Wie ein Schwarzer Schwan das Schwarze Schaf zum Schäfer machte: Oder wie die Corona-Pandemie als Katalysator für digitale Jugendarbeit fungierte

Abstract

Digital youth work is a topic that is controversially discussed among all those involved, be they young people, employees, or institutional managers. During the lockdown, however, digital youth work was the only way to accompany young people. The Corona pandemic functioned as a catalyst for digital youth work. Suddenly a highly unlikely event, a so-called Black Swan, made digital methods, digital tools, and digitally affine employees indispensable.

While almost all social institutions had to interrupt the contact to their addressees, the Open Youth Work in Vorarlberg immediately switched to digital methods, channels, and platforms. This made it possible to accompany young people from the very beginning and during the lockdown, thus ensuring at least a certain degree of stability. Which experiences were made and which problems existed and were added, will be described in the present article. Youth work, but also social work in general, must face the virtual world. For this reason, topics such as algorithmic social classification, the connection between technological theory constructs and socio-professional work bases, or the necessity of reflecting on state surveillance and control ambitions are briefly discussed. In this way, the heterogeneity and the overall social relevance of digital social work are highlighted.

Keywords: digital youth work, social work, virtual youth center, challenge, lockdown, Black Swan