Cibervoluntarios: Building a tech volunteering network, the challenge of digital inclusion to promote participation and guarantee citizen digital sovereignty
Fundación Cibervoluntarios
Session 532
How to generate replicable and sustainable processes for Digital Inclusion: Best practicies in technology appropriation from the Citizens and the multi stakeholder collaboration successful use cases
Fundación Cibervoluntarios, promoted by social entrepreneurs, has been working for two decades for the empowerment of citizens through technology as a tool for the defense of rights, fundamental freedoms and citizen digital sovereignty. We are pioneers in building a network of technological volunteers to promote the use of technology with actual social impact.
The focus of this WORKSHOP is to highlight the establishment of local, national and international alliances to increase people's skills so that no one is left behind in the process of digital transformation and demonstrate that, starting from real and concrete needs, create solutions, methodologies and projects that cross their borders.
During the workshop we are going to highlight the daily work of our organization with more than 1,250 organizations, governmental, educational, social and business institutions, both nationally and internationally. From Cibervoluntarios, perceive that it is possible to generate a different world by building from local to global. That is what we are going to address in this session:
1) How to generate replicable and sustainable processes for Digital Inclusion with the empodera.org ecosystem: The digital platform and methodology are recognized by the United Nations through UNITAR (United Nations Institute for Professional Training and Research), with whom Fundación Cibervoluntarios signed a framework agreement in September 2018 to promote the values of the 2030 Agenda. Its director and Undersecretary General of the United Nations, Nikhil Seth, with whom we signed the agreement, is one of the outstanding fathers of the 2030 Agenda, and its objective is for it to be transversal and reach all citizens, especially young people. Hence its recognition to Empodera.org it is very important.
In 2022, the platform has been used so far by more than 2,500 people, more than 500 initiatives have been generated, and 150 organizations and entities have joined to this multi stakeholder ecosystem. This impact highlights robustness, efficiency and effectiveness of Empodera.org.
Fundacion Cibervoluntarios has been a pioneer in the development of this digital tool at European level, testing it 2018 with educational centers and Universities across Spain, as well as NGOs and public institutions, From the collected evaluations show the need to transmit youth information on the importance and raise awareness on the SDGs.
2) Cibervoluntarios: Best use cases in technology appropriation from the Citizens and strengthen citizen digital sovereignty
3) Cyberacademy: Discover how More than 400,000 people have already improved their digital skills thanks to CiberAcademy, the online tool with traing videos created by Cibervoluntarios.org
4) The multi stakeholder collaboration successful use cases
Angel Sola is Head of International Programs at Cibervoluntarios Foundation, a non-profit promoting the social use of thecnology to foster citizen's rights, opportunities and participation. Coordinating the communication area of H2020 European projects and managing branding and creative concept of projects from the point of view of social action, NGOs and Digital Social Innovation. Working in the creation of several at National and European level always focusing on how technology can change people lives for good through Digital Skills Training.
Angel Sola give talks at international conferences as Social Innovation expert and participate actively as communication coordinator in several european projects related to citizen participation, Next Generation Internet, The impact of technology in our society, inclusion, volunteering and citizenship participation. He has participated as speaker in events such as 4YFN at the MWC or WSIS Forum.
Cibervoluntarios Foundation is a non-profit organization shaped by social entrepreneurs. For 17 years has been promoting the use and knowledge of technology as a means to alleviate social gaps, generate social innovation and promote citizen empowerment in active collaboration with a network of 2.500 Cybervolunteers and more than 1.600 Organizations in Spain. We work to put people at the center of social transformation. The value proposition of Cibervoluntarios is to connect citizens, to act as a network and as a laboratory for social projects. We believe in technology for social change.
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C1. The role of governments and all stakeholders in the promotion of ICTs for development
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C3. Access to information and knowledge
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C4. Capacity building
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C5. Building confidence and security in use of ICTs
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C6. Enabling environment
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C7. ICT applications: benefits in all aspects of life — E-learning
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C7. ICT applications: benefits in all aspects of life — E-health
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C7. ICT applications: benefits in all aspects of life — E-employment
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C10. Ethical dimensions of the Information Society
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C11. International and regional cooperation
To strengthen local development and the acceleration of Digital skills of Civil Society from a local to global perspective for the development of the 2030 Agenda. We need to implement key training action programs a local level to boost citizens participation, taking into account their specific needs and involving several actors: Public Institutions, NGOs and Grassroots organizations working with the end users, Municipalities, local and regional Governments. Collaboration is key in this new Scenario caused by COVID-19 that affects communication, education, health, access to the labor market, access to electronic administration, and citizen participation. We need a civil Society with same opportunities not only to access technology, but to know how to use it to improve their lives in any aspect.
The demand for digital skills across every industry is continuously increasing: Education, training, job roles, and even a trip to the self-checkout at a supermarket all require digital skills. That means that that people like seniors citizens, people with functional diversity, local entrepreneurs, rural zones, social workers, migrants, refugees or young people, to name some can be at the situation of Digital Vulnerability and will keep the process to achieve the Agenda 2030 and the SDGs if we don't act in a coordinated and collaborative multi stakeholder ecosystem to provide solutions to it. Technology has transformed almost every aspect of our lives. How we communicate, learn, work, shop, and view entertainment is all built on complex technologies. But those who don't possess the digital skills to use new solutions can suddenly find themselves locked out of a digital world and unable to participate in society.
In this scenario of accelerated digitalization we need to include everyone. We need to focus in three main areas: Internet access, education, and training on digital competences. From Fundación Cibervoluntarios we've been fighting for 20 years to provide digital skills training to vulnerable citizens, in close collaboration with more than 1500organizations, municipalities, SMEs, Universities, Educational centers, Regional Governments. Fundación Cibervolunitarios counts on a network of 2.300 tech volunteers (Cybervolunteers) to achieve the goals.
From students to retirees, from local entrepreneurs of rural areas to vulnerable migrants… anyone who does not have access to digital skills upgrade knowledge from basic to advance, high-speed broadband and education on Digital Competences is significantly disadvantaged in life. In addition, many employees have lost their jobs due to fast digitization or because of the pandemic. And got to do with all areas in life: Access to a better education, communication, health, work, etc. It is a Challenge for the Agenda 2030, and we must act now with specific programs and more resources.
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Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all
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Goal 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
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Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
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Goal 8: Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all
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Goal 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries
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Goal 16: Promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies
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Goal 17: Revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development
• Success stories on how to promote the open, inclusive and transparent participation of citizens as an active part in achieving the SDGs.
• How to put citizens in the center of Digital Transition with positive social impact.
• Guarantee Digital rights and citizen digital sovereignty
• The continuous search for digital solutions to solve SDGs challenges, involving a multi stakeholder collaboration: Universities, researchers, innovators ecosystem, NGOs, Public Administration (from local to national) and Policy makers, Educational sector from early ages, and of course Grassroots organizations addressing and detecting citizens needs first hand to promote the co creation of sustainable tools to achieve the Agenda 2030.
• How to promote, through technological tools, a more efficient participation in the face of the existing needs in the 2030 Agenda. Not only to generate business but, more importantly, to generate social transformation and turn needs into opportunities in a sustainable and ethical manner.
• How to strengthen local development and the skills of Civil Society Institutions from a local and global perspective for the development of the 2030 Agenda.