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The Pixels of Change ONLINE program was carried out in September 2025, during the 7th edition of the Digital Citizenship Education Week, bringing students from all parts of Romania to develop their digital competencies. This year's edition of the program was organised both online, as well as in person, and was facilitated by 6 European Solidarity Corps volunteers from Poland, Georgia and Romania. As part of this program, 36 workshops were conducted, involving 16 organisations (6 for in person workshop, and 10 for online activities), reaching with a total of 450 participants in total.
Context
As technology continues to reshape every aspect of our lives, the need for digital literacy has never been more pressing. Navigating the digital world goes beyond just using devices; it involves understanding how to communicate responsibly, protect personal data, produce meaningful content, and critically assess information online. The rapid pace of technological advancements demands a proactive approach to learning, where young people not only acquire digital skills but also develop the mindset to adapt continuously. Through fostering digital competencies, the Pixels of Change programme aims to empower students to take control of their digital experiences, preparing them to participate safely, ethically, and effectively in an increasingly digital society.
In this context, digital competencies are seen as essential life skills, contributing to personal growth, academic success, and active citizenship. The Pixels of Change programme embraces a holistic approach, where learning is not confined to traditional classrooms but extends to interactive and engaging settings that foster real-world applications. By equipping students with foundational digital knowledge, skills, and attitudes, the program seeks to lay the groundwork for lifelong learning and inspire young people to use digital technologies for positive social change.
Since 2025 was considered the Year of Digital Citizenship Education by the Council of Europe, we wanted to organise the second edition of the award winning Pixels of Change series of workshops. To do this, 6 European Solidarity Corps volunteers from Georgia, Poland and Romania have been involved in the facilitation of this year's activities. Over the span of 5 weeks, they adapted the methodology for online activities and have facilitated in person the workshops for students in Bucharest as well as online for involved young people from across the country.
Workshops
The Pixels of Change program is a series of five workshops, facilitated by our European Solidarity Corps volunteers. They go to high schools to support students in exploring digital topics through non-formal education. During these sessions, they encourage the class to share ideas, keep an open discussion, and reflect on important topics to become more aware of the digital transformation and equip them with key competencies to use while actively contributing to positive change in their communities.
It covers the following topics: digital competencies, safety, online information, digital content production, and communication. The core concepts are based on the Digital Competence Wheel, an interactive online tool developed by the Center for Digital Dannelse, starting from the Digital Competence Framework for Citizens (DIGCOMP 2.2) framework. We have also used DIGCOMP 2.2 to define the knowledge, skills, and attitudes we aim to foster among our target group. However, these do not represent an exhaustive list of what the digital competence itself entails, but a solid foundation on which students can add more layers through follow-up learning programmes.
The ESC volunteers updated the methodology of Pixels of Change ONLINE and tailored it to the needs of the young. The methodology included:| Non-formal education methods that are online-friendly, for inclusive online interactions | Challanging ice-breakers & energizers adapted for an online format | Online treasurehunt with an associated creative task list |
| Q&A on cyberbullying and digital stress with Adrian Frandeș, a clinical psychologist, accredited trainer and co-funder of South Talks. | Online quizzes with interactive and competitive elements | Social media personas creation and communication based on online presence |
| Mapping digital competencies according to the format of the digital competencies wheel | False information identifying using the CRAAP tool | Interactive multistakeholder debate in the style of an Internet Governance Forum simulation |
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Impact
In total, the activities have gathered over 450 participants, of which 240 joined Pixels of Change ONLINE, 150 joined the series in person and 70 participants for the Internet Governance Forum Simulation. After these activities, we may conclude the impact as follows:
- 9 out of 10 participants stated that they feel more confident in the area of digital literacy and digital competencies.
- Over 72% of participants improved their abilities to evaluate and work with information online.
- 62% of participants raised their awareness of digital safety and protecting their personal data online.
- More than half of the young strengthen their communication skills, including the collaboration online.
- Over 60% of the participants want to grow their skills related to safety.
“the online workshop was truly a game-changer”
The online workshop I recently attended was truly a game-changer for me. Despite the fact that it was held entirely online, I felt completely engaged and came away with so many practical, valuable skills. The focus on online safety was excellent and provided a much-needed reminder of the importance of protecting our personal data... I'm leaving the workshop feeling much more secure and empowered, not just as a user, but as a creator in the digital space. I'd highly recommend it to anyone who wants to take their online presence seriously and protect what they create.“the workshops gave me practical tools”
The Pixels of Change workshops gave me practical tools and fresh perspectives that I could immediately apply. They were engaging, supportive, and truly empowering.“the tasks were fun and educational”
I really enjoyed this week. This was way more fun than I expected. The team brought great energy, the tasks were fun and educational, and the time flew by. We learned a lot while having fun — special thanks to the volunteers for making it so engaging!“The lessons were engaging and easy to follow”
The Pixels of Change course helped me improve my digital skills in a clear and practical way. The lessons were engaging and easy to follow, and now I feel more confident using online tools safely and effectively.“Pixels of Change made digital learning fun and engaging”
Pixels of Change made digital learning fun and engaging! These workshops helped me feel much more confident using digital tools, and expressing myself online.
Contact
If you would like to bring Pixels of Change workshops in your hishchool, please, contact us.!
Available locations: Bucharest Romania & Online Pixels of Change workshops are organized free of charge by GEYC with the support of the European Commission through the European Solidarity Corps programme as part of our Digital commitment. 