Webinar on well-being online: amplifying the voices of young people within the European Year 2025

What are the challenges, risks and opportunities of using digital devices in and outside schools? What are the views of young people in the context of well-being online? The webinar on digital well-being, held on 6 November 2025, aimed at raising awareness of the value of digital citizenship education presenting effective strategies for promoting digital well-being and good practices for tackling the complex digital environment in and outside schools.

The webinar was co-organised by the Education Department of the Council of Europe and European Schoolnet within the framework of the European Year of Digital Citizenship Education 2025. It brought together experts, academics, representatives from ministries of education and NGOs, and young people from different European countries who shared their views on rights and responsibilities online.

Digital technologies including social media provide benefits for everyone and especially for young people. “The greatest power of social media is that it allows young people to meet others who may not be from their country, even from the other side of the world, and gain wonderful perspectives that can truly help and improve their lives”, explained Adrian (Slovak Republic), BIK Youth Programme.

At the same time, the challenges are there ever present including potential risks of navigating in the digital environment. “Digital devices should be seen as tools, not as goals”, pointed out Ms Petra Bevek, Undersecretary, Slovenian Ministry of Education and DCE Promoter. The use of digital devices should always enhance well-being instead hindering it. Furthermore, these technologies should be regulated to ensure that the learning environment in schools is for the highest benefit of the learners. “Digital Devices can truly empower students only when teachers guide them to use these tools with empathy, self-regulation and critical thinking”, Mr Dalibor Todorovic, Computer Science and IT Teacher, highlighted during the discussion.

Fostering digital well-being has then become a pressing issue which needs to be addressed effectively. “Digital transformation should never come at the expense of our well-being”, emphasised Laura Lindberg, Head of Communications, European Schoolnet. In this regard, digital citizenship education as designed by the Council of Europe provides a comprehensive framework where health and well-being, among other key topics, can be addressed holistically and not as a stand-alone issue. “By mainstreaming digital citizenship education across Europe, we aim to provide the tools and the effective approach to tackle current and future challenges holistically, ensuring that learners thrive using the digital technologies”, underlined Mr Ahmet Murat Kılıç, Head of the Digital Transformation Unit.

For more information:

European Year of Digital Citizenship Education 2025

Health and Well-Being – Council of Europe Education Department