Implementing organizations:
- Association “Social Center for Helping People in Need” Fushë-Arrëz (QSNNN), Lead applicant, Albania
- Edutask Institute, Partner, Kosovo
- Center for Social Innovations BLINK 42-21, Partner, North Macedonia
Summary of the project
The DIGI-CORE project aims to promote inclusive and transparent governance in Albania, Kosovo, and North Macedonia by bridging the digital divide. Its key objectives are: empowering civil society organizations (CSOs) and marginalized communities to participate in regional decision-making through capacity building and access to digital tools; developing digital literacy programs targeting disadvantaged groups like rural women and the elderly; piloting the mCommunity digital platform to enable citizen-government interaction and boost transparency in the Municipality of Fushë-Arrëz, Albania; and advocating for public administration reforms to embrace digitalization and civic participation. By taking a multidimensional approach focused on digital empowerment, fostering regional cooperation, promoting good governance ideals, and ensuring no one is left behind in the digital transition, DIGI-CORE strives to catalyze positive social change in the Western Balkans on the pathway towards integration of European values of digital empowerment, transparency and inclusiveness. The project consortium led by the Social Center for Helping People in Need, partnering with Edutask Institute and Center for Social Innovations Blink 42-21, will collaborate closely to implement the activities and support the local CSOs, authorities and communities in the three countries.
Project goals
The overall goal of the project is to strengthen civil society and foster inclusive, transparent, and digitalized regional decision-making processes that facilitate peaceful cooperation among Albania, Kosovo, and Macedonia and move forward towards the Euro-Atlantic integration.
Specific objectives are:
(1) Empower Albania, Kosovo, and Macedonia’s civil society organizations and populations to actively participate in regional decision-making processes.
(2) Develop digital literacy programs for marginalized communities.
(3) Implement a pilot implementation of mCommunity Platform in the Municipality of Fushë-Arrëz in Albania.
(4) Advocate for public administration reforms that embrace digitalization and citizen involvement in local and regional decision-making processes.
Target groups and beneficiaries
The target groups of the project are youth, the disadvantaged and marginalized communities, illiterate rural women, the digital illiterate population, elder people, and civil society organizations. Beneficiaries are Civil society organizations, general public and communities, local authorities, and public institutions in Albania, Kosovo, and Macedonia.
Main activities
- Assessment of the digital capabilities of disadvantaged communities, illiterate rural women, the digital illiterate population, and elder people in Albania, Kosovo, and Macedonia to engage with public institutions and participate in public decision-making, and raise regional cooperation.
- Development of digital literacy materials among disadvantaged and marginalized communities, illiterate rural women, the digital illiterate population, and elder people in Albania, Kosovo, and North Macedonia.
- Implementation of a pilot digital Platform in the Municipality of Fushë-Arrëz in Albania, called mCommunity Platform and developed by the Center for Social Innovations Blink 42-21.
- A series of 10 training sessions for young students to be enabled to help disadvantaged and marginalized communities, illiterate rural women, the digital illiterate population, and elder people in Albania, Kosovo, and Macedonia to learn to use e- governance applications.
- Capacity-building workshops for CSOs in Albania, Kosovo, and Macedonia.
- Awareness campaigns on the importance of transparent governance and digitalization.
- Advocacy meetings with public institutions for reforms.
- Establish a forum for CSOs, local authorities, and the public to discuss regional issues. The workshops for CSOs will be complemented by advocacy meetings, ensuring that CSOs can directly engage with public institutions. The digital literacy materials will be integrated into the awareness campaigns.
