Offline Shift: Generations, Digital Life and the Things That Still Happen Offline

Between 31 May and 8 June, 30 young people from Romania, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania and Türkiye explored how different generations relate to technology and discovered how hobbies can become sources of joy, connection and even future opportunities.

Where do the different relationships that generations have with technology come from? Why are more and more young people rediscovering analogue hobbies? And how can we find balance in a world where so much of our lives takes place online?

These were some of the questions behind Offline Shift, the youth exchange that brought together participants from Romania, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania and Türkiye in Bucharest.

Over the course of a week, participants explored how different generations relate to the internet, the stereotypes that exist between generations, time spent online, and the connection between hobbies, creativity and entrepreneurship.

These themes were approached through non-formal education activities, games, reflection exercises, teamwork and creative challenges that encouraged participants to examine their own digital habits and discover different perspectives on the ways technology influences everyday life.

One of the most memorable experiences of the week was dedicated to analogue photography.

Armed with film cameras, participants took part in a photo quest during a visit to Bazar de Muzică, where they discussed how music consumption has changed across generations and explored trends that are bringing analogue experiences back into the spotlight.

Later, Matei from isopatrusute helped them discover the photographs they had taken throughout the day and shared the story of how a passion that began in high school gradually turned into a growing business. For many participants, this became one of the highlights of the entire exchange.

The experience also offered an opportunity to look at hobbies from a different perspective. During an entrepreneurship activity, participants worked in teams and transformed personal interests and passions into business ideas. One participant later shared that the activity had encouraged them to consider the possibility of turning their own hobby into something bigger in the future.

Participants’ feedback also revealed a shared concern about their relationship with technology. Some discovered new things about analogue media and the processes behind film photography, while others realised the importance of making more time for offline activities.

One participant explained that the experience had made her more mindful of the time she spends on her phone and encouraged her to make more room for hobbies and activities that bring her joy. Another shared that one of the most fascinating things they discovered during the exchange was the process through which photographs taken on film are eventually transformed into digital images.

Perhaps one of the most important things participants took home with them was the idea that we do not have to choose between online and offline.

In a world where technology is present in almost every aspect of our lives, the challenge is not to give up digital tools, but to find balance and make space for activities that help us slow down, connect with others and rediscover the things we genuinely enjoy.

The youth exchanges organised by the Romanian Angel Appeal Foundation are part of the Erasmus+ Programme, funded by the European Union, and create non-formal learning opportunities through which young people develop competences such as communication, collaboration, critical thinking, civic participation and intercultural dialogue.

Romanian Angel Appeal holds an Erasmus+ accreditation in the field of Youth, through which it aims to provide young people with international opportunities for learning, participation and personal development.