#ionline for two years: A1 presented the results of the implementation of a digital social project

The results of the two-years’ implementation period of the #ionline project and promising areas of interaction to enhance mobile digital literacy for the elderly and people with disabilities were delivered at the presentation with participation of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, UNFPA, and A1.

Digitalization is an integral part of modern times. It is aimed at making people's lives simpler, safer, and of higher quality. Digital mobile technologies are no exception. Smartphones and other digital devices represent great potential for improving the life quality of users, including the elderly and people with disabilities. Nowadays, mobile digital devices not only help people solve multiple tasks in everyday life, obtain necessary information, but also influence their socialization and give them confidence in themselves and their abilities. For the elderly, it is a way to reduce discomfort, to expand the opportunities for communication, creativity, and employment.

The #ionline digital volunteer movement, created on the A1 initiative in compliance with the international Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles, has been implemented since Y2020. Its purpose is to discover the full potential of the mobile internet for the elderly and people with disabilities, who are just starting to master modern technology.

In 2021, the project got a new development. The А1 and the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) in Belarus entered into a Partnership Agreement and initiated a joint project on increasing digital mobile literacy among the elderly and people with disabilities. Given the high social significance of the project, the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection supported the initiative of the responsible business and the international organization.

“Bridging the digital divide between the generations is on the agenda for the governmental agencies. The National Strategy of the Republic of Belarus called “Active Longevity 2030” envisages an increase in the share of citizens aged 60 and older making use of the Internet, and its growth up to 65% minimum”, noted Marina Artemenko, Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Republic of Belarus.

Using joint efforts, 20,000 copies of the “#ionline guide book” for the elderly were prepared, tested and published in Y2021. Over 8,000 guide books were distributed by 146 local centers for social protection of the population. The employees of the social protection system organizations enhanced their knowledge in training the elderly in the field of mobile digital literacy.

Today, apart from the elderly, constituting the main group of trainees from the very beginning, the #ionline project is focused on the people with disabilities as well, where the training process has its specifics.

Within the framework of the joint initiative of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, UNFPA, and the A1, methodical recommendations for the social service workers have been developed and published, which may be useful in their work with the elderly and people with disabilities to help them master modern technologies. The guide book contains useful tips on how to effectively and clearly convey the specific information, how to organize the space during training, what materials to use, and so on.

A series of brochures in the “clear language” has been prepared for the people with disabilities containing the instructions to explain in a simple and easy way how to set up a smartphone, learn to use social media as well as the “My А1” application and the “VOKA” video service, call a taxi, find out the public transport schedule, find any goods on the Internet.

Over 1,000 kits of the “Smartphone Is Easy” guide book in the “clear language”, including 7 brochures, 2,000 publications of methodological recommendations with practical advice on how to teach the elderly and people with disabilities more efficiently, will be distributed in the coming days among the social protection system organizations rendering services to the elderly and people with disabilities.

All the materials prepared to assist the #ionline activists can be found on the project website. Approximately 180 thousand website users have already benefited from their digital version.

During the project implementation period, more than 1,000 social protection system employees and volunteers have improved their competencies in training the elderly and people with disabilities visiting the seminars held in every region of the country.

More than 1,500 persons have already joined the #ionline volunteer movement within just two years since its launch; and with the help of the #ionline training programs, several hundreds of volunteers and their trainees from all over the country have completed training and were able to enhance their digital literacy. For example, just this autumn over 70 social protection system employees have taken part in the А1 contest and helped over 200 elderly and people with disabilities master modern digital technologies.

Everyone, who wants either to learn how to use a smartphone and mobile internet or help others in doing it, may join the #ionline project.