After 15 months, our Intro-Internet Research Communication Project has come to a successful conclusion, both for the participants of our online course "Finding Work with Computer and Internet" and for us at Grenzenlos Digital e.V. In this online course, we taught essential digital skills to people, especially refugees, enabling them to use these skills in their job search, career orientation, and daily lives.
In total, we conducted three online courses and provided 51 individuals with digital competences. The positive feedback from the participants has deeply touched us, and all of them have measurably improved their skills.
A Successful New Online Course Concept
We have implemented a new course concept which comprises live sessions via Zoom, an online learning platform for independent and flexible learning, and intensive individual support. For those unable to attend the live sessions, we offered the option to watch videos with the input from the sessions. After three course runs, we know that this concept can be successfully applied to our target group. The course is scalable, and participants can learn at their own pace when necessary. We are particularly proud that our course appealed to a large number of women - as many as 62% of our participants were female.
Insights and Experiences
Our first course run was an exciting experience that provided us with valuable insights, which we then incorporated into the two subsequent courses. Now, we would like to present some recommendations and tips that we consider crucial for the successful implementation of a similar course:
Afternoon Course Times: Scheduling course sessions in the afternoon enables participants to take part in live sessions, which increases the chances of broad participation.
Optimizing Recruitment: Recruitment takes time but is essential. Live recruitment events, where people were able to get to know us and our course offering, have proven very successful. Personal contact with potential participants can make a significant difference and generate interest in the course offer.
Building a Reliable Network: A solid network provides valuable support in participant recruitment and course promotion. Targeted connections with organizations and individuals pursuing similar goals are essential. These can also act as advocates for the course.
Recommendations and Positive Feedback: The voices of participants are invaluable for the success of a course. Former participants and individuals from similar organizations are valuable ambassadors for the course offer and can increase its visibility.
These proven practices were extremely successful in our subsequent course runs and are essential for creating an inspiring and effective learning experience. The enthusiasm and commitment of our participants confirms to us time and again how valuable a well designed and carefully planned course can be.
Reducing the Digital Divide and Enabling Social Inclusion
Feedback from our participants, as well as other nonprofit organizations, consistently reminds us of the importance of imparting digital skills, especially to vulnerable groups. Our participants have repeatedly emphasized the significance of our courses for their future. We consider it our responsibility to reduce the digital divide and enable social inclusion.
Heartfelt Thanks to Our Supporters
Our thanks go to DigiCo (The Digital Collective) for making this wonderful project possible. We would also like to thank Hajna, our dedicated student assistant, for accompanying and actively supporting the project.
Furthermore, we are grateful for the valuable support from individuals and organizations that assisted us in recruiting our participants. Here is a selection: Hamburger mit Herz e.V., leetHub St. Pauli e.V., Lokalwerk uUG, verikom Verbund für interkulturelle Kommunikation und Bildung e.V., Bezirksamt Eimsbüttel in Hamburg, Flüchtlingskirche Berlin, Loulou Sprachcafé Berlin, ReDi School, Diakonie Hamburg, MW Malteser Werke gemeinnützige GmbH, Hamburg Welcome Center.
Together Towards the Future
The Intro Project has shown us that there is significant demand for an online course which imparts basic digital competences. We are committed to continuing and improving this course to reach even more people and offer them a positive perspective for their future.
Support and Donations are Welcome
For our future projects, we rely on your support. Donations or long-term funding will help us to continue our mission and reach even more people. If you wish to support our project, please contact us at: info@grenzenlos-digital.org.
Let's make the world more digital and promote equal opportunities!