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European Initiatives

The ySKILLS Project, which concluded in December 2023, aimed to enhance and maximize the long-term positive impact of the information and communication technology (ICT) environment on various aspects of wellbeing for all children. The project focused on building resilience through the enhancement of digital skills, recognizing the increasingly vital role these skills play in children's lives. Funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, ySKILLS concentrated on digital skills and addressed the risks associated with children's use of digital media.

Adopting a holistic, child-centric approach, ySKILLS sought to understand the diverse consequences of internet and digital technology usage on children's rights. These included rights to participation, information, freedom of expression, education, and play, as well as protection from harm. The project brought together a consortium of leading international research centres specializing in media studies, communication sciences, youth research, psychology, pedagogy, law, educational neuroscience, and sociology. Notable participants included KU Leuven, the London School of Economics and Political Science, and the University of Helsinki, among others. The project set out four primary objectives:

  1. Acquiring Extensive Knowledge and Better Measurement of Digital Skills: ySKILLS generated a comprehensive body of knowledge on digital skills, refining the methodologies for measuring these skills across different child populations.
  2. Developing and Testing an Innovative Explanatory and Foresight Model: The project created and validated an evidence-based model to predict the complex impacts of ICT use and digital skills on children’s cognitive, psychological, physical, and social wellbeing. This model provided a deeper understanding of the various factors influencing these outcomes.
  3. Explaining Benefits for At-Risk Children: ySKILLS explored how children at risk due to factors like mental health, ethnic or cultural background, socioeconomic status (SES), and gender could still benefit from online opportunities. The project identified ways to leverage digital skills to enhance these children’s resilience and access to positive experiences online, despite their vulnerabilities.
  4. Generating Evidence-Based Recommendations and Strategies: The project produced insightful, evidence-based recommendations and strategies for stakeholders, including policymakers, educators, and parents. These recommendations aimed to promote digital skills and overall wellbeing, ensuring safer and more beneficial use of digital technologies by children.

The results of ySKILLS were framed within the context of children's rights, providing a roadmap for strengthening policies to safeguard and enhance the benefits of digital technology use among children. The project's outputs have been instrumental in guiding stakeholders towards creating a safer, more supportive digital environment for young users.

Initiative Details

Target audience
Digital skills in education.
Digital technology / specialisation
Digital skill level
Geographic scope - Country
Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Cyprus
Industry - field of education and training
Generic programmes and qualifications not further defined
Education not further defined
Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) not further defined
Geographical sphere
International initiative