Eurodesk goes Twitch

Creative Youth Information Award category

Organisation

Eurodesk & Europe Direct Oldenburg (MCON GmbH), Eurodesk and Europe Direct Rostock (EIZ e.V. )

Country

Germany

WEBSITE

https://www.eurodesk-oldenburg.de/start

Project link

https://www.eiz-rostock.de/events/rausvonzuhaus-wir-bei-twitch-7

General Overview

In 2022, Eurodesk Oldenburg and Eurodesk Rostock launched the idea of a rausvonzuhaus Twitch account during a Eurodesk network meeting. The project aimed to engage young people in discovering the world through interactive GeoGuessr sessions, making learning about international opportunities fun and accessible.

Main Objectives:

Engage young people through gaming to spark curiosity about travelling and international opportunities.
Inform participants about programmes and resources available to help young people gain international experiences, particularly through Eurodesk.
Promote the German Eurodesk platform (www.rausvonzuhaus.de) and encourage young people’s exploration of mobility programmes and funding options.
Answer questions and provide practical advice about mobility programmes.
Connect with (gaming) young people and build an interactive community where young people can enjoy gaming and learning about opportunities to live, study, or volunteer abroad.
The target group was young people active on Twitch.

Key Activities:

Monthly GeoGuessr streams: We hosted monthly one-hour sessions, inviting viewers to guess locations and interact in the chat, learning about international opportunities.
Information sharing: During the streams, we provided information on global destinations and funding programmes, which allow young people to work, study, or volunteer abroad.

Methods Used to Achieve Our Goals:

Interactive gaming sessions: We used GeoGuessr to engage viewers and spark curiosity about the world.
Live information sharing: We provided practical details about mobility programmes, funding, study opportunities, DiscoverEU, and more.
Community engagement: Interactive chats allowed viewers to share experiences and ask questions.
Information dissemination: We presented the project at the Eurodesk national meeting and reached out to Eurodesk Brussels Link.

Eurodesk Visibility:

Viewers were directed to www.rausvonzuhaus.de for detailed information on travelling and working abroad, and we shared Eurodesk brochures.
The Eurodesk logo and CI were used.
Project promotion through social media.

Thematic Category Correspondence

(50 points max)

How does this initiative (project, event, material) correspond to the thematic category

The Eurodesk Goes Twitch project is an innovative approach to engaging young people with international mobility opportunities in an interactive way. Young people today consume information differently – they seek interactive, digital, and entertainment-driven formats. Recognising this, we chose Twitch, a platform where millions of young people already engage daily. Instead of relying on traditional outreach methods, we used GeoGuessr as a game-based approach to spark curiosity about international experiences in a fun and engaging way.

Our monthly Twitch streams were more than just gaming sessions: we offered live Q&A in the chat, where viewers could ask about Eurodesk programmes, funding opportunities, and international experiences. We provided instant access to information, with links to www.rausvonzuhaus.de and other Eurodesk resources. Thus, we aimed to make youth information more engaging and relatable. By combining gaming with real-time, interactive guidance, we created a community-driven space where young people could learn about mobility programmes naturally and engagingly.

To our knowledge, we were the first Eurodesk multipliers in Europe to establish a presence on Twitch, reaching a gaming audience that is typically underserved by traditional youth (mobility) information channels. We managed to successfully connect with gaming youth. Twitch has a predominantly male audience, whereas in Germany, mostly young women reach out to Eurodesk. Being present on Twitch is a significant opportunity to make youth information more inclusive.

The project stands out for its strong collaborative approach, bringing together multiple Eurodesk partners and stakeholders. Eurodesk and Europe Direct Rostock, Eurodesk and Europe Direct Oldenburg created synergies. Eurodesk Germany provided general support, and Eurodesk Jena helped with technical problems. Early experience exchange with Brussels Link added valuable insights.

By merging gaming, live-streaming, and youth mobility information, we transformed youth outreach into a creative, interactive, impactful experience.

Impact

(30 points max)

How did your project impact young people / your community?

While traditional youth information campaigns often struggle to reach digital-native audiences, this project bridged gaming culture with international opportunities through interactive learning.

Young people learned about geography, cultures, and real-world travel opportunities in a fun and engaging way.

Instead of passively receiving information, they actively participated, making it more memorable.

The live chat enabled direct engagement, allowing participants to ask personalised questions about mobility programmes and funding.

Viewers who might not have sought out youth mobility resources were introduced to Eurodesk in a familiar, digital space. The project connected gaming audiences to Eurodesk information about studying, working, and volunteering abroad, thus increasing Eurodesk visibility.

Planted the seed for future international experiences among viewers who had never considered mobility opportunities.

Built an interactive, peer-to-peer learning environment, where young people shared aspirations and experiences.

Showcased gaming as a tool for learning and discovery, beyond entertainment.

Encouraged cultural exchange, exposing participants to international perspectives in a natural, engaging way.Contributed to Twitch’s growing educational and cultural content, proving that gaming communities are open to real-world opportunities.

As the first Eurodesk presence on Twitch, it opened a new communication channel for the network and could inspire other Eurodesk multipliers, youth organisations, or educational initiatives to adopt similar approaches.

The biggest challenge was the technical implementation of live streaming, which was overcome through trial and error.

2024 achievements:

273 views

21 followers, laying the foundation for growth.

Next steps:

Now that the technology is running smoothly, the focus will be on broader promotion (e.g., TikTok) and cooperations to expand reach and maximise impact.

This project successfully merged gaming and youth mobility information, proving that effective youth engagement meets young people where they already are. By leveraging Twitch, it introduced international opportunities to an underserved audience, fostering a new, interactive approach to digital youth outreach.

Green Focus

(10 points max)

Did your project have any green focus and/or did you implement any eco-friendly measures when organising it?

We focused on online information not only because it is the primary source for young people, but also because, compared to events, this format has the least environmentally harmful impact. We also chose not to produce brochures, flyers, or giveaways. We used social media and newsletters to inform people about the Geoguessr sessions. By utilising the digital platform Twitch and by not producing anything, we reduce the need for resources such as transportation, hotels, water, food, as well as paper and ink, which lowers our ecological footprint. Thus, the project allows us to engage a wider audience without the environmental costs associated with traditional, in-person events or escape games. As the project is meant to be adopted by other national or European Eurodesks, it also means a low ecological footprint for them.