected to everyday challenges and to the social role of the youth worker, going well beyond the simple explanation of the technical functionalities of AI tools.

3. It is essential to integrate deep reflections on ethics, inclusion and responsibility into training pathways. This approach makes it possible to align the development of digital competences with the core values of non-formal education, ensuring greater legitimacy and authority for the training.

What emerges from the publication is that artificial intelligence in youth work and education should not be considered a simple technical “add-on”, but rather a transformative professional competence that requires critical application and sensitivity to context.

We are enthusiastic about contributing to the digital transition in education in Europe, supporting professionals and young people in navigating the AI era in a responsible and informed way.

Read the full article, or download it, in open access in the Journal of Non-Formal and Digital Education: https://journals.team4excellence.ro/journal-of-non-formal-education/article/view/55