We live in a so-called digital era where digital media and innovative online tools have extensive influence on reaching our personal and professional goals, on mobilizing young people and youth NGOs, as well as creating smart and inclusive society. For that reason, Centre for European Progression (CFEP) participated in the project “Digital Youthquake” in Serbia, Belgrade, on 8-16 October 2016. The project leader was the Center for Social and Economic Development (in Serbian: Centar za drustveno ekonomski razvoj, www.cder.org.rs). The organisation welcomed participants aged between 20 and 35 years old, with different educational background but with a common desire: to improve the quality of their digital communication skills and promote their home organisations’ activities and values.
The main purposes of this project were to: a) increase the capacity of youth organisations/workers in the field of digital literacy/activism, foster their active participation in society and intraregional and transregional cooperation between 11 youth NGOs from 5 Partner and 5 Programme countries from Western Balkans, Western and Northen Europe and b) evolve digital youth activism and reinforce digital promotion of youth policy and democratic values on transregional and European level. Despite our different backgrounds and interests we are all confronted to and influenced by digital tools.
The training course provided digital literacy/activism transversal (technical, practical and analytical) skills for 30 youth workers from 10 partner NGOs. Trainees acquired invaluable experience and useful information on how to become digitally literate, master digital tools – Facebook, Twitter, Blog, Newsletter, Flipboard, Google
tools. 
We also learned how ti create digital media plan; learn graphic design, storytelling and other tools e.g. surveys, cloud collaboration, agile project management; enhance skills for teaching the youth on digital literacy/activism; raise awareness and advocate youth activism towards stakeholders.
We were very pleased to learn such useful tools such as Trello and Slack to easy the group work, Canva to edit pictures to make them fit our website, Facebook covers and much more. On the other hand, CFEP was able to share its own knowledge about digital tools we are already using to write press releases, newsletters and send out invitations, such as Google forms, MailChimp and update also our website and social media pages (Facebook and LinkedIn).
We shared our experience in the youth sector and the problems in our mutual country. Even if the European youth faces the same issues there are distinctive characteristics for each country. CFEP introduced the problems that people face in the Eurobubble in Brussels because it was unknown to many of our fellow neighbors. Moreover, during this week we had the chance to learn more about the historical and political background of the Balkan region. The participants have many different views and it was interesting to detect the divisions in the debate.
That work was accompanied by meeting with Nikola Rejicic, the deputy director of the office for Youth Hub at Beogradanka, where we explained the goals and activities of our NGO and how youth organizations work in our home country. We visited the museum of the Serbian inventor, Nikola Tesla, the city of Beograde, Kalemegdan forstress and its magnificent park, contemplated St Sava Temple, coming always along with Rakija ice breaking and networking sessions.
On a human perspective the participation in the Digital Youthquake was a great, educative and constructive experience of exchanging best practices over many different topics, working in a multicultural, multilingual and multiethnic environment, contributing to the development of mutual understanding, trust and tolerance within different groups of people. It was a unique occasion to share our knowledge in the digital field and to bring a better savoir-faire back home.