Context and Rationale
LV: EU-funded internet training for unemployed 'a great success'
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filed under:
best practices
July 12, 2007
An EU-funded EQUAL project to boost the computer literacy of unemployed Latvians has been a great success. 'Computer and internet training for the unemployed in Latvia' was an initiative of the Latvian Information Technology and Telecommunications Association (LITTA), with the Ministry of Welfare responsible for implementation of the EU-backed EQUAL programme
The project involved close co-operation with the State Employment
Agency and local authorities. The total budget was LVL 712 864
(approximately €1 million) and three-quarters of its funding was
provided by the Commission. The project lasted 30 months and more than
8 000 jobseekers and unemployed people were trained.
The EQUAL project was an essential element of the LITTA’s Latvija@Pasaule (Latvia@World) initiative. During the initiative, more than 15 000 people received training, mainly thanks to the support of local authorities and private funding. The initiative involves an innovative approach aimed at motivating and including all social groups, including the unemployed, disabled and retired people and those from ethnic minorities. They were all offered an opportunity to learn the basic skills of computer and internet use. The training module ‘Basic skills of the information society’ lasts only eight hours, and it ably demonstrated that it was possible to teach basic skills and encourage trainees to use them in their daily life within this short time slot.
Participant feedback was very positive, with 90 % keen to improve their computer and internet skills in the future, 52 % using e-mail on a regular basis, and 20 % of the unemployed having found a job after training.
Project sustainability is ensured by the eDevelopment centres that now operate in all regions of Latvia. The main goal of these centres is to support citizens in matters related to computers and Internet, as well as to create a link between entrepreneurs and jobseekers, and provide information on the skills demanded in the labour market. Furthermore, the centres provide support to eLearning activities.
The key success factors were a high-quality training system and close co-operation with local authorities. More information about the project and training opportunities can be found at www.latvijapasaule.lv.
Lesen Sie den Originalbericht:
The EQUAL project was an essential element of the LITTA’s Latvija@Pasaule (Latvia@World) initiative. During the initiative, more than 15 000 people received training, mainly thanks to the support of local authorities and private funding. The initiative involves an innovative approach aimed at motivating and including all social groups, including the unemployed, disabled and retired people and those from ethnic minorities. They were all offered an opportunity to learn the basic skills of computer and internet use. The training module ‘Basic skills of the information society’ lasts only eight hours, and it ably demonstrated that it was possible to teach basic skills and encourage trainees to use them in their daily life within this short time slot.
Participant feedback was very positive, with 90 % keen to improve their computer and internet skills in the future, 52 % using e-mail on a regular basis, and 20 % of the unemployed having found a job after training.
Project sustainability is ensured by the eDevelopment centres that now operate in all regions of Latvia. The main goal of these centres is to support citizens in matters related to computers and Internet, as well as to create a link between entrepreneurs and jobseekers, and provide information on the skills demanded in the labour market. Furthermore, the centres provide support to eLearning activities.
The key success factors were a high-quality training system and close co-operation with local authorities. More information about the project and training opportunities can be found at www.latvijapasaule.lv.
