The META YOUTH project’s main purpose is to empower the youth’s digital competency by raising awareness about the metaverse and metaverse gaming. The concept of metaverse is defined as the ability to extend the physical world using a set of immersive digital technologies and the use of three-dimensional spaces. Playful virtual environments and Massively Multiplayer Online role-playing games (MMOs) have been described as precursors to the metaverse. However, even today, four out of five (80%) young people aged 16 to 24 in the EU appear to have only basic or just above basic digital skills, as they seem to lag in terms of security, privacy, evaluation of media and information use.

The objectives to be achieved by META YOUTH are:

  1. educating young people to understand correctly what constitutes the metaverse, in order to make better informed decisions about their personal involvement,
  2. empowering young people and making them more aware of the possibilities for entertainment, communication and interaction offered by the metaverse/metaverse gaming, but also of the consequences and risks they may face,
  3. enhancing young people’s critical appreciation and understanding of the dynamics of the creative industries of the metaverse,
  4. defining a structured and integrated educational approach for the promotion and management of metaverse and metaverse gaming in Europe,
  5. setting up information and training material for youth trainers on the subject and defining their responsibilities towards the youth they train and support.

META YOUTH is crafted in collaboration with competent institutions (Panteio Panepistimio Koinonikon Kai Politikon Epistimon, XENIOS POLIS, Elliniko Mesogeiako Panepistimio, ARSINOE, S.E.A. Tuscia, University of Tirana)  from 4 countries (Greece, Cyprus, Italy, and Albania) dedicated to creating practical and useful contributions to the priorities of the ERASMUS+ 2024 programme such as a virtual platform and courses to raise awareness for metaverse and metaverse gaming.