The Digital Inclusion project in the Czech Republic, led by Česko.Digital, focuses on addressing the digital divide among vulnerable populations by enhancing the digital skills of social workers. This initiative seeks to solve three primary challenges: the lack of digital skills among social workers, the reluctance of digitally marginalized individuals to engage with online state institutions, and their susceptibility to online fraud and scams.
The project tackles these issues by creating an educational platform specifically designed for social workers, enabling them to improve their own digital skills. Once trained, these social workers can pass on their knowledge to those in need of social assistance, such as the elderly, the unemployed, and individuals with disabilities. This ripple effect helps mitigate the digital exclusion faced by these groups, who are often unable to navigate complex digital systems.
The initiative not only aims to bridge the gap in digital literacy but also to address social inequities that arise from the lack of digital skills. By doing so, it ensures that as technology becomes more integrated into daily life, vulnerable groups are not left behind. Additionally, the project supports the government’s efforts to modernize and digitalize public services, as many employees in social services currently lack the necessary digital competencies.
The sustainability of the Digital Inclusion project is another key element, as digital skills are transferable. Once social workers are equipped with the knowledge from the platform, they can pass it on to clients and colleagues, creating a long-lasting and scalable impact. Furthermore, raising public awareness about the importance of digital skills through this initiative encourages broader societal participation, fostering a more digitally inclusive society.
Workshops, online courses, and partnerships with government and local institutions will ensure that the program reaches a wide audience. The educational platform will provide accessible learning opportunities and a space for social workers to share knowledge, ask questions, and build a support network. The overall success of the project depends on government backing, continued engagement from social workers, and outreach efforts to the public. This model, focused on empowering both social workers and vulnerable populations, holds significant potential for transferability to other countries facing similar digital skill gaps.
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