3.2.3. Guidelines for action

Council conclusions on smart youth work includes a set of guidelines for the Member States and the European Commission in order to help to further the use and development of the smart youth work concept. These guidelines are a suggestion, or an invitation – as they are traditionally formulated in this format of EU level documents – ie they are not obligatory to be followed or reported about.

 The conditions necessary for the development of smart youth work could by categorised as follows: 

There were four concrete guidelines agreed upon in the document:

1. Create conditions for smart youth work, where and as appropriate, including:

1. developing and implementing smart youth work in youth work and youth policy goals, strategic and financial instruments;
2. mapping and addressing the digital gap and inequalities to access the technological developments from the viewpoint of young people, especially those with fewer opportunities, youth workers and youth leaders and other stakeholders supporting youth;
3. supporting the development of competences relevant for smart youth work of young people, youth workers and youth leaders as well as other stakeholders supporting youth, including:

• • on issues such as information and data literacy, communication and collaboration through digital media and technologies, safety in digital environments etc.;
  • through diverse approaches to teaching and learning in all possible formats and levels, for example by incorporating smart youth work into relevant training programmes, youth work occupational standards and guidelines etc.;
  • exchanging of examples of best practice in the use of digital media and technology.

2. Develop digital infrastructure enhancing connectivity and cross-sectoral partnerships, including with the education, innovation, research and development field, start-up companies and the business sector at large. While doing so, synergies with the Digital Single Market Strategy, Research and Innovation strategies for Smart Specialisation, existing structures, public and private services and programmes, such as Erasmus+ and Horizon 2020, should be sought.

3. Continue to work together to ensure that these conclusions are acted upon in the context of ongoing work on strategic perspectives for European cooperation in the youth field post 2018.

4. Organise an international event for further exploration of perspectives of smart youth work between interested Member States during the years 2017-2018.