DigiLab is an intensive digital skills training accompanied by on-demand office hours support. DigiLab provides training to people of foreign or Belgian origin who do not have the possibility of being trained by other operators, such as people who are either not in education, employment or training (NEET), unemployed, long-term jobseekers, or undocumented migrants, among others. The program’s curriculum is based on Le Monde des Possibles’ 20 years of experience in basic literacy and aligns with the five areas of the DigComp Framework for Citizens.
During DigiLab’s sessions, students are taught basic digital skills in an intensive one-month course with four hours of training per day. The training is face-to-face and in groups of ten to twelve learners to encourage collective dynamics and individual support.
Additional to these group sessions, students can also attend on-demand individualised office hours three times a week in Le Monde des Possibles’ Digital Public Space for immediate and time-sensitive needs. It can include requests for specific software or functions, technical issues, assistance with online procedures, answers to questions, help with writing, etc.
DigiLab uses an inclusive pedagogy which places the participants at the heart of their process without reproducing the logic of exclusion that they may have experienced in the past and towards which a feeling of rejection is often expressed (concerning their status, their language skills, administrative obligations, among others).
DigiLab ran from July 2022 to July 2023.
IMPACT OF TRAINING:
- 90 upskilled learners
- Improvement of digital competencies: Their average evolution of digital skills is +34%
BEST PRACTICES:
- The link to smartphones: smartphones are incredibly valuable tools in the classroom. Establishing connections between their computers and smartphones can truly enhance their learning experience.
- Social needs: DigiLab offers more than just basic digital skills training. It provides a supportive and nurturing environment where learners can acquire essential competencies, explore their potential, and engage in meaningful intercultural exchanges. By combining accurate digital skills education with opportunities for personal growth and intercultural understanding, we empower our learners to progress in an interconnected world.
- Everybody wants to learn something: Le Monde des Possibles quickly realised that they had to meet the needs of students who wanted to speed up course content. In order to meet the needs of these enthusiastic learners, they needed to not only expand the curriculum, but also encourage self-directed learning.
If you want to learn more about the project, visit their website or contact the Project Coordinator Kevin Cocco at kevincocco@possibles.org.
Organisation:
Our partner Le Monde des Possibles is a training centre for French as a foreign language, digital skills, and social economy activities based in Liège, Belgium.
The philosophical identity of Le Monde des Possibles is based on promoting a social and economic policy that is respectful of fundamental rights, specifically fighting for the rights of migrants, undocumented and unemployed workers, women and youngsters, unfolds throughout its initiatives. They offer a permanent social and legal service to their beneficiaries, which helps fight against all forms of exclusion and discrimination. Every week, 200 people of 54 nationalities speaking 410 different languages participate in their cross-cultural activities.