Profiling the e-Rural Inclusion Specialists
DIGINEXT WP2: Development of the e-Rural Professional Profile
Attending cultural demands within rural communities; establishing the core requirements for training systems, with particular emphasis on digital skills development; coming up with strategies for promoting digital transition in rural areas; and detecting specific needs across various target groups have been the key premises to set up all the actions taken following Work Package 2 of DIGINEXT project.
Continuing with the successful completion of the outputs for Work Package 2, it is now possible to summarise the principal steps undertaken by country. Initially, a regional mapping of Local Action Groups (LAGs) was carried out, followed by a series of questionnaires and focus groups were conducted in every country as agreed during the kick-off meeting, providing quantitative and qualitative insights into the situation regarding low-skilled adults, seniors, and the LAGs themselves.
In this sense, Romania, Spain, Italy, Greece and Austria have developed several actions under Work Package 2 umbrella like questionnaires or focus groups to target the specific needs in every country in order to set up common conclusions to develop the DIGINEXT training course arranged for profiling the e-Rural Inclusion Specialists concept.
Romania analysis concludes that LAGs are well-positioned to foster cultural initiatives, yet currently focus heavily on infrastructure, leaving cultural engagement underutilised. There is a need for LAGs to diversify their activities, integrate digital tools for cultural preservation, and collaborate with educational bodies to secure resources for cultural projects. Spain has observed similar needs, with the focus on rationalising the gap between needs and available upskilling offer of any type, potential infrastructure and qualified professionals. On the part of Italy, Sicily’s partner has detected that despite high awareness of cultural activities, there is a need for structured programmes to encourage more active community participation, especially among digital low-skilled adults and seniors. Besides, they state that while many possess smartphones, most lack digital competencies, creating a need for comprehensive programmes spanning basic to advanced digital skills. Greece, from its side, puts the attention in Attica’s region LAGs. There the focus groups emphasised community interest in closing skill gaps, preserving heritage, and expanding economic opportunities in agriculture, tourism, and business. Collaborations between LAGs, educational providers, and public-private partnerships are essential for effective digital and cultural advancement in Greek rural areas too. Austria has concluded that the ongoing needs in the rural LAG areas, such as expanding digital infrastructure, improving digital proficiency, and enhancing digital skills training tailored to the needs of diverse demographics, including seniors and low-skilled adults are meant to be highlighted. Additionally, despite the training and cultural offers, there the focus group participants also identified a demand for more advanced digital skills in project management, digital collaboration, and cybersecurity, underscoring the importance of further developing Austria’s digital landscape to support economic and community growth in rural regions.
Thus, in sum all partners countries findings highlighted the importance of cultural engagement, expanded digital infrastructure, and customised training programs to build digital competence and community involvement across target groups in each country.
These insights will guide the development of the DIGINEXT training course and finalise shaping the role of e-Rural Inclusion Specialists in the currently incipient work package 3 actions.