Mind Over Screens
One of the international projects Omladinska organizacija Svitac (Firefly in Bosnia) is participating since November 2024 is the “Mind Over Screens” Project.
The COVID-19 crisis had a significant impact on education, accelerating the digital transformation of teaching and learning. While digitalization has opened up endless opportunities for young people — including better access to information and communication — it has also introduced new risks and challenges that may affect their mental and emotional well-being. This makes it more important than ever to address these issues proactively.
Equipping young people with the skills and knowledge to navigate the digital world safely and responsibly is now a crucial priority. The 2024 Erasmus+ Programme Guide also emphasizes the growing importance of digital skills and the use of ICT tools in education, highlighting the need for continuous efforts to promote digital literacy and healthy online habits among youth.
In response to the evolving needs of young people and youth workers during this period of digital transition, the “Mind Over Screens” project was developed through the collaboration of six partner organizations from Italy, Slovakia, Finland, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Albania. The project builds upon previous research and initiatives related to digital media and youth well-being.
The main goal of the project is to strengthen the capacities of partner organizations — particularly youth workers, trainers, educators, and teachers — by developing a gamified training course focused on the impact of social media, media literacy, and digital habits among young people.
Between May and August, Svitac made significant progress on the Mind over Screens project. Two local volunteers and one trainer from Brčko joined the team, contributing to the development of the project’s handbook and training curriculum module.
Svitac is responsible for the Empowerment and Advocacy components of both parts of the project. The main aim is to empower young people to actively shape digital culture and advocate for positive change online. The project explores strategies for promoting digital rights, raising awareness about social issues, and using social media as a tool for activism.
The training curriculum module, in particular, is designed to equip youth workers, educators, and teachers with practical tools to address digital challenges and encourage critical thinking among young people.
The training will be supported by a handbook and a set of interactive tools and games designed to help youth workers integrate game-based elements into their work with young people. Additionally, the project aims to raise awareness among youth in partner and other European countries about the impact of social media, media literacy, and digital habits through the creation of podcasts and social media campaigns.
Jedan od međunarodnih projekata u kojem Omladinska organizacija Svitac (Firefly in Bosnia) učestvuje od novembra 2024. godine je projekat “Mind Over Screens”.
Pandemija COVID-19 imala je snažan uticaj na obrazovanje, ubrzavajući digitalnu transformaciju procesa učenja i podučavanja. Iako je digitalizacija mladima donijela brojne mogućnosti – uključujući lakši pristup informacijama i komunikaciji – istovremeno je uvela nove rizike i izazove koji mogu negativno uticati na njihovo mentalno i emocionalno zdravlje. Zbog toga je danas važnije nego ikada ranije proaktivno se baviti ovim pitanjima.
Osnaživanje mladih znanjima i vještinama koje su im potrebne za sigurno i odgovorno kretanje kroz digitalni svijet predstavlja ključni prioritet. Vodič za Erasmus+ program za 2024. godinu dodatno naglašava važnost digitalnih kompetencija i upotrebe IKT alata u obrazovanju, te ističe potrebu za kontinuiranim naporima u promociji digitalne pismenosti i zdravih online navika među mladima.
Kao odgovor na potrebe mladih i omladinskih radnika u vremenu digitalne tranzicije, projekat “Mind Over Screens” razvijen je kroz saradnju šest partnerskih organizacija iz Italije, Slovačke, Finske, Crne Gore, Bosne i Hercegovine i Albanije. Projekat se nadovezuje na prethodna istraživanja i inicijative u vezi sa digitalnim medijima i dobrobiti mladih.
Glavni cilj projekta je jačanje kapaciteta partnerskih organizacija – posebno omladinskih radnika, trenera, edukatora i nastavnika – kroz razvoj edukativnog kursa koji koristi metode gamifikacije i fokusira se na uticaj društvenih mreža, medijsku pismenost i digitalne navike među mladima.
U periodu od maja do avgusta, Svitac je ostvario značajan napredak na ovom projektu. Dvoje lokalnih volontera i jedan trener iz Brčkog pridružili su se timu, doprinoseći razvoju priručnika i kurikuluma za obuku.
Svitac je posebno odgovoran za segmente osnaživanja i zagovaranja unutar obje komponente projekta. Glavni cilj ovih aktivnosti je osnažiti mlade da aktivno učestvuju u oblikovanju digitalne kulture i zagovaraju pozitivne promjene u online prostoru. Projekat istražuje strategije za promociju digitalnih prava, podizanje svijesti o društvenim pitanjima i korištenje društvenih mreža kao alata za aktivizam.
Kurikulum za obuku posebno je osmišljen kako bi omladinskim radnicima, edukatorima i nastavnicima pružio praktične alate za suočavanje s digitalnim izazovima i podsticanje kritičkog razmišljanja kod mladih.
Obuka će biti podržana izradom priručnika i seta interaktivnih alata i igara, koji će omladinskim radnicima pomoći da uključe elemente gamifikacije u svoj rad s mladima. Pored toga, projekat ima za cilj podizanje svijesti među mladima u partnerskim i drugim evropskim zemljama o uticaju društvenih mreža, važnosti medijske pismenosti i oblikovanju zdravih digitalnih navika kroz kreiranje podcasta i kampanja na društvenim mrežama.
