What the hack?! Project
Creating more opportunities for young people in safe cyber space
Closely related to the need to make cybersecurity a top priority in Europe, a growing challenge is the shortage of cyber security professionals. Increasing cybersecurity talent is an atypical area of activity. It comprises a strong autodidactic and rebellious (hackers) community which is often not served by formal education providers and does not want to be. Therefore, one of the objectives of the What the Hack ?! project was to develop inclusive ICT learning environments for youngsters inside and outside of VET education by setting up/further developing ‘Hack labs’, i.e. sheltered ICT learning places).
WHAT THE HACK?! was conducted under the Erasmus+ KA2 Programme for Strategic Partnerships in Vocational Education and Training funded by the European Commission.
It brought together project partners and experts from the Netherlands: Friesland College, Learning Hub Friesland Foundation (LHF), Foundation for Cybersafety Northern Netherlands (MKB), Fanaad – Design Visual Thinking; Belgium: VET college GO! Technisch Atheneum Zavelenberg; Estonia: Pärnumaa Vocational Education Centre (PVEC), Republic of Estonia Education and Youth Authority (HARNO); Basque Country, Spain: VET college CEBANC.
It is primarily aimed at young people in VET education and others outside it-the so-called NEETs (youngsters who are no longer in the education system and who are not working or being trained for work). It is open to digitally aware young people, gamers, school leavers, people from the autism spectrum and young people who need a challenge in their current education.
In addition, the project targets VET teachers, staff and ICT professionals as it actively involves ICT professionals in education.
The following Open Educational Resources are now available on https://www.what-the-hack.eu/
- WHAT THE HACK?! Blended training programme for VET youngsters.
It focuses on cybersecurity, cybersafety and ethical hacking. The training programme includes a lesson plan and tools that VET teachers can use with their students and young people outside education. Activities are designed to look beyond the classroom and towards the ICT industry.
- WHAT THE HACK?! Hack Lab set-up guide.
The Hack Labs’ triple helix model of cooperation makes e a major contribution to the development of training materials.
- WHAT THE HACK?! Blended training programme for Hack-Lab coaches.
This programme prepares professionals from the ICT industry with a pedagogical foundation and assists them to engage in non-formal education.
- WHAT THE HACK?! Online Community.
It serves as the online resource base where all other developed outputs are available as Open Educational Resources (OERs).
All the outputs are available free of charge in English, Dutch, Estonian and Spanish.
This project also included training activities for the youth that finally took place after the restrictions were fully lifted in spring 2022 and the first one was in Pärnu, Estonia, in May, followed by the one of San Sebastian, Spain, in September and the last one in Leeuwarden, Netherlands, in December 2022. In each training activity week 10 students from each partner country participated in Kahoot and Capture the Flag activities, visits to and presentations of important companies specialized in cyber security that empowered them with knowledge, competences, attitudes and skills with regards to cyber security, cyber safety and ethical hacking.
For more information please visit our website at https://www.what-the-hack.eu/
