"Due to the global pandemic situation, caused by the SARS-CoV-2, the training sessions that were initially scheduled to take place in a face-to-face scenario had to shift to a b-learning modality. This implied the use of video-conference tools (namely Zoom Colibri), which was not planned in the beginning. There has also been an increase in the use of other technologies/ICT tools (email, Moodle, Word, PowerPoint, Genial.ly, videos, podcasts, WhatsApp), not only to fulfill the training tasks and assignments, but also for communication, mentoring, supervision and support (in some cases additional and extra to what was predicted and planned ahead, due to ongoing changes on the project timeline deemed necessary).

The fact that alternative solutions were proposed, discussed and negotiated with the people involved in the project has helped to overcome any fear of eventually not accomplishing the work. It has also proved to be a way of keeping the group connected and committed in both individual and collaborative work being developed within the project. In addition, the preliminary diagnosis of the ICT skills was updated, so as to make everyone at ease with the following stages of the project."

http://www.weiwer.net/

• Portugal

• Youth
• Pupils, students, teachers, librarians

"The project has started in one school, and has been steadily growing. In this school year of 2019-2020 we have been working with 6 schools, and not only with one class (teacher and pupils) per school (as in the beginning), but also involving the school’s principle and the school librarian teacher. At start we were reaching only the district of Lisboa, and now we are also reaching the district of Santarém (both in Portugal, but with demographic differences, among others).

Other than these mid-long term training initiatives, short term training activities have been facilitated, in different educational and training organizations, including universities in Portugal and abroad (Brazil and Spain). We expect to keep these national, European and international actions. In the near future, we expect to further replicate the project (e.g. in the United Republic of Tanzania), aiming at continuing to foster the development of digital skills and competences, including ICT and informational, on an individual or global-society scale, ultimately where most needed in close alignment with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals."

"A strong innovating social entrepreneurship spirit has kept the project self-sustained. Besides, due to the institutional frameworks and partnerships established so far, some resources (like classrooms, now including online virtual classrooms, due to the COVID-19 confinement) have also been catered for. The principles of open access and open science we have been following are aligned with the Portuguese national strategy for digital skills (Portugal INCoDe.2030) and, at an international level, particularly with the SDG 4. So, we have been targeting at e.g. creative commons licenses and open software, using free and license-free digital repositories and web technologies.

The project has also been sustainable because it has resulted from the voluntary work of a small but very close and committed team, who has been advocating for and implementing open educational resources and open educational practices, inspired by solidarity and pedagogical values. Those features have somehow prevented us from exponentially escalating the project, and eventually risking at losing its humanitarian mission. So, we believe that, in turn, it has shed more light on (one of, if not) the key strengths of our project: the fact that we aim at impacting on people’s lives, meaning that its core affordance is the human asset."

The key benefits are improving ICT literacies and social skills through the use of digital tools; strengthening communication and other soft skills.