DigiYouth is an experiential learning programme. Students learn by doing – they practice digital entrepreneurship. In several Estonian, Finnish, Latvian and Swedish schools, teachers and mentors support the activities of cross-border student startups. Students engage in the development of digital products or services starting from idea creation and formation of teams, through the prototyping until marketing and sales. The process is as close to real life as possible, taking into account participating students age and skills level.
Startup development takes place inside regular schooldays, combining and integrating elements of several subjects: math and science, computer studies, arts and crafts, civic studies and English language. In DigiYouth process, most of the 21st century skills can be developed. The focus is on the following:
Self-management
How to understand oneself better? How do find motivation? How to manage time and energy? How to enjoy making mistakes and learn from them? How to be persistent to reach one´s goals?
Problem-solving
How to be more creative, think out-of-box and find innovative solutions to problems? How to think critically and find information or arguments to support one´s case?
Communication skills
How to be flexible and efficient in communication? How to handle difficult situations? How to cope with cultural differences? How to take initiative and be a good leader? How to argue for one´s cause?
Digital skills
How to make use of all the new technologies that are more and more shaping our lives? How to use them to make life better and more fun?
The study module on digital entrepreneurship lasts for 3 half-years. Students from four countries meet once in every half year. Between the meetings, they communicate with their international “colleagues” regularly using video-conferencing and collaboration tools. During the process, students also participate in national and regional hackathons, robotics, start-up, business idea and innovation competitions etc.
Study materials are situated to intraweb which are currently accessible for the participating students, teachers and mentors.