Skip to content

Our Digital Village

Co-designed digital education in rural areas

Project Number: 101087107
Project Duration: 01/01/2023 – 31/12/2025

Project Description

Rapid digital transformation has influenced education, work and life and the Covid-19 pandemic has only highlighted more the divergences linked to digitisation in some territories, especially between urban and rural areas, and the need for innovation in education to respond to these challenges.

For this reason, Our Digital Village aims to intervene in rural areas by promoting the acquisition of digital and transversal skills, preparing people to face the challenges of the future. It will do so by co-creating high-quality educational content that responds to the needs of the local context, while simultaneously ensuring the long-term transformation towards digitalization through active awareness raising on all levels of society.

Through self-analysis workshops, the intrinsic motivation to change will be explored, and the needs of each local context will be identified. These will be taken in mind while co-designing the educational materials, followed by a training for teachers and trainers to ensure their capacity to implement the co-designed activities with their learners.

Target Groups

• Educational institutions
• Teachers/trainers of educational institutions and community organisations’ educational staff
• School and adult learners
• Policy makers and stakeholders

Results

Participative Context Analysis in Rural Areas

Learn more

Co-design of the our Digital Village Activity Kit and Evaluation Tools

Learn more

ICT Training and Courses in the Digital Village Communities

Learn more

Partnership

Fablab Palermo APS

“FabLab Palermo APS”, active since 2013, is a non-profit organization and a fabrication laboratory integrated into the global fablab network, with its operational headquarters located in a property confiscated from the mafia. Its mission is to disseminate the philosophy and methodologies of open source, peer-to-peer design, and self-production through training activities aimed at professionals, artists, artisans, enthusiasts, as well as students and teachers at all levels of education.

ALDA

ALDA – European Association for Local Democracy, is a French-registered association dedicated to the promotion of good governance and citizen participation at the local level in the European Union, its neighbourhood and beyond.

ALDA is a key stakeholder in the field of local democracy, active citizenship, and cooperation between local authorities and civil society in Europe, its neighbourhood, and all around the World, mainly acting through participative methods and decentralised cooperation.

As a core element, ALDA supports citizens and groups of citizens in their initiatives aimed at improving their local context, building bridges with local authorities in order to make this change real.

ALDA was established in 1999 at the initiative of the Council of Europe to coordinate and support the network of Local Democracy Agencies (LDAs), which are self- sustainable, locally registered NGOs acting as promoters of good governance and local self-government, with which ALDA collaborates in many activities.

ALDA is a membership-based organisation gathering today more than 350 members, including local authorities, associations of local authorities, and civil society organisations, coming from more than 45 countries in the enlarged Europe.

ALDA is funded through membership fees, as well as project funding from the European Commission, the Council of Europe and other public and private donors.

ALL DIGITAL

ALL DIGITAL ist ein führender paneuropäischer Verband mit Sitz in Brüssel, der Mitgliedsorganisationen in ganz Europa vertritt, die sich für die Verbesserung der digitalen Fähigkeiten und Kompetenzen aller Menschen einsetzen, damit sie die Chancen des digitalen Wandels erkennen und nutzen können.

ALL DIGITAL unterstützt seine Mitgliedsorganisationen dabei, alle Menschen mit digitalen Fertigkeiten, Selbstvertrauen und einer Denkweise auszustatten, die es ihnen ermöglicht zu verstehen, wie die digitale Transformation zu einem grüneren, nachhaltigeren, integrativeren und kohäsiveren Wachstum der Gesellschaft beitragen kann und wie digitale Kompetenzen ihre persönliche und berufliche Entwicklung fördern können.

ALL DIGITAL vertritt Stakeholder der digitalen Bildung wie digitale Kompetenzzentren, Erwachsenenbildungszentren, Gemeindezentren, Schulen, Bibliotheken und deren Netzwerke in ganz Europa, wo Jugendliche und Erwachsene Zugang zu Schulungen und Unterstützung haben, um ihre digitalen Fertigkeiten zu verbessern und mit den neuesten technologischen Entwicklungen Schritt zu halten.

ALL DIGITAL konzentriert sich darauf, alle Europäer:innen dabei zu unterstützen, ihre digitalen Fertigkeiten und ihre Beschäftigungsfähigkeit zu verbessern, Online-Dienste zu nutzen und an der heutigen Gesellschaft teilzuhaben, mit dem letztendlichen Ziel, ihre Lebensqualität zu verbessern.

CENTRO PER LO SVILUPPO CREATIVO “DANILO DOLCI

CENTRO PER LO SVILUPPO CREATIVO “DANILO DOLCI” is a non-profit organization located in Palermo, born in 1958 from the experience and work of Danilo Dolci, a social activist, sociologist, pacifist and educator.  It involves young people and adults and has successfully operated for more than ten years mainly in the educational sector in collaboration with schools, universities, institutions, associations and social groups both at local and at international level.

CSC works at local and European levels, with a last-long experience in European, National and International funds focusing on two main pillars:

  • the Local Development, starting from the needs of the community and paying special attention to the most disadvantaged target groups;
  • the Creativity, promoting innovation in education and using new methodologies to empower youth, adults and professionals.

Particularly, the work of CSC is based on the Reciprocal Maieutic Approach, a methodology of research and self-analysis useful to develop creativity, communication, cooperation and active participation.

CSC has been working on several projects (under different European programmes), gaining relevant experience in developing and implementing different kind of activities for promoting social inclusion (e.g., training and workshop activities, language courses, sport, recreational activities, etc.).

CSC has a long- lasting experience in projects and initiatives on the following topics:

  • Education;
  • Social inclusion & Active citizenship;
  • Individual empowerment: development of soft skills, socio-emotional skills, digital skills;
  • Non-violent communication & intercultural dialogue;
  • Creativity & Culture;
  • Community empowerment & equity;
  • Entrepreneurship & Mobility.

Our experience in the field of education, support and empowerment of teachers, trainers and learners is particularly active in carrying out different projects to support emotional education, digital education, create innovative and integrated educational curricula and strengthen social inclusion at local and European level.

Danmar Computers

Danmar Computers LLC is a private company operating in the field of Information Technology and providing vocational training in this field. Danmar has extensive experience in developing modern Web and mobile applications that are used for educational purposes. Danmar also has long-term experience of carrying out European projects within which the company’s R&D staff conducts research and prepares training tailored to the needs of various learners. During 22 years, Danmar has successfully implemented over 100 projects within Grundtvig, Leonardo da Vinci, Progress and Erasmus+. In many of these projects, Danmar was responsible for designing and coordinating dissemination strategies.

Danmar Computers is the developer and provider of AdminProject, the online system for the management of European projects. All activities of the company are based on wide and well-established cooperation network, both on national and international levels. The national networks include training and counselling institutions, universities, schools, non-governmental organizations as well as private sector companies. International networks include partners of various profiles coming from every European Union’s country. Danmar Computer’s mission is the promotion of life-long education and assurance of equal access to education for everyone with the use of modern technology.

Website:

https://danmar-computers.com.pl

Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Danmar-Computers/144597388897753

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/danmar-computers

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanmarComputers

KMOP

KMOP – Social Action and Innovation Centre, gegründet 1977, ist eine der ältesten zivilgesellschaftlichen Organisationen in Griechenland mit umfassender Erfahrung in der Unterstützung von Menschen durch die Bereitstellung direkter sozialer Dienste und die Umsetzung sozialer Initiativen. In den letzten Jahren hat KMOP eine internationale Präsenz aufgebaut und ist heute in 7 Ländern aktiv und unterhält ständige Büros in Athen, Thessaloniki, Brüssel und Skopje. Die Organisation hat es sich zur Aufgabe gemacht, durch innovative Interventionen und eine wirksame Gestaltung der Sozialpolitik einen positiven Einfluss auf die Gesellschaft auszuüben. Bei der Arbeit mit und für die Gesellschaft steht der Mensch im Mittelpunkt des Handelns von KMOP. Die Organisation unterstützt aktiv Einzelpersonen und Gemeinschaften, indem sie direkte soziale Dienste anbietet, innovative Programme durchführt und Bildungsmöglichkeiten anbietet. Die umfangreichen Forschungskapazitäten in Verbindung mit einer engen Interaktion mit der Gesellschaft gewährleisten ein tiefes Verständnis der tatsächlichen sozialen Herausforderungen und führen zu einer effektiven und wirkungsvollen Politikgestaltung. In den letzten 15 Jahren hat KMOP mit Unterstützung institutioneller und privater Spender:innen mehr als 300 wirkungsvolle Initiativen durchgeführt. Weitere Informationen finden Sie unter: www.kmop.gr

ACDC

ACDC Romania is a professional association and training provider established in 2011, to support the sustainability of 255 disadvantaged rural communities, which have previously received technical assistance under the Knowledge Economy Project (KEP), funded by World Bank during 2007-2011, to develop local Telecentres/ Public Points of Access to Internet (PAPI) providing ICT based services to citizens.

The mission of the association is to promote community development through consulting activities in the field of key domains for sustainable development.

Since its inception ACDC Romania was involved in international partnerships promoting the concept of social inclusion. Increasing attention has been paid, in recent years, to digital inclusion policies at European level, as the main prerequisite for development, active citizenship, social inclusion and employability. ACDC has developed a network of partners within the field of digital, social and professional insertion, schools, libraries including e- centres ruled by municipalities in rural areas providing social inclusion training and consulting services.

ACDC’s main activities are focused on consulting services offering solutions for social inclusion of vulnerable members of the community that are situated in disadvantaged rural areas, considered amongst the poorest regions in EU. ACDC Romania has developed programs that main target groups are represented by: poor people, Roma, victims of domestic violence, women, people with mental disabilities and people isolated geographically.

Relevant activities of the association are:

  • implementing projects in the area of community development and social inclusion
  • developing specific training programs for social inclusion of persons belonging to vulnerable and disadvantaged groups, Roma, immigrants, persons at high social risk, people with disabilities
  • sustain and develop e-learning activities by developing e- learning training modules
  • develop training programs for e-inclusion to increase digital skills of vulnerable groups
  • develop work-based integration programs addressing young disadvantaged people
  • cross border cooperation

ACDC’s current activities are focused on offering solutions for digital and social inclusion of vulnerable members of the community that are situated in disadvantaged rural areas, considered amongst the poorest regions in EU. ACDC Romania has developed programs that main target groups are represented by: poor people, Roma, victims of domestic violence, women, people with mental disabilities and people isolated geographically.

ACDC is an active member of Social Firms Europe CEFEC, which is a European Network of Social Firms, Social Co-operatives, NGO’s and organizations that all share the objective of creating paid work for disabled and disadvantaged people.

The ACDC’s staff consists of 10 professionals who combine socio-economics background with training, community mentoring and ICT competences allowing their involvement in projects promoting social inclusion and digital inclusion of disadvantaged groups. There is also competence in the field of project management backed up by good knowledge of English language, which allows the organization to get actively involved in international project development.

Center for Social Innovation (CSI)

Center for Social Innovation (CSI) is a Research and Development organization, which focuses on fostering social innovation that can bring about a positive change to local, national, regional, and global entities. These entities include but are not limited to governments, local administrative agencies, non-for-profit agencies, commercial entities, and educational institutions. The CSI team is composed of open-minded, fully equipped researchers, entrepreneurs, project managers, trainers, and Information Technology specialists. CSI encompasses the capability and capacity to identify social needs, design and implement adjusted initiatives, and provide for sustainable growth. The CSI team’s areas of expertise are in the fields of traditional education and e-learning, entrepreneurship, start-ups, innovation, creativity, negotiations, IP advisory services, social responsibility, business advisory solutions, data analytics, information technologies, project management, project evaluation services, product validation, training and computer gaming. CSI draws know-how and skills from its wide global network, which includes academic institutions, IT companies, public services, international organizations, start-ups, and public services.

Berater Unternehmensberatungs GmbH

die Berater Unternehmensberatungs GmbH focuses on adult education vocational training and human resources development. We provide comprehensive know-how with regard to all aspects Human Resource Management, from recruiting, HR counselling and coaching to education and training or staff satisfaction surveys, outplacement and temporary staffing.

bridges to Europe is the joint platform of the EU project activities of die Berater®. In the past years, we have participated in different roles – coordinator, partner, sub-contractor – in 160 EU-funded projects with more than 800 partner organisations from 45 countries. On the basis of this wide experience with many EU funding programmes we offer consulting in funding, project- and media- support.

Website: https://dieberater.com   &  https://www.bridgestoeurope.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bridgestoeurope/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/bridges-to-europe/

INOVA+

INOVA+ is the Portuguese leading consulting company in promotion and management of international projects in the areas of Innovation, Education, Training, Research and Technological Development. The company’s mission is to provide the knowledge, management capacity, partnerships, and technical and financial support to ensure successful innovation projects for its customers.

With 25 years of experience, INOVA+ employs a highly qualified team of more than 85 consultants based in different European locations: Matosinhos, Lisbon, Brussels, Heidelberg and Warsaw. INOVA+ is also linked to a wide network of partners including Universities, Research Centers, Municipalities, clusters, Brokerage Institutions and European Bodies.

INOVA+ has participated in over 100 European projects (and coordinated over 30) of a range of programs (Horizon Europe, Erasmus+, AAL, CIP, Creative Europe, among others) and is a member of relevant networks such as TICE.PT (the National Portuguese ICT Cluster), Forum Oceano (Sea cluster in Portugal), European Network of Innovation for Inclusion, and EUropreneurship Netowrk.

University of Alicante (UA)

The University of Alicante (UA) was founded in 1979. Being one of the youngest universities in Spain, the UA is also considered one of the most innovative and rapidly developing universities in Spain. More than 30,000 national and 3,000 international students are enrolled in 7 Faculties offering more than 50 degrees in all fields of study. One of the cornerstones of this university is the Digital Transformation, with a specific vice-rectorate in charge of ensuring the evolution and good use of technology in the different faculties. In addition, the Faculty of Education is involved in the project, one of the largest centers of this university, with more than 1,000 new students each year. Digitalization and digital competencies are also key pillars in this center. This can be seen in the curricula of the different degrees it offers, as well as in the many international congresses and events held there.

In short, digitalization is very present in the soul of the University of Alicante.

General website: https://www.ua.es/es/index.html

Faculty of Education website: https://educacio.ua.es/es/

UA Twitter: @UA_Universitat

UA Facebook: UA – Universitat d’Alacant / Universidad de Alicante

UA Instagram: ua_universidad

UA