Understanding digital participation amongst young people living in vulnerable situations residing in Brussels. Seven digital media profiles

This research focuses on how young people in vulnerable situation (YLVS) use and make sense of digital media in everyday life practices in order to develop a better understanding of digital inequalities amongst urban youth living in vulnerable situations. Sixteen to- twenty-six-year olds from disadvantaged backgrounds, such as teenage mothers, drug users, drop-outs, low- educated youth, unemployed youth, criminal young people or young people who grew up in poverty, have a higher risk than their peers to find themselves at the edge of the information society. They experience a lack of adequate social, economic, cultural and institutional resources to evolve into resilient and independent individuals. Also, the deficiency of so-called digital social capital, or the ability to mobilise social networks, social resources and trust relations to bridge digital inequalities related to access, use, skills and attitude, emphasizes their vulnerable social position. Nonetheless, the relationships between digital and social inequities amongst YLVS, especially with regards to those living in Brussels, remain unclear.

Combining studies on vulnerable childhood and digital inequalities, this research aims to understand the interplay between digital and social exclusion mechanisms among YLVS, and aims to answer the following research questions: Who are ‘socially vulnerable youth’? What makes their situation vulnerable? How do these young people use digital media? What media do they use, where, with whom and why? How do they experience digital inequalities and which characteristics are the determining factors?

Theoretically, the focus is on defining YLVS and analysing their relationship with digital social capital and digital inequalities. Empirically, this study focuses on the identification of digital media profiles based on differences in use of media, socio-economic background and additional contextual factors such as family dynamics and attitude towards learning. Reporting on qualitative data based on a narrative inquiry approach, we distinguish seven digital media profiles. These profiles were realized based on four qualitative semi-structured focus group interviews, three in-depth interviews with young people who participated in e-Inclusion initiatives (n = 31), and in-depth interviews with three supervisors (n = 3).

The results show that differences in social vulnerability, socio- demographic profile, access to and attitude towards digital media, mastered and self- assessment of digital skills, diversified use of digital media, and the availability of social support influence the role and significance of digital media, digital practices and experience with digital inequalities. The causes and consequences of digital inequalities are multifaceted and nuanced: the disadvantaged social position does not per se determine the degree of digital exclusion, and vice versa. Hence, the heterogeneous socio-economic composition of the at-risk population should be acknowledged whilst the spectrum of inclusion and exclusion is infinite. Nonetheless, the interaction between individual agency and social, cultural, political and economical context influences the experience and the perceived risks and opportunities of digital practices. E.g., youngsters with strong digital skills are more aware of the benefits of digital media they are missing in everyday practices and thus have a stronger sense of digital inequality. Less digitally included youth, on the contrary, tend to over-estimate their digital skills, which redeems their feelings of digital inequality.