From 19 to 27 January 2026, the Axis team took part in the training course “Side of Intelligence 2.0”, organized by EuroActive, a youth NGO founded in 2019 and based in Curtea de Argeș, Romania. The training took place in Evrenseki (Side), Türkiye, and brought together youth workers from different Erasmus+ program countries to explore how artificial intelligence can be used with young people and for quality youth work.
The training course was part of the SIDE BY SIDE strategic framework, a two year Erasmus+ journey running from 2025 to 2027 that connects Professional Development Activities, Youth Exchanges, and a Youth Work Innovation Lab into one continuous learning process. In December 2025, the first activity in this framework built a shared understanding of AI in youth work and started a European network of organizations working on digital transformation. Side of Intelligence 2.0 went one step further, testing and refining the tools, methods, and ideas created during that first activity, and working with new and more complex cases from the participating organizations.
The project aimed to empower youth workers with awareness, critical understanding, and practical insights into artificial intelligence, through four main objectives: building a shared understanding of what AI is and how it works, reflecting critically on its ethical and safety implications in youth work, experimenting with practical and responsible ways to integrate AI tools into non-formal learning, and strengthening a European network of organizations committed to ethical digital innovation.
Over seven working days, we followed a non-formal education structure made of workshops, applied labs, peer learning, and hands-on experimentation. We discussed youth work in the age of AI, explored practical AI tools, and reflected on how these technologies can enhance learning, creativity, and participation. At the same time, we openly addressed the risks and challenges AI brings for young people, and how youth workers can guide them towards responsible and ethical use.
Through a mix of theoretical inputs and interactive workshops, we tested innovative methods, including a game developed within the project SEED2STEM, and took part in an AI powered Treasure Hunt, experiencing firsthand how learning can become more engaging and meaningful.
By the end of the course, the participating organizations had developed four practical results together: an AI Ethics and Safety Charter, a Practical Guide for Responsible AI Use in Youth Work, a set of AI Automation Recipes, and a collection of Cautionary AI Tales written by youth workers to spark discussion with young people about consent, deepfakes, and over reliance on AI.
We also had an amazing workshop led by Jovan Petrović from the Axis team, showing participants how to use the n8n platform in youth work, from automating administrative tasks to building tools that support participants directly.
This experience strengthened our knowledge, inspired new ideas, and motivated us to further integrate innovation into our everyday youth work. We are thankful to EuroActive for organizing this training course and for creating a space where youth workers could learn, reflect, and build lasting partnerships around the responsible use of AI in youth work.