On 10th march 2021 it took place on virtual basis the kick-off meeting of the project PROLIFIC “PROmoting digital rights LIteracy For Including Citizens” coordinated by the Polibienestar institute of the University of Valencia and the partners Fundación Instituto Hermes para el empoderamiento de la ciudadanía (Spain), Margherita Societa’ Cooperativa Sociale Onlus (Italy), SENIOR EUROPA SOCIEDAD LIMITADA – Kveloce (Spain), Fundação Dr José Lourenço Júnior (Portugal).
All the project partners took part in the event to discuss and plan the implementation of the project that aims at empowering vulnerable groups of people (elderly, migrants and people with disabilities) on their digital rights through the capacity building of professionals who work with them in NGOs, associations, social services, etc. and the creation and validation of specific tools.
This is an important step to start generating awareness and creating tools to protect vulnerable groups from being scammed or having the identity stolen, bullying and grooming, phishing, or being victim if companies power abuse and to fight the spread of extremist, discriminatory, racist, xenophobic, anti-Semitic, homophobic or sexist messages.
The role of partners
Universitat De Valencia – Polibienestar Institute (Spain) is the lead partner of the project and will be the one promoting the coordination of the consortium. Moreover they are in charge for the development of the evaluation framework to measure the impacts of the project and related activities.
Fundación Instituto Hermes para el empoderamien to de la ciudadanía (Spain) is leading the development of the creation of a software (web-platform) that personalises a training curriculum to make professionals working with vulnerable groups the right competences to promote digital rights and prevent their infringement.
Margherita Societa’ Cooperativa Sociale Onlus (Italy) is in charge of the communication and dissemination activities, but it will also participate in testing the new training tools in the field of disability.
SENIOR EUROPA SOCIEDAD LIMITADA – Kveloce (Spain) is responsible for the quality control of activities and outputs.
SENIOR EUROPA SOCIEDAD LIMITADA – Kveloce (Spain) is responsible for the quality control of activities and outputs.
Next steps
The partners, during the meeting discussed about the management of the project and agreed to start with the development of the firs output: a software (web-platform) that personalises a training curriculum for professionals, educators and volunteers to favour the empowerment of vulnerable groups’ digital rights.
All the work will be based on the common understanding of how much is important today to support vulnerable groups to allow them to use technology and internet as opportunities for training, information, development, social expression and citizens’ participation, avoiding being cheated, harassed or discriminated.
The project, financed by the EU commission under the Erasmus plus programme, is designed to empower vulnerable groups of people on their digital rights through the capacity building of professionals who work with them in NGOs, associations, social services, etc. and the creation and validation of specific tools. The project, financed by the EU commission under the Erasmus plus programme, is designed to empower vulnerable groups of people on their digital rights through the capacity building of professionals who work with them in NGOs, associations, social services, etc. and the creation and validation of specific tools.
Internet generates multiple opportunities for training, information, development, social expression and even citizens’ participation. Nevertheless, within the internet there has been the development of negative behaviours as virtual harassment, verbal and symbolic violence, discrimination and even criminal behaviours. So far, there are important initiatives that show the growing concern for the recognition and regulation of citizenship rights in the digital environment.
The PROLIFIC project is aimed to generate awareness and create tools to protect vulnerable groups from being scammed or having the identity stolen, bullying and grooming, phishing, or being victim if companies power abuse and to fight the spread of extremist, discriminatory, racist, xenophobic, anti-Semitic, homophobic or sexist messages.
These vulnerable groups are migrants, older people and people with disabilities. These groups have different characteristics but have in common a greater vulnerability to the negative consequences of the rapid development of digitisation and ICTs due to a lower level of digital competences too.
For these reasons, PROLIFIC will train professionals, volunteers and educators who work with these vulnerable groups by developing and offering a software (web-platform) that personalises a training curriculum to make them develop the right competences to respond better to the specific problems mentioned before related with the violation of citizens’ digital rights, according to the characteristics of each specific target group. Moreover, an evaluation tool will be provided to measure the impact of promoting digital rights among vulnerable groups.
Thanks to this, PROLOFIC will allow to:
- • empower vulnerable groups in their digital rights by building the capacity of professionals working with them;
- • increase the awareness of vulnerable groups and their caregivers about their digital rights;
- • disseminate and transfer the training contents and tools in different communities across Europe.
Target groups addressed by the project will be then end-users (migrants, older people, and disabled people), professionals working with vulnerable groups (social workers, volunteers, educators, etc.), experts (e.g. lawyers, education, IT), and other stakeholders (NGOs, associations).
Stay connected with us to create a more inclusive and safe digital environment!
Partners of the project:
Lead partner: Universitat De Valencia – Polibienestar Institute (Spain)
Other partners:
- Fundação Dr. José Lourenço Júnior (Portugal)