The "Clicks for Inclusion", sponsored by the Évora County Association of Municipalities and financed by the Operational Program Human Potential, closed its training activities in March of 2009.
Having as main objectives the promotion of training to develop personal and social skills of young institutionalized children, unemployed people, ex-drug users and recipients of income from Social Security, the project, whose implementation and promotion were being provided by a Mobile Internet Access Unit, aimed to promote the skills of beneficiaries in areas such as citizenship, the organization of democratic states, Â Environmental and Consumer Education. 8 training courses were completed in the context of the project for a total of 110 beneficiaries.
In addition to innovative teaching methods applied, using ICTs, this project took on a character representing a first incursion of the Évora County Association of Municipalities in the area of direct intervention for social development and promotion of training for a very specific audience.
A partnership has been formed, in order to promote the success of this project, with organizations whose mission is directly geared to supporting these fringes of population. More specifically partners were 2 shelters for children and adolescents, 1 institution with the host centre for children and young people as well as work in the area of family education and 1 of the Portuguese Red Cross delegations.
Policy Context
The CLICKS for Inclusion project is part of the Mobile Internet Access Unit activities as well as a part of a policy of public service by Évora County Association of Municipalities.
This project is financed by the Portuguese national authorities trough the Human Potential Operational Project and SEF.Â
Description of target users and groups
Description of the way to implement the initiative
A partnership with organizations whose mission is directly geared to supporting disadvantaged population has been formed for this project.
More specifically, partners were 2 shelters for children and adolescents, 1 institution with the host centre for children and young people as well as work in the area of family education and 1 of the Portuguese Red Cross delegations.
Technology solution
The Internet connection was provided by a broadband wireless connection shared by all computers.
Main results, benefits and impacts
110 beneficiaries attended the 8 training courses promoted.
As far as promoting the skills of beneficiaries in areas such as citizenship, organization of democratic states, Environmental Education and Education for consumption is concerned, the authorities who monitor the recipientsobserved positive changes in their behavior.
In parallel, the analysis of work produced by the beneficiaries is also quite satisfactory regarding the fulfillment of these goals.
The simultaneous strengthening of the technical skills of beneficiaries in ICT was also achieved, with particular emphasis on awareness of issues related to security in the use of the Internet, a topic that crosses the field of citizenship.
Regarding the institutional image of Évora County Association of Municipalities, we believe that this project has been very beneficial and all partner entities showed satisfaction by noting the interest of the Évora County Association of Municipalities in intervening in these areas. This project was considered as dignifying the concept of "public service".
Return on investment
Return on investment: Not applicable / Not availableLessons learnt
The intervention for the help of disadvantaged populations must be made with the collaboration of institutions that know the reality of their everyday life and have their confidence.
ICT is a particularly effective teaching method; the use of a computer and of the Internet have a motivating effect for learning, especially in cases of students showing no kind of interest and discouraged by formal methods of teaching.
E-Inclusion is a way of combating social exclusion, by giving citizens new skills and access to more information.