Digijeunes has long been committed to opening doors for young people who are too often left out of digital education — especially migrant youth and those currently outside the formal school system. Through informal, hands-on STEAM learning, the organisation creates safe, inspiring spaces where young people can build confidence, explore digital tools, and reconnect with curiosity.
This year, with support from Meet and Code, Digijeunes ran two workshops for teenagers in Toulouse. Rather than focusing on technical mastery, the activities sought to help young people feel capable, motivated, and connected — many for the first time in months or even years. Participants tried technologies they had never seen before, worked together, and experienced what it means to create something with their own hands and ideas.
The impact was immediate. Several teens were so engaged that they asked to take microcontrollers home to continue experimenting. One participant expressed a desire to build his own Arduino-based vehicle — a level of self-directed ambition that educators recognised as a breakthrough moment. Others, particularly newly arrived migrants, connected the workshop content with school subjects like physics and mathematics, making learning relevant again.
As project manager Simone Ferrecchia observed, the spark went far beyond skills:
A couple of people asked for more information about the microcontroller (...). They took it home and said they were eager to experiment. One participant even said he would like to build his own Arduino base. I think we really sparked some interest in experimenting with digital technology in an open-ended, project-based fashion.
For many who had disengaged from school, the workshops also offered something deeply needed: a sense of belonging. The group setting, peer support, and welcoming atmosphere helped rebuild trust in learning.
Simone described this as one of the most meaningful outcomes:
They showed up! So there is a need for such activities in this community. They need educational activities to get them back on track because they all attend school. So the objective is that one day they will be able to go to school.
Despite mixed skill levels the workshops achieved what mattered most: restoring motivation, confidence, and hope — and proving that learning can be joyful, empowering, and open to everyone.
