Exploring Digital Estonia: Lessons from a European Study Visit
30-10-2025Between October 27–29, 2025, representatives of organizations within the PRISMA European Network took part in a Future Lab Study Visit in Tallinn, Estonia — a country recognized as one of the most digitally advanced societies in the world. The visit gathered youth organizations from across Europe to explore Estonia’s e-governance model, innovation-driven civic ecosystem, and to co-create a shared FutureLab Roadmap for digital transformation in youth work.
Why Estonia?
Estonia stands as a global model for digital governance and citizen engagement. With flagship initiatives such as e-Residency, digital ID cards, and online voting, it is often referred to as “the world’s most digital nation.” The visit gave participants the opportunity to learn directly from experts how technology and innovation can serve communities — not just through digital tools, but by fostering trust, participation, and transparency.
The Study Visit Experience
Over three intensive days, participants engaged in meetings, guided visits, and collaborative sessions to understand Estonia’s digital ecosystem and translate its lessons into youth work. Each day focused on specific learning objectives — from national digital policy and participatory democracy to dialogue and innovation for NGOs.
| Day | Visits & Activities | Main Insights |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 — Exploring Estonia’s Digital DNA Monday, October 27 |
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Understanding the architecture of e-governance, public–private collaboration, and how digitalization fosters trust between citizens and institutions. |
| Day 2 — Dialogue, Youth Work, and Partnerships Tuesday, October 28 |
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Discovering how open dialogue, youth participation, and inter-organizational partnerships can strengthen digital inclusion and civic trust. |
| Day 3 — Building the FutureLab Roadmap Wednesday, October 29 |
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Co-developing strategies for digital transformation and mapping each organization’s digital maturity and future growth plan. |
The FutureLab Roadmap
A central part of the study visit was the creation of the FutureLab Roadmap — a structured, collaborative tool through which PRISMA network members evaluated their digital maturity across four key areas: Strategy, Tools, Skills, and Impact.
Through this process, participants:
- Assessed their current digital readiness and identified areas for growth;
- Shared best practices and digital tools already implemented in their organizations;
- Simulated budget allocations for high-impact digital solutions;
- Designed Minimum Viable Products (MVPs) to test new ideas efficiently;
- Outlined joint opportunities for collaboration and funding under Erasmus+ and other EU programs.
The Roadmap encouraged peer learning, critical reflection, and cross-sector collaboration — empowering each participating organization to integrate innovation and digital thinking into their daily work and long-term strategies.
Reflections and Impact
The Future Lab Study Visit in Estonia demonstrated that digital transformation is fundamentally about people. Beyond platforms and tools, it is about building communities that trust technology to serve the public good and to create equal opportunities for youth engagement.
Within the PRISMA European Network, this experience has reinforced the commitment to collective learning and capacity-building in digital youth work. Each organization left Tallinn with a clearer vision, stronger partnerships, and a concrete action plan to bring innovation to their local contexts.
Project ID: 2025-1-RO01-KA151-YOU-000299434
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.