At the end of October, participants from eight different countries came together in Trnava for a full week dedicated to something we all deal with every day, our digital lives. The Cyber Wellbeing training course (28 October–4 November 2025) focused on helping youth workers gain new skills to support young people online, from staying safe to feeling mentally balanced in the digital world.
Throughout the week, we explored digital well-being, cyber safety, social media, AI tools and of course how all of this affects young people’s emotions, confidence and choices.
Our first workshops looked at what “cyber well-being” actually means. In simple words: it’s about having a healthy relationship with technology and making sure it helps our mental and emotional health instead of harming it.
We talked about endless scrolling, comparison on Instagram, and how constant notifications keep our brains on alert. One question stayed with many of us: Do you control your digital life, or does it control you?
Another workshop focused on our digital identity, or all the little traces we leave online without even noticing, photos, comments, tags, search history, usernames, you name it.
One of the most emotional parts of the week was the digital empathy workshop. Through short real-life scenarios, like someone getting ignored in a group chat or dealing with a mean comment, we saw how easily online actions can hurt people even if we don’t mean to. Participants discussed how simple gestures like replying, reacting with kindness, or checking in privately can make online spaces safer and friendlier. It showed all of us that empathy doesn’t disappear just because we’re behind a screen.
In today’s online world, misinformation spreads incredibly fast. The fact-checking workshop helped us understand how to verify what we see, how to avoid sharing fake news, and how misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation differ from each other. We also discovered several trustworthy fact-checking websites from across Europe. This session felt especially relevant, because young people often get overwhelmed by the amount of content they see, and youth workers need to help them navigate it safely.
Another important topic was how online behavior affects mental health. We discussed cyberbullying, online harassment, negative comments, and how likes can create dopamine “highs” while criticism can bring people down quickly. Youth workers shared real stories from their practice, and together we brainstormed ways to help young people build resilience and cope with stressful digital moments.
A very practical and interactive part of the training was the set of “Cyber Well-Being Stations.” Each station focused on a different theme, online friendship, boundaries, privacy, emotions, and personal growth.
And lasly, the digital campaigns workshop was all about turning online spaces into tools for positive change. We explored what makes a campaign truly powerful, clear messaging, emotional storytelling, and authenticity, and tried out creative tools like Canva, CapCut, ChatGPT, and Pexels to design eye-catching content. Groups then worked on small awareness campaigns focused on themes such as cyberbullying, online empathy, and digital detox, showing how even simple ideas can spark meaningful conversations. We finished the workshop with one key reminder: you don’t need a huge audience to make an impact, just a message that matters and the courage to share it.
