Minorities and socially disadvantaged groups

Programme Operator: Ministry of Interior
Programme objectives:

The overall goal of the programme is to contribute to the social inclusion of socially disadvantaged people and communities, especially Roma, which will be achieved by improving their access to online services and digital infrastructure and by increasing their digital literacy in order to improve their ability to use the opportunities in the digital world. During the program, the emphasis is on the target group members being able to navigate the online space, to have knowledge of what matters they can handle online, and to be able to take advantage of the opportunities offered by online services. As a result, their labor market opportunities will increase, they will have better and easier access to public online services and information, thereby increasing their presence as citizens and improving their quality of life.

Swiss support: CHF 10 million

National co-financing: CHF 1,7 million

PROGRAMME COMPONENT I.

Programme Component Operator: Ministry of Interior

Online services primarily mean access to administrative, employment, education and health services. In parallel, organizations will be able to develop the digital skills and competencies of the disadvantaged groups, especially Roma, and to support the use of devices and online services through human capacity building.

Social inclusion institutions can benefit from funding through an open call targeting the development of their IT equipment, the development of the digital competency of the local workforce, the organization of sessions to help the online presence of disadvantaged people, especially Roma to use various public services online.

The final beneficiaries of the programme component are the Tanodas, Sure Start Children Houses, Roma Colleges for Higher Education, Community Houses, "Good Place To Be", "Star Houses", "Presence Points" and other NGOs working in the field of social inclusion.

PROGRAMME COMPONENT II.

Programme Component Operator: General Directorate of Social Inclusion (GDSI)

The aim is to plan and implement educational activities that improve the digital skills of staff in social inclusion institutions and help increase the digital literacy of the disadvantaged groups, including Roma. The developments provide a comprehensive, practice-oriented digital competency development training programme tailored to the local level of knowledge.

The final beneficiaries of the programme component are disadvantaged members of the target group, especially Roma, whose training is provided by GDSI on one hand and the staff of the local organizations on the other hand.