From Ideas to Actions: Digital Hubs, Gaming & Community Impact

Latest News From Ideas to Actions: Digital Hubs, Gaming & Community Impact The event “From Ideas to Actions: Digital Hubs, Gaming & Community Impact”, hosted by YMCA Slovakia, was a great opportunity for us, as part of the representatives of 22 national movements, to connect with partners from the technology sector of our European movement, such as HP, Accenture and Microsoft. Since 2023, we have joined forces with HP Inc. to equip young people with the tools and digital skills they need to be ready for the future of work – as well as to be part of HP Inc.’s mission to accelerate digital capital for 150 million people by 2030. This joint mission is designed to explore the possibilities of implementing digital education and skills solutions in our communities, bringing technology closer to users, promoting digital inclusion and facilitating the use of the digital sphere as a tool for youth work, communication and community engagement. We were so happy with the presence of high-level key speakers at the event such as: The Managing Director for Central and Eastern Europe at HP Inc, the Leader for Partnerships and Social Impact Programs at HP Inc, the Director of Sustainable Impact for Global Communications at HP Inc, the Digital Corporate Manager at HP Accenture Slovakia, the Director of Social Impact Skills for Western Europe at Microsoft, as well as a representative from the Ministry of Education – Slovakia. In different panel discussions, they were present to deliver inspiring sessions on digital equality, artificial intelligence, games as a skill development opportunity, and digital hubs as pillars of the community, providing our national movement representatives with invaluable expertise and innovative steps to implement across Europe. This event was a significant step towards bridging the gap between technology and community development. By bringing together YMCA representatives and industry experts, the event fostered collaboration, knowledge sharing, and strategic planning for digital inclusion. Now, in addition to leveraging HP technology with the HP LIFE platform, the YMCA will implement the HP Gaming Garage solution, a leading gaming and maker education program designed to foster programming, design, and prototyping skills. With access to professional esports management and game development certificate courses, youth will have access to transferable skills for future jobs in the business, media, and ICT sectors. Designed by leading university professors for HP Inc. and hosted on edX, the HP Gaming Garage offers free access to 82 modules, available in English with translations in 11 additional languages. During this 2-day workshop in Bratislava, all participants were invited to a challenge to design a project idea on how to start a Gaming Garage in our centers, and the best three ideas would be presented and financially supported for implementation. We are very happy that our idea “Pay it Forward” is among the three winners and will soon start being implemented by our YMCA and YMCA Albania. Thank you to all partners and YMCA Europe for all the support you offer to our centers and the opportunities offered to young people and communities.

GLOW Club Summary 2024

In 2024, the YMCA, in collaboration with the Peace Corps and American Corner Bitola, revitalized the GLOW Club (Girls Leading Our World) in Bitola.

400 Young People Included in the Club for Digital Education

Latest News 400 Young People Included in the Club for Digital Education This year, we continued to see remarkable engagement with HP LIFE courses with the YMCA in the Youth Center, marking the second year these courses have been offered within the program for career development. The results speak volumes about the program’s growing impact: Participant Demographics: 52% of participants were women and 48% were men. Approximately 90% were elementary and high school students, with the remainder being university students and employees. Participation and Certification: In 2024, around 380 participants completed the courses, earning an impressive 490 certificates across 57 sessions. Popular Topics: Of the seven topics offered, Marketing stood out, with about 40% of participants rating it as the most interesting. Positive Feedback 98% of participants found the courses easy to learn. 100% said they would recommend the courses to others. 94% considered the courses useful, while 6% were unsure about their usefulness. Participant Insights In an anonymous evaluation, participants shared what they appreciated most about the program: Courses: Topics were engaging, relevant, and practical, with a particular emphasis on learning new skills such as writing professional emails and understanding useful tools for sales. Methodology: The teaching approach was praised for being clear and supportive, with facilitators offering helpful guidance and creating a relaxed, interactive learning environment. Participants also enjoyed the incorporation of games, exercises, and meaningful discussions topic related. Logistics: The Youth Center was commended for its clean and well-equipped facilities, good internet, and warm, welcoming atmosphere. Participants valued the flexibility of online access and the opportunity to receive certificates upon completion. When asked what could be improved, most participants expressed satisfaction with the current setup. Some suggested expanding the program to include more participants, adding music during sessions, or introducing additional topics. Next Steps As we move into 2025, we are excited to continue offering these courses, building on our successes, and reaching even more participants. For the second consecutive year, the HP digital education club has been the most visited initiative at the Youth Center, outshining the center’s other four active clubs in terms of the number of participants. Its continued success underscores its importance in bridging the digital divide and empowering the community through accessible digital education. Looking ahead to 2025, we are committed to enhancing and expanding this initiative even further. By continuing to provide valuable digital education opportunities, we aim to empower more individuals in our community, foster innovation, and help participants develop the skills needed to thrive in an increasingly digital world. We look forward to welcoming new participants and building on the strong foundation established over the past two years. Read what the participants are saying: Testimonials Photos from this Activity in this gallery.

Participants’ Voices: Testimonials from the YMCA+HP Digital Education Program for 2024

Latest News Participants’ Voices: Testimonials from the YMCA+HP Digital Education Program for 2024 AndreaAs one of the most regular visitors to the Youth Center, who regularly attends various events and workshops, I also learned about the HP LIFE courses. These are digital literacy courses run by Natasha from the YMCA. I learned a lot of new things that I should normally learn at school, but unfortunately, they aren’t part of our education system. After taking a few courses, I decided to recommend them to my classmates because I believe everyone should be educated on basic things. After all, we live in a time where almost everything is digital. I must also mention that every time I attend any HP LIFE course, I gain knowledge, confidence, and make new acquaintances. My favorite category is communications. LukaI am satisfied with these courses because we are living in a modern age where everyone needs to have an understanding of technology, online business, and many other things. I am very grateful to the YMCA for offering the HP courses because they are very useful for young people. I have been taking these courses for a while now, and I can say that I like and use them a lot. I also want to praise Natasha Darkov, who is our educator and is always ready to explain any part of the course that is unclear to us. I am sharing this course with my friends and classmates because it is beneficial, and I hope they will like it because it is very relevant today. In the future, I plan to study all the courses, but I would single out the marketing topic as the most useful. MarkoI am 17 years old and I was introduced to the HP courses at the youth center where I regularly volunteer. I am thrilled I started attending these courses because I learned about different aspects of the IT world. This way of getting some new skills through such courses should be applied in education because when I can get this much knowledge, everyone else should and deserves to get it. The courses can help a lot and I would share them with more of my friends. DavidI’m David, a student in my second year at SABA high school, majoring in business. My school always shows interest in non-formal education and that is why for the second year we partnered with the YMCA for the digital education courses the YMCA offers supported by HP Life. I attend these courses with many of my classmates to enrich my knowledge of digital marketing. I know that the future lies in digital education, so I study all the courses with great dedication. I would recommend all young people to take advantage of this free opportunity and I know that if they come at least once, the YMCA Digital Hub will become one of their favorite places in our city. LinaI am Lina, a second year of studying business at SABA high school and I have also been attending HP courses for the second year, provided by the YMCA in our city. I found out about these courses through our school, which is always willing to suggest and provide us with additional knowledge so that we can improve ourselves more for our future. The topic of digital marketing is my favorite, but of course, I also enjoy the new courses on the topic of Digital Business Skills, which are much related to my current education. In the future, I would like to study business-related studies, and I know that the knowledge gained about digital marketing will be of great importance to me. I recommend it to all my classmates and friends, this is a great opportunity for us and it would be a great shame if you do not take advantage of it. Read more about this program here.  

Testimonials on ProfilPASS Career Guidance

Latest News Testimonials on ProfilPASS Career Guidance Angela, High School Student While participating in the process I felt free to share what I wanted to express about myself, and I was assured that through this method I would receive a direction that suited me, and at the same time I could learn something new about myself. Since I had one-on-one sessions, I felt free and with no stress. The most enjoyable part of the activity was the privacy I had while participating. I learned about myself that I am an altruistic person who has great analytical and engineering skills, and through the meetings, I received direction on how to build myself as a person further. Since I did not have a specific idea of what to do next when I started my career life, the activity especially helped me to be able to explore and decide, what jobs would suit me according to my experiences and abilities. I believe that I could not have done this on my own with equal efficiency if I had not participated in this activity. I also received guidance on what jobs to research based on my experiences, skills and interests and on how to enrich my CV, things which will be applied throughout my life. In the past, I had a lot of stress because I believed that there were no secure career paths for me and I was not sure if I would ever be employed in the future. Through this activity, I learned that there is and everyone has a secure career path and I can find my path. This was so helpful for me and I believe that it would be also of great help to those around me. I think that this methodology would benefit the youngest people in secondary education who are still not sure what to do next after secondary education, for example, which university to go to when they become adults. I think there are so many young people unsure of themselves and with no ideas for their future professional lives and this activity would be of great benefit to them.   Natasha, Youth Worker When I first learned about the ProfilPASS methodology I was curious, but not overly optimistic. It reminded me of past experiences in high school when we worked with psychologists to discuss our future educational paths. My expectations were modest, yet I decided to give it a chance. I realized that even though I had been working for nearly a decade, engaging in self-reflection and understanding my personal and professional affinities could still be valuable. Participating in this activity felt empowering and enlightening. The process encouraged honesty and openness, which allowed me to reflect deeply on my qualities and past experiences. There were moments when I needed extra time to recall certain details, but that only made the process more meaningful. Despite my years of experience as a youth worker, volunteer, and coordinator, I discovered new insights about myself. This activity helped me reaffirm my strengths, recognize areas for growth, and feel more confident in my career path. Overall, I found this experience incredibly beneficial. It not only enhanced my self-awareness but also gave me practical tools, like a detailed document summarizing my results, which I can use for personal and professional development. I would highly recommend the ProfilPASS methodology to high school students preparing for college or young adults unsure about their career direction. The one-on-one format with a skilled psychologist added a personal touch that made the process even more impactful. Andrea, High School Student At first, I didn’t had any big expectations, but I felt like I really needed this activity. This activity not only made me get to know myself, but it also allowed me to realize all my abilities, skills and traits, my character. Which really helped me further, both in personal and professional growth. For example, after this activity I gradually noticed how much easier it was for me to form new collaborations, and acquaintances, and approach new experiences. I recommend this activity to everyone, but especially to young people who don’t know each other well enough, and I believe that it will help them as it helped me. Luka, High School Student In a way, I learned more about myself and it was interesting, but I liked the part when I consulted with the psychologist Jove about my life the most, because I was open and honest, also about my interests for the future, as an important part for every young person. I cannot confirm about professional growth, because I am still young, but I know that it will certainly be useful for me. They apply to everyday life, such as raising self-confidence in young people, and therefore conversations with a psychologist on these topics are very useful to start from a young age. I recommend this activity and methodology to young people who want to get to know themselves better, to discover what they are good at and what they want to work and do in the future. Overall, this was a very interesting and useful experience. I would also like to thank the YMCA for this activity, to continue offering such free opportunities for the local youth.  

Overview of HP & YMCA Digital Education Program and Opportunities

The collaboration between HP and YMCA continues in 2024, aiming to promote digital inclusion by providing accessible and engaging digital education opportunities for everyone. These programs leverage the power of technology to enhance learning, offering expert-designed courses that are both practical and valuable for everyday use, as well as for complementing school informatics curricula. Courses Overview The courses feature expert-created content, designed by HP professionals and facilitated by YMCA youth workers. They cover a wide range of topics, including communications, finance, operations, marketing, entrepreneurship, business digital skills, and professional development. The courses follow an interactive learning method. They are engaging and easy to follow, featuring short videos, dialogues, pictures, and quizzes. They also offer flexible durations, with course lengths ranging from 15 to 50 minutes, allowing participants to learn at their own pace. Each course includes: Upon completing all steps (100%), participants receive an electronic certificate with detailed course information, the completion date, and the signature of the HP Foundation Deputy Director. These courses are designed to empower participants by integrating essential digital skills into practical scenarios. Whether you want to boost your career potential, enhance your studies, or simply explore the digital world, these courses offer an excellent starting point. Participation and Logistics The courses are open to everyone with a functional email, intermediate English skills, and a desire to learn. We provide the equipment; no prior equipment or special knowledge is required. All necessary tools are provided, and every course is completely free! Courses are conducted by YMCA at the Youth Center, with flexible scheduling. We offer open enrollment dates for individuals and reserved group workshops for schools and institutions. Group sizes are capped at 10 participants per course. Sign up today and take the first step toward mastering digital tools that can make a real difference in your personal and professional life! Read more about what the participants are saying about this program. Participants’ Voices: Testimonials from the YMCA+HP Digital Education Program for 2024 – YMCA.mk

630 young people included in the club for digital education

Digital literacy, a skill that is now as important as reading and writing, is the ability of citizens to use computers effectively in their workplaces and in their daily lives. The ability to use devices for games and entertainment does not define digital literacy among young people. Digital literacy is much more than embracing new technologies, using social media, or creating and tracking photo and video content. It is the ability to use digital technologies to create, select and connect information from multiple sources, in multiple formats, and use them to improve effectiveness in any area – learning, work, etc. On 22.03.2023 we started with the first term for courses and so far we have 110 terms with a total of 630 participants (of which 50% are female and 50% are male), completed about 30 different courses from the categories of marketing, communications, finance and startup /innovations. After 9 months of delivering activities related to YMCA’s digital education courses in collaboration with HP, we would like to share with you some of the findings from the evaluations completed by the participants. We are happy with the feedback we receive from the participants who describe the courses as easy to follow, interesting, interactive, they would recommend them to their friends and almost all of them want to come again on a new topic. In the last several years across our country have been created a dozen of a youth clubs. This has been one of the most attended program! We are very happy with the impact we have created. In addition, are the answers of the participants about the difficulty of the course and their future involvement in it. In addition, we share some of the most frequent comments that were repeatedly shared regarding what they liked about the courses: Read here impressions from some of the participants included in this program

Youth Meaningful Work Survey

At the World YMCA, we dream of a world where all young people can access decent jobs and meaningful work. To achieve that dream, we need to understand the views and experiences of young people.The YMCA is delighted to launch the “Youth Meaningful Work” survey, designed by young people for young people. What the survey involves:• The survey asks young people aged 18-35 all around the world what meaningful work means to them, and their hopes, fears, needs, expectations, and how ready they feel for work in the future.• The survey is open for 8 weeks, until Friday 15 December 2023 and takes about 10-15 minutes to complete. Why have a survey:By hearing the voices of thousands of young people across the globe, the survey will provide a strong evidence base to help design solutions for young people, with young people. We need your help:For our survey to be successful, we need your help in making sure we hear from as many young people from diverse backgrounds as possible across the world.• Complete the survey if you are aged between 18-35 – we want to hear about your career aspirations and experiences, and what you might need to achieve your aspirations. Access the survey through our website via this link: Youth Meaningful Work Survey• Distribute our survey – we ask that you distribute the survey widely by sharing the above link to young people, partners and across your networks, to help amplify the voices of young people within your local communities. Need more information?• See our website dedicated to the Youth Meaningful Work Survey. The website will provide tools and resources, responses to frequently asked questions, our communications kit and other supports, and will share videos posted by young people from all around the world!• For more information or support, please refer to our new website or contact the Global Meaningful Work project team at contact@youthmeaningfulwork.com. Thank you for your support of this important project.

Participation in Education Program for Support of Youth Workers in the Field of Career Guidance

By Jovche Krsteski Guided by the goal of offering better services for youth employment, we are happy that as a member of the Union for Youth Work we had the opportunity to participate in two trainings for counselors for career guidance of young people and to learn about two new methodologies. One of them was according to the methodology “ProfillPASS – Start your career!” and the other according to the methodology “Sport for employability” (S4E) as part of the program for education and support of youth workers entitled “Youth work for active and involved youth”. Through these trainings, I along with 17 other youth workers from our country acquired knowledge, skills and competencies for using proven methodologies in their daily work with young people from vulnerable categories. The youth workers were trained to use the “ProfillPASS” tool, which will allow them to direct young people to explore their possibilities for personal and professional development, thereby helping them to improve their position in the labor market. Using #S4E as a tool for encouraging and developing skills, will help youth workers in supporting and encouraging young people from their communities in the direction of awareness of their skills and potential, as well as their further development. After the training, the involved youth workers will carry out practical activities applying the learned methodologies in their environments. As a trained youth worker from the YMCA, I will apply my knowledge in working with young people in the Youth Center in Bitola, as well as in preparing the programs that the YMCA implements. The Union for Youth Work implements this program within the framework of the regional project “Social Inclusion of Vulnerable Groups in the Western Balkans” and the global program “Sports for Development” implemented by the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ). The training for these methodologies was conducted on 21-24.09.2023 and 30.10-02.11.2023 in Dojran, Macedonia. The training for #ProfilPASS was conducted with the help of trainers from the Center for Lifelong Learning, and that for #S4E with the help of trainers from TACT.

Participants’ Impressions from the YMCA+HP Digital Education Program

Martha I am Marta from Krushevo, I am currently studying in Bitola. I found out about the courses through Natasha from the YMCA because we know each other from before. Today I attended the fifth course and in the future, I plan to attend several more courses. The courses are interesting to follow, and the atmosphere in the Youth Center is harmonious and pleasant. I plan to use the courses that I have followed so far and the experience I have gained from them for my career and development. Antim I am Antim Atanasoski, 18 years old from Bitola. I feel honored to participate in four courses made by HP and implemented in cooperation with the YMCA. One of the courses that I liked the most was Social Entrepreneurship, which was very practical and informative, unlike other courses of this type that I have visited online. What you learn from the course can be used practically every day of your life. Of course, I plan to visit other courses in the future, because there is a lot to learn from each course. Ljupco First I want to say that digital education is not just about new skills, it is most important to think about growth and embrace quality improvement. I am Ljupco from Bitola, I found out about the courses through the YMCA where I am a volunteer and have participated in many events and workshops organized by them. I just saw the application on social networks and immediately signed up without thinking if it would be interesting or if it would be useful to me, and to be honest I did not make a mistake! I attended five different courses in the categories of communications and marketing, as the most suitable subjects for me. I believe that every young person should study these courses, which will be very useful in life, in everyday life and the job search. I am currently working abroad, but after my return to Bitola, I will apply again for the courses, especially for the topics of innovation. YMCA and HP thank you for this opportunity you have given me, see you again soon! Elena Being employed and being a parent at the same time is much more difficult than it seems, I am Elena Ivanov, 28 years old, from Bitola. I have been in the YMCA for several years with short breaks. My job position is office manager. In the past years, we worked on non-formal education and organized summer camps, but after the great pandemic that happened, I can say that the HP courses are the best thing that happened at the YMCA. In addition to my daily duties, I still had the opportunity to take several courses on the subject of communications, which is what attracts me the most and I would like to share with you that the Business e-mail and Business Communication courses are courses you must attend. The courses are not long, the maximum time you will need is 1 hour.  I would be very happy if you decide to attend these courses of the HP life program and of course, I want to thank HP and the YMCA for this great opportunity of free courses in our city. Philip Hello, my name is Filip Bozinovski and I am 17 years old. I want to say that I have completed all the courses of the HP Life project and I can say that I am quite satisfied. I learned about the HP Life courses from my high school “Josip Broz-Tito” from Bitola. Through these courses, I have acquired quite useful and good skills that I find myself in in the future. I desire to further study at a university whose task is to acquaint us with skills that use technology and help humanity. The courses are easy, short, entirely online, and above all, free. I would personally recommend these courses to all my friends and acquaintances as a starting point for acquiring useful computer skills that can help everyone, especially young people who are interested in starting their own business or upgrading their computer skills. Now, I have finished my last course, and as my favorites, I can single out the communication courses, as well as the Success Mindset course. I thank the YMCA as well as the HP because they provide conditions for a quick way of learning useful skills. Jana From my experience so far, I only know that digital education opens up a world of possibilities for me. My name is Jana, I live and study in France. I have a very busy schedule and I am very happy that I am in the right place at the moment where I have access to high-quality courses that help me to keep up with the latest trends in my 3D printing industry, all thanks to YMCA and HP courses. I had the opportunity to choose whether I wanted to listen to the course in English or French. I chose French, which is really of great importance to me. The courses are easy to understand, they are not long and the most important thing is that I also received a certificate for completing the course, and all for free! Guys, I hope that you will manage to find at least one hour a week and dedicate it only for you and you will improve yourself above all as individuals. YMCA and HP, thank you for the opportunity you gave me, see you again that is for sure! Read here to learn more about this project