Promoting STEAM and Digital Youth Work in the youth sector
NYCI promotes the use of STEAM and Digital Youth Work in youth work settings. We use innovative methodologies to increase the use of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and maths) to support the achievement of youth work outcomes and train youth workers to support the young people they work with to deal with both the risks and opportunities that living in an increasingly digitalised world bring.
The STEAM in Youth Work project will enable the youth sector to:
- use STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and maths) to support the achievement of youth work outcomes, and
- deliver inspiring, experiential STEAM projects.
Through training, residentials, ‘scientist in youth work residency’ grants, resources and equipment grants, youth workers will be supported to develop their youth facilitation repertoire to include STEAM and to communicate STEAM concepts covering light, energy, electricity, circuits and environmental science. Youth workers will be supported to develop innovative learning models based on ‘development education & environmental science through gaming’, ‘science through art’ and the ‘maker movement’.
Robust evaluation and quality assurance mechanisms, including an academic adviser and an expert advisory group, will ensure evidence generated about innovative STEAM education and engagement and youth work models will be transferable. Dissemination events, resources and NYCI’s extensive networks will ensure evidence informs wider youth work, STEAM education and engagement and formal education policy and practice.
The project is funded by the Science Foundation of Ireland.
STEAM Toolkit and Activity Guides
The STEAM Toolkit is designed to support youth workers interested in developing their practice by incorporating STEAM learning approaches and tools in their work with young people.
These STEAM training resources were developed as part of a European Partnership www.digitalyouthwork.eu by NYCI and their Irish partners Camara Education Ireland. There are also training resources from the our European Partnership on various aspects of digital youth work.
UPCOMING STEAM TRAINING
The National Youth Council of Ireland has a number of upcoming STEAM training courses that can be booked online. Click on any of the events below to find out more about them, or click here to see all available training and events that you can book online.
Complete our expression of interest form if you would like to be among the first to hear about newly announced training days and opportunities.
WEB SAFETY IN YOUTH WORK RESOURCE
This resource from has been created to support those who work with young people in all youth work organisations who often share similar concerns, risks and challenges to ensure all young people, staff, volunteers are safe online. However, each organisation should consider how the issues raised in this resource should be adapted to their own local context and what will work most effectively in their practice.
The information in this resource is designed to highlight the key issues to be considered when working online with young people and to sign post to other resources that can support youth work organisations to work safe online with young people.