Latvia@WorldLatvia@World

E-skillsE-skills initiative in Latvia initiative in LatviaCoordinator: LIKTA Coordinator: LIKTA

( Latvian Information and Communication Technology ( Latvian Information and Communication Technology association ) association )

Latvia@World Initiative Latvia@World Initiative Project goals:Project goals:

Diminish the digital and social gaps in LatviaDiminish the digital and social gaps in Latvia Provide opportunities to everyone for acquiring the skills needed Provide opportunities to everyone for acquiring the skills needed

for using computers and Internet, regardless of age or social for using computers and Internet, regardless of age or social statusstatus

Promote the usage of existing Promote the usage of existing EE-services on the Internet and -services on the Internet and facilitate the creation of new and useful contentfacilitate the creation of new and useful content

Ensure that every person in Latvia will have access to InternetEnsure that every person in Latvia will have access to Internet Build-up social networking through participation, communication Build-up social networking through participation, communication

and cooperationand cooperation Project objectives:Project objectives:

Development of motivation strategyDevelopment of motivation strategy Training programs development and pilot trainingsTraining programs development and pilot trainings Expand the project to cover the whole country by forming new Expand the project to cover the whole country by forming new

partnershipspartnerships Transfer the method and best practice to other countries Transfer the method and best practice to other countries Extend the project with new ways to further social inclusionExtend the project with new ways to further social inclusion

Project Project target audiencetarget audience

SMEs and micro enterprisesSMEs and micro enterprises Local and regional municipalities Local and regional municipalities Elderly populationElderly population ECDL and eCitizen test candidatesECDL and eCitizen test candidates DisDisabled personsabled persons People in remote rural regionsPeople in remote rural regions People with low incomePeople with low income Unemployed and job seekersUnemployed and job seekers National minorities National minorities

Latvia@Latvia@WorldWorld results results

People trained: People trained: 441 trainers preparation in 24 districts441 trainers preparation in 24 districts Over 30 000 people trained since 01.12.2005Over 30 000 people trained since 01.12.2005

Support and development activities: Support and development activities: Co-operation agreements with 22 regional municipalities Co-operation agreements with 22 regional municipalities

about implementation of the project in Latgale, Kurzeme, about implementation of the project in Latgale, Kurzeme, Vidzeme, Zemgale and RīgaVidzeme, Zemgale and Rīga

Established 23 Latvia@World training and test centres in Established 23 Latvia@World training and test centres in LatviaLatvia

12 training curriculum developed and disseminated12 training curriculum developed and disseminated Over 2 mln EUR budget accumulated for project Over 2 mln EUR budget accumulated for project

realization realization

Latvia@World Training CentresLatvia@World Training Centres

How Latvia@World How Latvia@World hhelps elps people get jobspeople get jobs: : success storiessuccess storiesCase study: LiepCase study: Liepāājaja

Vladimirs Davļevičs since Vladimirs Davļevičs since 1975 suffered from a 1975 suffered from a serious illnessserious illness

IIn 1985 he was given the n 1985 he was given the status of second-level status of second-level disability, Vladimirs had not disability, Vladimirs had not worked at a salaried job worked at a salaried job since that timesince that time

IIn 2006, Vladimirs had a n 2006, Vladimirs had a chance to take part in the chance to take part in the Latvia@World trainingLatvia@World training

Vladimirs finally found a job Vladimirs finally found a job in March 2007 – he in March 2007 – he administers the Liepaja administers the Liepaja Internet homepage Internet homepage www.liepajniekiem.lv

Vladimirs Davļevičs found job after joining Vladimirs Davļevičs found job after joining MS Unlimited Potential coursesMS Unlimited Potential courses

How Latvia@World How Latvia@World hhelps elps people get jobspeople get jobs: : success storiessuccess storiesCase study: Case study: PreiļiPreiļi

Anita Strupā was given the Anita Strupā was given the status of second-level disability status of second-level disability in 2006 which kept her from in 2006 which kept her from continuing to work in the building continuing to work in the building industryindustry

SShe joined the Preiļi Regional he joined the Preiļi Regional Association of Association of DisabledDisabled People People

WWhen she learned about a four-hen she learned about a four-day MS Unlimited Potential day MS Unlimited Potential computer training course, computer training course, “Fundamentals of Text “Fundamentals of Text Processing”, she signed right up. Processing”, she signed right up. Anita completed the courses on Anita completed the courses on October 31, 2006October 31, 2006

IIn December of 2006 her n December of 2006 her organisation asked her to organisation asked her to become a consultant at the E-become a consultant at the E-competence Centrecompetence Centre

Anita StrupāAnita Strupā: “: “When people learn how to open up their When people learn how to open up their ownown E-mail mailbox and write a letter, when they learn E-mail mailbox and write a letter, when they learn how to use the Internet, they no longer question their how to use the Internet, they no longer question their own abilities. From the very start I saw how happy own abilities. From the very start I saw how happy these people were at succeeding at these tasks, and I these people were at succeeding at these tasks, and I was enormously happy about their accomplishments was enormously happy about their accomplishments andand about my own abilities, too, of course.”about my own abilities, too, of course.”

How Latvia@World helps How Latvia@World helps people get jobs: success storiespeople get jobs: success storiesCase study: Case study: VentspilsVentspils

At the Ventspils Digital Centre late At the Ventspils Digital Centre late in 2006, basic computer and in 2006, basic computer and Internet skills were learned by Daira Internet skills were learned by Daira (34 y.o.) and Gvido (36 y.o.) Rītiņš. (34 y.o.) and Gvido (36 y.o.) Rītiņš. Both wife and husband are hearing-Both wife and husband are hearing-impaired.impaired.

The couple completed the courses The couple completed the courses successfully and have been regular successfully and have been regular visitors at the Centre ever since visitors at the Centre ever since then – the family has no computer then – the family has no computer at home. Daira uses the computer at home. Daira uses the computer to find information, work on texts to find information, work on texts and communicate with friends – this and communicate with friends – this is very important for her. Daira has is very important for her. Daira has friends not only in Ventspils, but friends not only in Ventspils, but also in other parts of Latvia, and also in other parts of Latvia, and she doesn’t have that many she doesn’t have that many chances to meet those friends. She chances to meet those friends. She communicates in sign language by communicates in sign language by using the important Skype using the important Skype programme, which supports video programme, which supports video chatschats

Hearing-Impaired people in Ventspils using Hearing-Impaired people in Ventspils using computers and Internet for communications computers and Internet for communications with friendswith friends

How Latvia@World How Latvia@World hhelps elps people get jobspeople get jobs: : success storiessuccess storiesCase study: Case study: ValmieraValmiera

In accordance with the era of In accordance with the era of information and communications information and communications technologies, management at the technologies, management at the VTU Valmiera transport company VTU Valmiera transport company decided to offer computer skills decided to offer computer skills training to their employees. Basic training to their employees. Basic computer and Internet skills were computer and Internet skills were obtained by 70 employees, starting obtained by 70 employees, starting with cashiers and dispatchers and with cashiers and dispatchers and ending with department directors ending with department directors and specialistsand specialists

““The learning environment was also The learning environment was also made more favourable by the fact made more favourable by the fact that only our own colleagues were that only our own colleagues were in the group, and they were not in the group, and they were not afraid to take risks or to make afraid to take risks or to make mistakes. They helped each other, mistakes. They helped each other, and after the course was and after the course was completed, they discussed the completed, they discussed the things that they had learned,” says things that they had learned,” says company’s personnel director. company’s personnel director.

Personnel director Personnel director of of VTU Valmiera transport VTU Valmiera transport company Līga Melderecompany Līga Meldere says: says: “People who “People who work don’t have time to go on courses which work don’t have time to go on courses which last for months, and I am very pleased that last for months, and I am very pleased that this was a compact training session. It will be this was a compact training session. It will be of use not just at work, but also in everyone’s of use not just at work, but also in everyone’s private lifeprivate life..” ”

How Latvia@World How Latvia@World hhelps elps people get jobspeople get jobs: : success storiessuccess storiesCase study: RīgaCase study: Rīga

Starting from August, 2006 Starting from August, 2006 more than 1more than 15500 people trained 00 people trained – senior citizens, medical – senior citizens, medical workers, teachers, workers, teachers, salespersons, housewifes, salespersons, housewifes, bookkeepers, policemen, bookkeepers, policemen, construction workers, construction workers, dressmakers, managers, etc.dressmakers, managers, etc.

People are waiting in queue to People are waiting in queue to be trainedbe trained

Riga City Council helped to Riga City Council helped to prepare additional training prepare additional training module about municipality module about municipality portal and E-services offered portal and E-services offered to Riga residentsto Riga residents

Augusts Muberts is the oldest Latvia@World Augusts Muberts is the oldest Latvia@World training course graduate in Riga – he is 91 training course graduate in Riga – he is 91 old, still working as machinistold, still working as machinist

How Latvia@World How Latvia@World hhelps elps people get jobspeople get jobs: : success storiessuccess storiesCase study: Case study: EmployersEmployers

In 2006 163 employees of In 2006 163 employees of Latvia’s State Forests were Latvia’s State Forests were trained in 4 project training trained in 4 project training centres – Riga, Jēkabpils, centres – Riga, Jēkabpils, Talsi and Valmiera. A special Talsi and Valmiera. A special wood reporting module wood reporting module training was added to training was added to Latvia@World training Latvia@World training programmeprogramme by employer by employer..

In VaIn Vallmiera more than 200 miera more than 200 medical workers were trained medical workers were trained – nurses, doctors, – nurses, doctors, administratorsadministrators Māsa !!!Māsa !!!

Vita Jonāne, Valmiera Hospital educational Vita Jonāne, Valmiera Hospital educational nurse considers that after Latvia@World nurse considers that after Latvia@World training hospital staff is more open for new training hospital staff is more open for new technologies and use computers in everyday technologies and use computers in everyday work work

International recognition and International recognition and partnershipspartnerships Latvia@World selected as Signpost Project for EC eGovernment Latvia@World selected as Signpost Project for EC eGovernment

Conference in Manchester, November 2005 Conference in Manchester, November 2005 Latvia@World project selected as Finalist for Stockholm Challenge, May 9-Latvia@World project selected as Finalist for Stockholm Challenge, May 9-

11, 2006 (Competition among 1165 applicants)11, 2006 (Competition among 1165 applicants) Latvia@World project presented at the Latvian stand in the EC Ministerial Latvia@World project presented at the Latvian stand in the EC Ministerial

Conference “ICT for an Inclusive Society”, Riga, June 2006Conference “ICT for an Inclusive Society”, Riga, June 2006 Latvia@World project selected as Finalist for Baltic Challenge, August Latvia@World project selected as Finalist for Baltic Challenge, August

20062006 Latvia@World project presented at Government Leaders Forum in Latvia@World project presented at Government Leaders Forum in

Edinburgh; project highlighted in the publication „Building Skills for Edinburgh; project highlighted in the publication „Building Skills for Employability in the 21st Century”, February 2007 (in cooperation with Employability in the 21st Century”, February 2007 (in cooperation with Microsoft)Microsoft)

Latvia@World project selected as key note presentation for European E-Latvia@World project selected as key note presentation for European E-skills and Employability seminar in Barcelona, June 2007 (in cooperation skills and Employability seminar in Barcelona, June 2007 (in cooperation with Microsoft)with Microsoft)

Latvia@World project experience and methodologies transferred to Latvia@World project experience and methodologies transferred to Georgia in May 2008Georgia in May 2008

We are willing and ready to share and replicate our best practice for other We are willing and ready to share and replicate our best practice for other countries and regions countries and regions (in EU and elsewhere) !(in EU and elsewhere) !

More information:More information:

www.latvijapasaule.lv

www.likta.lv