DIGITAL

ICTs touch virtually every aspect of modern life: from everyday tasks such as sending out emails to using more sophisticated tools in the workplace. They are a driver of change in the global economy, creating opportunities for innovation, new products and entrepreneurship. ICTs, and the digital economy they have created, are here to stay. For today’s youth, ICT knowledge is vital for success, determining their ability to participate in society, as well as contributing to their employability.

The fast Digital Transition is leaving behind many youngsters with none or basic digital skills. As digital technologies permeate our professional/private lives, having at least basic digital literacy and skills will soon no longer be a precondition for participating effectively in today’s society: advanced skills will be mandatory.

Who is the most vulnerable?

In 2021, 24 % of all young people aged 16-29 years in the EU reported that they had (at any time in the past) NOT performed basic computer tasks (moving a file, etc.); 30% had not downloaded or installed software or applications (Eurostat).

According to the Digital Skills Indicator, from the European Commission, in 2021:

• In Portugal, Spain and Italy, 52%, 57% and 42% of youngsters possess basic digital skills, accordingly.
• Only 26% of EU individuals had above basic digital skills. 15.7%, 13.7% and 12.7% of people possess advanced ICT skills in Portugal, Spain and Italy, accordingly.
• In Portugal (4.7%), Spain (4.10%) and Italy (3.8%) the proportion of ICT specialists is really low.
• More than 50% of Italian people do not have at least basic digital skills.
• The gap between rural and urban areas is still substantial regarding the digital skills of the population: only 46% of individuals living in rural areas have at least basic digital skills compared to people living in urban areas (61%).

These and other alarming figures demonstrate the urgent need of providing youngsters with advanced digital skills. If not, they will be at high risk of exclusion in the near future.

The main aim is to provide advanced ICTs (cybersecurity, data analysis and computer forensics) to youngsters, who have low digital literacy and are becoming vulnerable in the Digital Era.

Objectives:

1. To CONNECT our expertise in advanced digital literacy.
2. To ENGAGE youth workers and youngsters in the acquisition of advanced digital skills.
3. To EMPOWER youth communities for tackling the digital divide.

• Participatory training in Portugal to transfer advanced knowledge and digital tools in data analysis.
• Participatory training in Italy to transfer advanced knowledge and digital tools in cybersecurity.
• Online workshops to transfer advanced knowledge in computer forensics.
• DIGITAL Tool Kit Creation to boost advanced digital skills, available in book and audiobook formats.
• Interactive book creation which documents the Tool Kit.
• Course in Spain to transfer and test the Tool Kit.
• Dissemination campaign To encourage project participants to become delivery points of the DIGITAL Tool Kit.
• Other dissemination activities to raise awareness of the high relevance of learning ICTs.

Participants will acquire several digital capacities; for example, they will be able to explore disks, computers and mobiles to recover lost/damaged information.

Our partnership will become the youth’s referent, as organisations that help them to develop advanced digital skills.

We will facilitate the free access to vulnerable youngsters, in the acquisition of high quality and advanced digital tools.

YOUNGSTERS will have:

1. Applied the Learning Outcomes detailed in WP1.
2. Been able to have 100% secure hardwares and systems to prevent hacking.
3. Been able to save, store and manage digital files for their easy recovery.
4. Been able to explore disks, computers and mobiles to recover lost/damaged information.
5. Used these ICTs under the highest ethical standards and values.
6. Been able to identify suspicious applications installed in their devices.
7. Boosted their low skills to advanced skills.
8. Applied advanced ICTs for their daily lives: professional and personal.
9. Been more involved in Erasmus+ activities.
10. Been more motivated and less scared about the digital future, as they are more digitally prepared.
11. Been more motivated to acquire more ICT capacities.

YOUTH WORKERS will have:

1. Transferred advanced ICTs to their young learners.
2. Built their online work environment under the highest security standards.
3. Included their new advanced skills in their CVs.
4. Been more involved in the Erasmus+ field.

The impact is equally distributed as the project will tackle the needs of the partnership as a whole and as individual entities:

PARTNERSHIP will have:

1. Provided free advanced digital tools to our youngsters, youth workers and staff.
2. Enhanced youngsters possibilities to look for a non-precarious work.
3. Become the youth’s referent, as organisations that help them to develop digital skills.
4. Conducted their activities considering the Shaping Europe’s digital future Strategy, from the European Commission.
5. Developed new projects with new entities.

AENIE will have:

1. Applied tools, best practices and knowledge in cybersecurity.
2. Raised awareness in youth communities about implementing security measures online.

PC will have:

1. Applied tools, best practices and knowledge in data analysis.
2. Provided the new ICTs to youngsters who live in rural areas.

ORIEL will have:

1. Applied tools, best practices and knowledge in computer forensics.
2. Become KA2 project leader in the near future.