DigiPad: digital literacy initiative for vulnerable young people

Click F1's mission

"Click F1 is an educational organisation dedicated to helping vulnerable people," explains Director and co-founder Alice Erens. "We believe that everyone can learn and develop if approached in the right way. By interacting with young people positively and keeping the access thresholds low, you can inspire them to take opportunities and accept new challenges."

Click F1 has a lot of experience of various settings, including youth detention centres and secure institutions for young people. "We saw that demand for digital literacy support was growing in those complex settings," says Alice. "So we came up with DigiPad as a way of meeting that demand."

What is DigiPad?

DigiPad is made available on MediaWise, an innovative platform that combines education, reintegration and entertainment. It's been developed specially for secure institutions where young people don't have unrestricted access to the internet. "The platform is unique in the Dutch context," explains project coordinator Max ter Beek. "Young people can get information there, submit requests and take interactive lessons, all within a secure, user-friendly environment."

DigiPad's content is tailored to suit the target audience, with short, bite-size modules that align with young people's lived experiences and follow the guidelines of the Netherlands Institute for Curriculum Development (SLO). "The lessons are about things like managing your digital tracks and how to present yourself on social media," says Max. "Skills that are vital to the futures of the people we're trying to help."

Challenges and innovation

Many of the young people Click F1 works with have had negative experiences of education, and aren't able to tolerate a lot of stress. So the DigiPad modules are playful, interactive and practical. "Each lesson within a module lasts an average of 15 to 20 minutes, so that participants don't feel overwhelmed," Alice continues. "That's important because, as well as imparting knowledge, we want to build self-confidence."

Within the strictly regulated environment of a youth detention centre, flexibility is essential. DigiPad therefore uses modular lesson blocks, making it easy for teachers to adapt to the group dynamic and cope with unexpected situations.

Support from SIDN Fund

With support from SIDN Fund, Click F1 is pushing ahead with the DigiPad rollout. As well as getting additional content, the platform's reach will be extended. Click F1 has now formed alliances with organisations such as the Aloysius Foundation, Pluryn and several youth detention centres. Ultimately, the aim is to make DigiPad available to all institutions working with vulnerable young people, include those with special educational needs.

However, the project is more than just a platform. An open-source version of DigiPad is under development, so that other professionals have access to the materials and can adapt them to their own needs. "That way, DigiPad will remain a living project that moves with the times," says Alice. "Knowledge-sharing and collaboration enable us to ensure that the programme stays relevant and reaches as many young people as possible."

SIDN Fund's Mieke van Heesewijk explains why the Fund is pleased to back Click F1. "We're supporting the DigiPad project because it's an excellent solution for young people in detention, who are often excluded from digital developments taking place in wider society. As the world continues to go digital, it's vital that these young people aren't left behind. As well as boosting digital literacy in the target group, DigiPad offers vulnerable young people new opportunities and improves their prospects."

Better futures

With DigiPad, Click F1 is aiming to give young people not only digital skills, but also a sense of self-worth and a better future. "Our dream is for all young people to have access to the skills they need to cope independently, regardless of their circumstances," says Max.

DigiPad's success is partly down to close collaboration amongst professionals from various disciplines. "We work with a team of social workers, creatives and educational specialists," Alice clarifies. "Society is constantly changing, and our approach is changing with it."

Thanks to the vision of Click F1, the support of SIDN Fund and an extensive network of partners, DigiPad has become a powerful tool for assisting vulnerable young people and helping them reintegrate into society.