WOUNDS

According to Eurostat, in 2020, 80 % of the EU’s adult population reported having used the internet on a daily basis (more than 90% of adults in Iceland). Prague (Czech Republic) is one of the regions with the highest shares of daily internet users in 2020.

ICTs are valuable tools for the development of our society, however, their bad use can lead to discrimination and exclusion:

-The study “How Common Is Cyberbullying Among Adults? Exploring Gender, Ethnic, and Age Differences in the Prevalence of Cyberbullying”, demonstrates that adults have experienced cyberbullying 24% (26–35 years), 15.1% (36–45 years), 13% (46–55 years), and 6.5% (66+ years). 83% of young adults believe social networks do not do enough to prevent cyberbullying (Survey DoSomething.org).
-Haukur Gudmundsson from the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice of Iceland states “Hate speech could be easily found on websites and social media in Iceland”. On Czech Republic, The Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities states that authorities need to intensify their efforts to combat stereotypes and prejudice against the minority groups most exposed to hate speech”.
-In Iceland 35% of women under domestic violence were immigrants (Womens’s Shelter, 2018)”. The Ministry of Interior in Spain recorded in 2017 and 2018, 1419 and 1598 hate crimes accordingly. Cyberbullying, Hate Speech and Hate Crime are repelled visible actions in our society. However, adult communities are not aware of the origin that leads to this: Digital Wounds.

Digital Wounds is a phenomenon normalized in our adult communities which threats their safety, mental health and well- being. The lack of adults’ capacities in the proper and ethical use of ICTs, as well as the lack of awareness of the Digital

Wounds consequences, are some urgent needs to be tackled. Digital Wounds are dangers for the cohesion of a democratic society, the protection of human rights and the rule of law.

They are a menace to democratic values, social stability and peace. In this sense, Digital Wounds are an extreme form of intolerance and exclusion which can lead to physical violence and crime.
“Digital competence is 1 of the 8 key competences which are fundamental for individuals in a knowledge-based society. It is also key for all to understand how to be safe online” European Commission (EC).

Our partnership, composed by Von Hope, Permacultura Cantabria and Petrklic Help, identified the above and other figures through a Context Analysis. Furthermore, we carried out Focus Groups with our adult learners and adult trainers to identify their main needs and concerns.

Both studies, made us realize that we need to start tackling Digital Wounds in an urgent matter. If we do not start immediately, there will be more people wounded with harmful consequences: depression, low self-esteem, eating disorders, etc. Furthermore, we will allow the evolution of these wounds into more dangerous levels in our society, such as hate speech and hate crime.

The main aim of our project is to work against Digital Wounds and foster a healthy digital environment.

The main objectives of the project are:
Objective 1: To complement our expertise for tackling Digital Wounds.
Objective 2: To provide to adult trainers and adults, tools for fighting together against Digital Wounds.
Objective 3: To empower adult communities in tackling Digital Wounds and using Digital Tools ethically.

Digital Wounds and ICTs do not have borders, neither our project. The project will make us build capacities, enabling us to learn from the others, tapping into methods and solutions that are developed or applied in Iceland, Czech Republic and Spain.

Our transnational project will be a “living laboratory”, becoming an important opportunity, for the development and testing of new ways that address Digital Wounds. The development of this tailor-made methodology requires a transnational partnership with strategic entities and activities.

It is clear that the complementarity of our expertise and strengths are relevant for the achievement of the project objectives.

For this, we will carry out the following training activities to provide tools and best practices in:

-VON HOPE (Participatory Visit in Iceland)- identification of Digital Wounds
-PETRKLIC HELP(Participatory Visit in Czech Republic)- prevention of Digital Wounds
-PERMACULTURA CANTABRIA (Online Workshop) – intervention and counteraction of Digital Wounds
Our implemented successful projects and initiatives are important key experiences for the creation of the NO-Digital Wounds Methodology. Thus, these trainings will be the foundation for its development.

This new methodology will be documented in an interactive book that will be available in English, Icelandic, Spanish and Czech versions. In addition, our partnership will develop audiobook versions in these languages that will allow people, with reading difficulties, to have access to this innovative methodology.

We will carry out a Course in Spain to test the book. This training mobility will be relevant, as we will transfer the new methodology that will be replicated by the participants on Internal Workshops and Multiplier Events.

It is important to mention that we implement a dissemination campaign in national, European and international levels, to reach a wide target audience. This campaign includes activities such as Internal Workshops, Multiplier Events (Conference in Iceland, Spain and Czech Republic to transfer the interactive book), dissemination of participants’ experiences, etc.

As a summary, adult trainers and adult learners will be beneficiaries of an innovative methodology that addresses a normalized effect that now-a-days has little attention in our society. The easy access of the methodology through the interactive book, dissemination activities and training services will provide, adult communities, capacities and readiness to identify, prevent, intervene and counteract Digital Wounds.

On the other hand, adult trainers will increase the quality of their daily work, being able to fight the
misconceptions/misinformation that form the basis of Digital Wounds. Adult trainers will be capable of addressing Digital Wounds, which does not mean limiting or prohibiting freedom of speech. It means avoiding and keeping them from escalating into something more dangerous, particularly incitement to discrimination, hostility and violence. They will be recognized as good reference in boosting healthy digital environments.

Adult trainers and adult learners will become able to participate online under ethical principles. This will make them become a reference in the proper use of Digital Media. We expect other users learn from their example. It is clear that reducing Digital Wounds will contribute to foster inclusion and diversity in the Digital World. Members of disadvantaged social groups will be able to participate on a more equal footing in digital society without stereotypes.

ADULTS will have:

1 Become responsible citizens on online environments.
2 Become critical thinkers, being tolerant towards other ideas.
3 Applied inclusive and non-violent communication tools in their daily lives.
4 Overcome the emotional damages caused by Digital Wounds.
5 Increased their physical and social interaction.
6 Will have developed and maintained good relationships, communicate clearly, inspired and influence others, worked well in a team, and managed conflict.
7 Participated in online environments under EU values (respectful comments, etc.).
8 Become more active in the physical world than in the digital one.

ADULT TRAINERS will have:

1 Applied lifelong tools for the identification, prevention, intervention and counteraction of Digital Wounds.
2 Helped their adults in having a healthy digital environment.
3 Improved their CV as experts in Digital Wounds.
4 Reinforced their Erasmus+ knowledge and interest to continue working in new Erasmus+ projects.

ADULT TRAINERS AND ADULTS:

1 Will have acquired all the learning outcomes related to the NO-Digital Wounds Methodology described in the section “Project Description”.
2 Will have raised awareness in adult communities and become active fighters in tackling Digital Wounds.
3 Will be happy while watching their friends’ stories and profiles (FOMO Effect decrease).
4 Will have increased motivation, leadership and self-esteem

PARTNERSHIP will have:

1 Consolidated their knowledge in Digital Wounds.
2 Been labelled as a pioneer partnership in Europe in Digital Wounds.
3 Transferred the new methodology to adult communities for free.
4 Developed future collaborations