The social media campaign ”The Ambassadors of Healthy Digital Use” is an initiative taken under the Erasmus+ project ”Becoming Digitally Conscious”. This campaign is being led by young change-makers who have taken part in Youth Exchange in Berlin, Germany. By taking part in this Youth Exchange that aimed to address such a crucial subject, participants have gained knowledge and skills that they are using now to implement this social media campaign and positively influence their peers across Europe.
Young ambassadors of healthy digital use come from 6 different countries in Europe and they have themselves gone through a digital awakening as their lives have shifted to 180 degrees. The youth exchange has greatly influenced their perception of digitalization. It has motivated them to adopt healthier digital habits and encouraged them to promote healthy digital habits.
The program’s influence went beyond only academic understanding. It was the beginning of a profound transformation in these young ambassadors’ lives. They started a journey of self-reflection and change after realizing that they needed to practice what they preached by changing their own digital practices. These ambassadors became living examples of the positive change they wished to see, from establishing tech-free zones and screen time limits to embracing digital detox techniques.
The relationships made during the Youth Exchange provided evidence of the value of in-person contact. They put this knowledge into practice by planning workshops, seminars, and events in their local communities that encourage in-person conversations around digital wellbeing. These events give young people safe places to express their worries, ask for advice, and come up with ideas for more constructive tech engagement.
Their social media campaign is only starting and they are working hard on creating engaging content that will adequately spread the message and raise awareness among the general public. We urge you to stay tuned and join them on their journey on Becoming Digitally Conscious!
ABOUT ‘’BECOMING DIGITALLY CONSCIOUS’’ PROJECT:
“Becoming Digitally Conscious” is a Capacity Building project targeted at the promotion of healthy digital habits among young people (between 18 and 25 years old) living in the European and Western Balkans area. The goal is to make this group aware of the potential dangers of making excessive use of digital devices, such as psychological disorders (e.g., eating disorders and depression). Considering that virtual reality has become an essential part of young people’s lives (especially during the covid-19 pandemic to study or socialize, which before they did mainly offline), we believe it is important to train them on how to integrate digital devices in a healthy and conscious way. Through the education of youth workers, the project will contribute to increasing the quality, innovation, and recognition of youth work, supporting the sharing of methods to address the opportunities and implications of digitalization. Of course, it is as well related to “Addressing digital transformation through the development of digital readiness, resilience and capacity” because all major social changes imply some areas of risk that need to be reflected upon to mitigate the issues created (in this case digital addiction.