TELECENTRE EUROPE | ANNUAL REPORT 2016
Influencing public policy
Telecentre Europe welcomed the launch of the New Skills Agenda for Europe in June – the most important initiative of the European Commission on education and employment in 2016. Not without our advocacy efforts, the digital skills are now being recognised by the new policy as basic skills together with numeracy and literacy. Since the launch in June 2016, Telecentre Europe has proactively contributed to the implementation of the following actions regarding digital skills:
1. Participation in the Secretariat of the new Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition, where Telecentre Europe is responsible of implementing the Coalition at member state level, by setting up new National Coalitions and supporting the existent ones.
2. Contribution to the implementation plan and adoption of the DigComp framework.
3. Contribution and recommendations on how to shape the Upskilling pathways as a Skills guarantee for adults
Our advocacy efforts in 2016 consolidated our position as a major partner in the field of digital skills and inclusion for the European institutions and stakeholders. While our membership continued to grow, we also gained more authority to represent the non-formal education sector and to raise awareness about its potential of enhancing the digital skills of Europe.
The Get Online Week campaign has been endorsed by EC Vice President Ansip, and by Commissioners Oetinger and Navracsics. The cabinet of Commissioner Navracsics has since been closer to our activities. Rodrigo Ballester, member of the cabinet, was one of the keynote speakers at the Telecentre Europe Annual Conference in Ghent. We were invited to propose a member of our network to join a panel discussion hosted by the Commissioner at the launch event of the new Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition.
Moreover, Get Online Week was again one of the major milestones of the eSkills for Jobs campaign of the European Commission. As a pan-European partner of the campaign, Telecentre Europe had the opportunity to meet new partners and to present our position in particular at the closing event in Bratislava, where our Chair and CEO were invited as speakers. The new eSkills Manifesto includes a section devoted to Digital skills and inclusion( Chapter 9) authored by Telecentre Europe.
Besides the Manifesto, we have published or supported four other policy position papers and contributions:• Coding and non-formal education – together with the Public Libraries 2020
• DigComp implementation – together with CEPIS and European eSkills Association
• I-LINC youth on digital skills – together with EUN and the I-LINC young changemakers
• Upskilling pathways – our contribution to the implementation of the initiative
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