Comprehensive free toolkit responds to sector knowledge and confidence gaps
The National Youth Agency (NYA) has launched a Digital Youth Work Resource, providing youth workers across England with practical guidance, frameworks, and confidence to engage young people with youth work using digital, as well as support them to stay safe and utilise digital spaces to make meaningful connections, use their voice and have fun.
Developed in response to 2024 research revealing capability and confidence gaps across the sector, the resource supports youth workers to engage with young people online as digital technology is increasingly embedded in their lives. In a survey of almost 400 youth workers (371), just 66% said they understood what digital youth work is. Half of respondents said they knew how to integrate digital activities in existing sessions, and 73% said they knew how to safeguard young people during digital sessions.
”"Young people are already online building relationships, seeking support and navigating complex digital risks, from misinformation to AI companions. They need trusted youth workers who are well equipped to meet them there and hold informed conversations."
“This resource is designed to tackle barriers to delivering digital youth work to complement the essential and high-value face-to-face youth work that is carried out across England. It also creates opportunity to reach more young people who for multiple reasons, may find it difficult to access youth work elsewhere. Digital should be integrated into all services where appropriate to create more accessible pathways.”
Bex PinkNational Digital Innovation Lead, NYA
The comprehensive resource provides six core development areas: following young people’s lead, exploring digital tools at your own pace, implementing robust safeguarding in digital settings, integrating digital wellbeing into all programmes, horizon-scanning emerging technologies like AI companions, and learning from sector-leading case studies.
The resource addresses real-world practitioner concerns, step-by-step safeguarding guidance, links to specialist training providers, and critically, examples of youth work organisations already delivering outstanding digital youth work in a highly skilled way, including AI, virtual reality, games consoles, and online digital youth clubs.
”"People with cystic fibrosis cannot meet in-person due to the risk of sharing dangerous infections, which can be very isolating for children with the condition. Our programme fights this isolation by harnessing the power of digital youth work. We push the boundaries and use our digital youth work to help change lives - creating an online space where children, young people and families feel they truly belong. We redefine what it means to build connections, form friendships and provide peer support for people with CF and their families.”
Ellie MindelLead for Children and Young People at Cystic Fibrosis Trust
The Introduction to Digital Youth Work resource has been shaped by the NYA’s ongoing work to capture best practice, youth work and tech sector insights, and the real experiences of young people in a digital world. This includes regular consultation with young people, and with youth work practitioners and leaders through the NYA Digital Innovation Network to share knowledge and ensure the sector evolves alongside the rapidly changing digital landscape.
As the national body for youth work in England, the NYA aims to build recognition of digital youth work as an essential component of professional practice, which cuts across all aspects of the National Youth Work Curriculum. The resource forms part of NYA’s broader commitment to ensuring all young people have access to quality youth work.
