Working for Youth, Working with AI: Training Course in Craiova
Working for Youth, Working with AI: Modernising Youth Work Through Digital and AI Competences
Twenty-five youth workers, four countries, one week in Craiova – and a shared question: how do we work with young people in a world where AI is already part of their everyday life? The Working for Youth, Working with AI training course, implemented within the Erasmus+ programme, brought together youth workers from Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria and Lithuania to modernise youth work practice, bridge gaps in digital literacy and promote an ethical, human-centred use of technology.
The course at a glance:
Participants: 25 youth workers
Countries: Slovakia (SK), Romania (RO), Bulgaria (BG), Lithuania (LT)
Venue: Craiova, Romania
Key topics: mastering AI and digital competences · promoting an ethical and balanced use of technology · designing interactive projects for young people
What Changed in Our Practice
Through hands-on challenges we built practical skills in prompt engineering and in working with tools such as ChatGPT, Canva, Miro and Claude – learning how to communicate with AI (“Talk to me like a human”) and use it to explain complex topics simply. We also opened honest discussions on the environmental footprint of AI, social media habits and screen time, and how to balance digital efficiency with real human connection. A visit to NetRom Software, a Dutch-Romanian software campus in Craiova, showed us how AI is already changing recruitment and skills requirements. Building on all of this, international teams co-created workshop modules and practical guides to keep young people competitive in a changing labour market.
Impact on Participants and Communities
During the Craiova Express city challenge we created and AI-edited photos and videos on the spot. We designed and moderated a live international online event on Zoom, connecting young people from Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria and Lithuania around five AI-themed workshops. After the course we recorded video testimonials so that the learning reaches our home organisations in every country.
Partnerships and Next Steps
The project strengthened cooperation between NGOs from Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria and Lithuania, and all 25 youth workers received a Youthpass certificate recognising their new digital and non-formal learning competences. We are now bringing these tools and methods into our work with young people in Ružomberok – and we are ready to pass them on.
Then it was time to say goodbye. We left Craiova with new tools, new partners in four countries – and ready to pass on what we learned.
