Written by Juha Teubl-Kiviniemi, EAYW Advisory Board Member
Edited by Lorena Baric, EAYW rapporteur
The winds of change can be rough
The world is always changing, and we have to adapt to it. With digital technology, this becomes more challenging due to the rapid pace of change. AI has even further increased the pressure for youth work practice and the whole sector to adapt. Perhaps even more importantly, we find ourselves supporting young people in adapting to a new and often uncertain reality. Young people are already using AI not only for practical tasks like homework, but also to process emotions, seek advice, and navigate loneliness.
How might we find a stable footing to stand firm in the eye of the storm?
“Don’t panic.”
— Participant in the deep dive session, perhaps quoting Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
A lot is already happening, but it’s not mainstream enough yet!
AI and other emerging technologies continue to challenge youth work to adapt. At the same time, we are at the threshold of the new Erasmus+ programme cycle, which is set to rework some of our familiar structures and bring new policies to inform programme implementation and the European Youth sector.
While a lot of high-quality and innovative digital youth work practice is already happening, the long-term and sustainable adoption of these approaches still varies across local, regional, national and European realities. How can we support existing and emerging practice and move from project- and practitioner-based innovation towards more integrated and strategic implementation of digital approaches? Much of this innovation is still driven by individual practitioners rather than being structurally embedded within organisations.
Staying grounded in the storm
The change brought on by AI and other digital technologies is not only a shiny surface coating, nor is it only changing youth work delivery. AI changes how we all learn, create new knowledge and interact. That means that we must also be able to critically assess our professional roles and the ways these tools shape trust, judgement and the information young people encounter.
“Youth workers don’t need more tools, they need ways to make sense of them.”
— Input from Urška Česnik, Digital Systemic project, Slovenia
Comfortingly, the core of what we do best is still valid: helping young people be critical citizens and enable them to slow down, to be intentional with technology and be conscious of the choices they make. Youth work still depends on relationships, trust and human presence especially at a time of deepfakes, generated content and growing uncertainty about what to trust.
Let go and embrace the chaos
For the moment, organisational structures, youth worker competences and support for the field is catching up with these developments. It is clear that direction and a clear imperative defined by strategies and long-term approaches are needed to ground us amid the storm of change, and to make room for experimentation and learning.
“If organisations don’t change, individual skills don’t matter.”
— Deep dive participant
As practitioners, organisations and as a field, we should – as one participant put it – Let go of the fear of failure and embrace the chaos. We must adapt to changing tides, including by engaging with these tools ourselves, and build and advocate for safe spaces and approaches that respect the autonomy of young people. By doing this, we ensure that we are not driven by technology, but we stay in the driver’s seat.
Key messages from the Deep Dive
The following key messages capture the main insights from the Deep Dive and offer starting points for further reflection.
Young people use it for school, finding information, being creative, connecting with others, and sometimes for emotional support. Youth work cannot treat AI as something distant; it needs to understand how young people are already using it.
One clear message from the Deep Dive was that youth workers do not need to have all the answers. Their role is to help young people slow down, ask better questions, and deal with uncertainty without feeling lost.
AI can support tasks and generate content, but it cannot replace trust, empathy, listening, or real human connection. Youth work should continue to protect and prioritise these relationships.
Participants raised concerns about misinformation, fake content, cheating, overuse and loss of trust. Young people need to learn not just how to use AI, but when to use it, how to question it, and how to think for themselves.
AI should be used as a tool, not as something that makes decisions for us. Youth workers and organisations should ask: What are we using this for? Does it match our values? What should stay human?
Youth work should be present in digital spaces, but not everyone wants or is able to engage there. Some young people may feel excluded, unsafe, or simply prefer offline spaces. Both options should be supported.
Training youth workers helps, but it is not enough if organisations do not provide time, support, and clear direction. The wider field also needs to share experiences, learn from each other, and look beyond short-term projects.
Want to find out more about this topic?
If you would like to find out more about the topic, you can find additional materials from the Deep Dive down below. The resources bring together research, reflections and practical tools related to AI, digital youth work and the changing realities of young people’s lives.
They are intended to support further reflection and offer starting points for anyone interested in continuing the conversation beyond the Deep Dive.