To develop Innovation and Information Technology (IT) industry in the country, there is a real need in a large number of skilled local IT professionals/specialists. It is important to make IT training available country-wide and encourage people to select IT as a future profession. This will allow them to find decent job faster, and while living in Kyrgyzstan, remotely work and provide IT services in response to increasing global demand. IT is a perfect opportunity for people with special needs to get appropriate education and decent job.

The longer-term objective is to support to reduction of unemployment, particularly amongst marginalized social groups such as those suffering from disabilities, and to create well-trained labor force capable to contribute to the socio-economic development of the Kyrgyz Republic.

The specific objective of the project is to promote inclusive IT training for people with special needs and disabilities and increase their employability.

Activities:

1. IT training to make it inclusive (platform to satisfy special needs: software, networks, video-materials, etc.);
2. To identify the capacity building needs and to determine the best methods, trainers and arrangements for conducting necessary training of trainers (ToT);
3. To implement a pilot IT training program for people with disabilities selected from vulnerable groups across the country;
4. Awareness-raising campaign (incl. information and communication) to ensure widest possible coverage about project activities.

Expected outputs:

1. Carried out a pilot IT training for at least 20 students with disabilities selected from vulnerable groups across the country;
2. Carried out at least awareness-raising campaigns to ensure widest possible coverage and participation of people concerned.

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• Kyrgyzstan

• Youth
• Women
• People with disabilities

The project is based on a hybrid model with mix of online training and face-to-face sessions and could be replicated in any country willing to promote education for PwD. All the project educational materials were prepared together with expert from Europe.

In the framework of the project we provided ToT for trainers who learned how to work with PwD (people with disabilities), so they could deliver asquired knowledge to the next group of trainers of IT Academy and trainers of other IT educational centers who are ready to make their education inclusive. Additionally, some of the project participants are teachers and pedagogues, so they plan to replicate the project model in their regions. Being adgerent of open education, KSSDA plans to improve education content and to make it open accessed, so all the PwD from the Central Asian Region could have access to the part of the content.

One of the KSSDA goals is to improve IT education in the country, while paying particular attention to women and PwD (as they are minorities in IT sector). The project makes impact in education, knowledge, and access to information to help PwD to develop new skills and to find their place in labor market.