INTERNET ACCESS FOR PARTICIPATION, LEARNING, AND ACTIVE YOUTH
Project number: 625283-CITIZ-1-2020-2-IT-CITIZ-NT
Website: https://europeforcitizense.wixsite.com/i-play
FB page: https://www.facebook.com/IPLAYdigitalinclusion
Abstract
“I-PLAY: Internet access for Participation, Learning and Active Youth” started on the 1st of March 2021 and ended on the 28th of May 2023, designed by 9 partners from 7 EU (IT, PT, FR, BE, BG, LT, HE) and 1 neighbor (AL) Countries, with the aim to establish a Network of Organizations and Towns, to give voice to rural and peripheral territories and digitally excluded citizens (migrants, refugees, disabled,…), by facilitating debates on the need of equal access to the Internet and on its future in EU. The global health emergency caused by COVID-19 has forced EU citizens to digitally re-think their way of life, working, studying, learning, communicating, and participating. But, how it is possible to move so quickly towards a digital-based society, to talk about civic and democratic participation, and to contribute to the Union policy-making process, without guaranteeing EQUAL ACCESS to the internet for all? What are the EU initiatives and programs for this purpose and how could everyone contribute to a more digitally inclusive society? With its structured work plan (6 International Events, 24 Local Debates, and 8 Local Dissemination Meetings in 8 Countries), the project impacts more than 600 direct and 35.000 indirect participants. 16 Young Players (2 per country) first contribute to local research on good practices to be shared (collected in the E-Book “I- PLAY Inclusive practices” ) and, then, act as digital facilitators and multipliers, by stimulating debates on the future of digital inclusion in EU and collecting ideas and proposals on e- Citizenship, Digital Solidarity, Distance Learning, Remote Working, Digital Communication (collected in the Recommendations “I-PLAY for the Future of Europe: how to foster digital inclusion”). The Recommendations, as a result of this long-lasting participatory bottom-up approach, were addressed to the relevant policy-makers, thanks to some partner organizations with their consultative status at the EU Parliament and thanks to the Eurodesk Network which will support the dissemination campaign.
Final outputs: I-PLAY EBOOK, I-PLAY RECOMMENDATIONS
