Reading for another essay

While waiting for some feedback on the first bit of my ethnographic report, I started working on another essay - formative (will receive feedback, not an official grade), prep for my late-May ‘exam’. I choose this research question: * Q5. Do digital and social media bring us together or drive us apart? *

The short answer will be that they bring us together, in my opinion, but there’s one catch (besides tech issues) and this is where my experience will be very relevant. When trying to engage in hybrid or digital youth work, especially in a context that requires trust and relationship-building, it’s crucial that the young people know you personally, face-to-face. Digital-only worked well during COVID and still works for specific non-formal education activities. However, if you want to step in the shoes of the Youth Worker, offering a bit of guidance, counselling, relevant information, and creating that mutual learning environment, digital-only won’t do. Video calls might get things moving a bit, but something’s missing until the individual materialises. And this goes both ways - for the young person and for the youth worker.

I will be looking mostly at myself and how I use digital media in my practice, but also at how I form working relationships with young people who are 2000 kilometres away, in Baia Mare. I’ll be reflecting on the awesome Poetry Night that I attended at the youth centre, while I was sitting in my living room and all the things I’ve been doing online since COVID. I’ve read some amazing pieces about digital/hybrid youth work today, so tomorrow morning I’ll probably start writing. Can’t wait!