Cibervoluntarios Network: Civic Technology to Change the World
Fundación Cibervoluntarios
Session 203
Building a decentraized tech volunteering network to to accelerate an inclusive digital transition: the challenge to enhance citizen participation for the SDG
Cibervoluntarios is a Spanish NGO of international scope was born in 2001, with the mission of ensuring that all people have equal opportunity to access, learn and use technology to promote their autonomy, strengthen their rights, improve their employment opportunities and social participation. A global pioneer in the creation and management of a technology volunteer network, that provides free training in digital skills to thousands of people a year: Cibervoluntarios has a network of more than 4,100 cybervolunteers and we collaborate with more than 2,100 grassroots organizations in Spain, reaching 100,000 people annually.
Throughout these 23 years we have managed to create a methodology and model that is replicable, scalable and adaptable to other local realities. The goal of this project is therefore to replicate this successful model in other regions, starting with the EU countries, with the aim of expanding worldwide, always from local to global. 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.
Cibervoluntarios Network is addressed to any person in a situation of digital vulnerability, not leaving anyone behind, ensuring that everyone exercised the right to acquire knowledge of the use of technologies that can improve their lives. It is built on a network of cybervolunteers, social entrepreneurs who give some of their time to help others in this journey, and another network of grassroots organisations that help detect the needs of the final beneficiaries. Their projects are varied, and completely tailored to the needs of the groups in need of digital transformation. Also, we act locally, respecting the culture and nature of each place. All this ensures the promotion of values aligned with those of the WSIS: freedom, equality, solidarity, tolerance, shared responsibility, respect for nature, and peace. In this growing scenario Cibervoluntarios Foundation serves as the driving force behind the Network, providing technology, methodology, and readily implementable content. Joining organizations contribute their own knowledge and experience to foster organic and sustainable growth over time.
The main focus of the session is:
• To demonstrate through success stories how organzations can collaborate through technological volunteering describing the methodology, technology and strategies to achieve the goals.
• How we can boost a collaborative, decentralized, and innovative co-governance model with the objective to train at least 1 million individuals annually by 2027
Communicator with more than 20 years of experience in the Civil Society engagement. Since 2015, he coordinates the area of international alliances and European H2020 projects at Fundación Cibervoluntarios. In addition to the communication strategy and creative concept of projects from the point of view of social action, NGOs and Social and Digital Innovation. Passionate about how technology can change people's lives through training in digital skills for a more inclusive Digital Transformation.
He give talks and workshops at international conferences as an expert in Social Innovation and he actively participates as communication coordinator in several International projects related to citizen participation, digital inclusion, Next Generation Internet, the impact of technology on our society, tech volunteering and citizen participation. He has participated as a speaker in events such as 4YFN at the MWC, or THE WSIS Forum, among others.
Carolina brings extensive C-level international experience and excels in developing and launching innovative projects and solutions. With a robust background in IT corporations, she has dedicated the past 14 years to advancing healthcare innovation, circular economy initiatives, and expanding MedTech startups internationally. Her expertise extends to contributing to innovation blogs and serving as a speaker, moderator, and facilitator at events on social innovation, entrepreneurship, patient empowerment, e-health, circular economy, and innovation trends. Recently, she joined Fundación Cibervoluntarios to enhance its global reach.
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C1. The role of governments and all stakeholders in the promotion of ICTs for development
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C4. Capacity building
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C5. Building confidence and security in use of ICTs
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C8. Cultural diversity and identity, linguistic diversity and local content
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C10. Ethical dimensions of the Information Society
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C11. International and regional cooperation
C1. The role of governments and all stakeholders in the promotion of ICTS and development, as the results from the empowerment of the civil society through the knowledge of the use of technologies that can improve their lives, through the collaboration of public and private grassroots organisations, can help policy makers to design better approaches. This Action line matches the SDG17: Global partnership for sustainable development.
C4. Capacity building: As the project is addressed to improve the digital skills among the civil society., in line with SDG4: inclusive and quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities.
C10. Ethical dimensions of the information society: Based on ethical values like volunteering, equality, solidarity, tolerance, shared responsibility. This intertwines with SDG10: Reduce inequalities within and among countries and SDG16: Promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies
C11. International and regional cooperation: As the purpose of the project is to scale the Cibervoluntarios model to other countries, with the same methodology from local to global. Again, this line matches the SDG17: Global partnership for sustainable development.
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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 16: Promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies
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Goal 17: Revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development
