Uniting for Impact: YMCA & HP Nederland’s Youth Empowerment Journey – Bridging Digital Skills with Real-World Connections.
In this digital age, fostering real-word connections and empowering youth with essential skills is more crucial than ever. YMCA Netherlands, together with HP Netherlands, has built a strategy to connect better with young people through game camps and digital skilling projects.
The YMCA-HP gaming camps allow young people to come and play games whilst at the same time making friends in real-life instead of online friends. These camps serve as a refreshing alternative to online gaming platforms and provide a space for interpersonal interaction, growth, and helps mitigate the risks of video game addiction.
Most importantly, the camps cater to a diverse range of participants and allow for a more socially inclusive experience, particularly for youth with special needs.
Our partner, HP, has also continuously and generously supported the empowerment of young people through giving access to their experience centers, which offers a hands-on experience with cutting-edge technologies.
With this, we hope to spark curiosity and interests in the exciting, ever-developing world of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) field. In the coming months, about 25-30 young people aged 11 to 15 from local YMCAs will participate in in the “YMCA Future and by Youth Project”, where they will collaborate with HP staffs in envisioning and designing future applications of artificial intelligence (AI).
By engaging directly with emerging technologies such as AI and exploring their potential impact on society, we aim to introduce young people to the uses of technology, whilst at the same time provide valuable insight and develop critical thinking skills.
Furthermore, YMCA Netherlands is taking concrete steps to integrate digital skilling into its programs, with one local chapter creating a dedicated room to teach computer skills. Supported by donations of devices and equipment from HP, this initiative provides young people with critical foundational knowledge and skills.
Moreover, plans are underway to incorporate , an online learning platform offering courses in entrepreneurship, business, and IT, into the curriculum to further expand both educational and employment opportunities for youth.
Providing access to innovative programs, resources, and mentorship is essential to build confidence, purpose, and agency for young people in the digital era, and we believe that this is a strong step forward in the right direction to fulfilling our mission of closing the digital gap.
