About the training course

The training course will build on previous work done by the Council of Europe in the area of Artificial Intelligence, and especially on the outcomes of the seminars organised by the Youth Department in 2019 and 2020.

The course will take place in the European Youth Centre in Budapest (EYCB) and last for 5 days (excluding travel days). Participants are expected to attend in person, subject to the evolution of the covid-related protocols on travel and meetings. The methodology will be based on non-formal education approaches and make use of participants experience. The course programme will particularly make use of the set of educational resources on AI literacy and of the handbook on youth participation in Internet governance.
The course will welcome participants with various expertise on the topic. Participants who have not worked with the topic of Artificial Intelligence/internet governance but are looking to build a competence in the area can also apply.

The course also contributes to the Youth Department campaign Democracy Here, Democracy Now that will run from March until October 2022 where one focus is the impact of digitalisation on democracy. The dissemination of tools for AI literacy can support engagement of more young people.

 Aims and objectives

The course aims at strengthening the capacity of the youth sector to contribute to integrate AI literacy and governance issues by developing the competences of multipliers and youth leaders to explore the impact of Artificial Intelligence on young people’s lives and access to human rights, and to support young people in being participants in Internet governance and multipliers of AI literacy.
AI literacy refers in this context to young people having access to information about Artificial Intelligence, and to the skills and competences needed to understand how algorithmic systems work and what their impact is on everyday life in society.

Objectives of the course

  • • To explore AI’s impact on participation, engagement and decision-making opportunities of young people and the connection and interaction between existing human rights frameworks and AI practises
  • • To introduce principles and approaches of literacy and advocacy on matters of Artificial Intelligence and Internet Governance based on Council of Europe standards in the fields of human rights, democratic participation and non-formal education
  • • To prepare multipliers to undertake activities on AI literacy with young people
  • • To support the preparation of the youth campaign on revitalising democracy, in particular the digitalisation dimension.
  • • To assess the relevance and adequacy of current resources on AI literacy and Internet governance in view of their further development and dissemination.

 Profile of participants

Participants of the training course are expected to be:

  • Multipliers and facilitators of youth activities
  • Youth workers and youth leaders
  • Active in youth organisations, youth centres or institutions
  • Interested in developing competences to working with AI literacy and Internet governance with young people and to act as multipliers after the course.

All participants should also:

  • Be resident in a country signatory of the European Cultural Convention
  • Be aged between 18 and 30
  • Be committed to attend for the full duration of the course
  • Be able to work in English.

The Council of Europe welcomes applications from all candidates who fulfil the specific profile of the activities, irrespective of gender, disability, marital or parental status, racial, ethnic or social origin, colour, religion, belief or sexual orientation.