Tools

Internet and Personal Identity

This topic is mostly related to the issue of virtuality
When young people surf the web they have the opportunity to take on a new persona and pretend to be someone else. The aim of this exercise is to analyse psychological issues related to multiple identities and to understand the possibilities and risks that young people could face on the web. Young people should be helped to understand that what they find on the Internet is not always real.

The expected learning outcomes for youth workers:
- Independence : work alone
- Determination : be persistent and determined
- Own identity: be comfortable with the way you look; express yourself, your views and opinions to others; respect the thoughts and feelings of others
- Building relationships: collaborate and co-operate with others
- Problem–solving : identify problems; develop strategies and solutions
- Speaking and listening : follow instructions; debate and discuss ideas in small/large groups; explain own ideas and listen to others’ ideas/views.
- Basic mind-mapping of ideas : ability to see and understand the “bigger picture� - Verbal communication/reasoning : critically assess ideas and contributions; engage in meaningful discussion; ask clear questions to clarify issues.

The expected learning outcomes for youth:
- Independence : work alone
- Determination : be persistent and determined
- Own identity: be comfortable with the way you look; express yourself, your views and opinions to others; respect the thoughts and feelings of others
- Speaking and listening : follow instructions; debate and discuss ideas in small/large groups; explain own ideas and listen to others’ ideas/views.

1. Avatar
2. Virtual socialisation
3. Virtual community

During these three activities the participants: 1) create their own avatar (the avatar is the software representation of a person as they appear to others in a shared virtual universe); 2) visit a virtual world; 3) surf a virtual community.

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