#youthworkeronline in Malta

2020

#youthworkeronline in Malta

Many people are working from home for the first time as the nation tackles Covid-19. We at Aġenzija Żgħażagħ usually work in schools, youth cafes, youth hubs and many other places where young people are but, since the Covid-19 outbreak, like millions of others across Europe we have been forced to work from home.

As we know, young people engage with and live in the digital world, and the onset of the Covid 19 pandemic is providing us with a unique opportunity to work with and reach out to young people online. We at Aġenzija Żgħażagħ are embracing this experience and enjoying the opportunity to explore new ways of engaging with and supporting young people.

New services and opportunities for young people have been introduced, while  others have  been adapted to meet changing circumstances. As a result of social distancing and isolation, reassuring  and supporting young people through listening to their voices, experiences, emotions and concerns in these challenging times has taken on a new meaning and urgency.

‘Stories from young people during Coronavirus’ is a campaign that encourages young people to share online their everyday experiences of life under the lockdown; from keeping fit, to preparing meals, talking with friends and engaging in cultural and artistic pursuits as well as voicing their feelings and emotions. These  shared stories of young people will be lodged in  the Malta National Archives as part of a collection called ‘Memorja’ (Memory), which keeps historical records of everyday life in Malta.

‘Youth of Gozo’ is another campaign that focuses on providing an online platform for young people on the island of Gozo, who are pursuing a wide range of cultural and artistic pursuits during the lockdown, including dancing, singing, musical instruments and crafts. 

Despite social distancing and isolation, social media is opening up new ways for young people and youth workers to engage with each other. Numerous online sessions are being conducted that provide safe spaces for young people, enabling them to discuss topical issues, engage in online activities and socialise with their peers, assisted by professional youth workers. Many of the sessions have enabled young people from different social backgrounds to establish new relationships and share and discuss their values, ideas, aspirations and concerns. 

The ‘Give Back Award’ is a project that invites young people to use their creativity and innovation to give something back to their community.  Young people were asked to submit a solidarity proposal to be implemented during the pandemic. The best proposals  will receive a financial award following implementation, while the young people involved in the project will be assigned a youth worker to coach them on how to further develop and promote their proposal. 

In addition, Aġenzija Żgħażagħ has continued to offer support and encouragement to  youth organisations and further developed and expanded its capacity for digital youth work. During the lockdown, we have continued to digitize our services and supported youth organisations to re-design their programmes and projects to fit the present situation. 

Furthermore, Aġenzija Żgħażagħ has maintained its commitments to the EU networks ERYICA, EYCA and Eurodesk, by supporting their ongoing initiatives and campaigns.  

Aġenzija Żgħażagħ sees the current difficult and often painful situation that is having an impact on all of us as a new and challenging opportunity for how we relate to and work with young people. 

Digital youth work has come of age during the pandemic and we must not lose the chance to embed it in our work in the future.