Digital Literacy Linked to Increase in Confidence Among Refugee Teens
Educational aid nonprofit, Hello Future’s 2019 impact report shows the benefits of digital education skills among adolescent refugees
NEW YORK, NY ― Hello Future, a nonprofit working to transform the refugee experience from forgotten, alone, and stuck to connected and empowered so they can thrive anywhere, concluded its 2019 summer workshop in Iraqi Kurdistan. In this workshop, 43 students ranging from age 13 to 18 completed the educational program and gained digital skills geared to improve their educational and employment opportunities.
Through a student survey, Syrian refugee teens in Camp Arbat reported an increase in confidence in their digital skills and feel more positive about their future following their involvement in Hello Future’s digital literacy workshop. Specifically, students reported an increase in:
Self-confidence using phones, mobile technology, and the internet
Understanding of the importance of phones and the internet
Knowledge of mobile technology’s ability to help teens earn a living
Understanding how mobile technology skills can help achieve career goals
Understanding how skills involving phones and the internet can be helpful in everyday life
Understanding of the need for a mastery of mobile technology for future work
After two consecutive years of working with these teens, Hello Future is sharing the key components of their curriculum that builds students’ digital literacy and overall confidence. These components include:
Essential digital skills
Psychosocial support
Entrepreneurship
Critical thinking
Learning to learn
Cryptocurrency
“Modern work is built around email communications, productivity tools and collaborative work,” notes Hello Future founder and Executive Director, Charlie Grosso. “Remote work, a growing worldwide trend, relies even more on these skills. But the majority of refugee youth have never been exposed to these fundamental tools. Through Hello Future, we teach our students hard and soft skills that restore their sense of agency, motivation, and hope.”
When refugee teens learn from a curriculum that addresses their digital academic skills alongside their social and emotional skills, and teaches them how to apply these skills in the current economy, these teens reimagine what their futures can look like.
To learn more about these results and Hello Future’s innovative curriculum, download the full impact report at: https://www.hellofuture.io/impact.