Latvia@World project: a true PPP example

1. Latvia@World project: a true PPP example Imants Freibergs, President LIKTA

2. Agenda • eInclusion – What does it mean • How and where did we start • Different partners - different roles • Benefits of partnership

3. eInclusion – What does it mean • eInclusion aims to get everybody to use ICT as part of their everyday professional and social life in order to improve the quality of life • Everyone can become a producer of information, an “on the spot” reporter • Example: e-mail, IP telephony fosters communication between people far and near • Example: weblogs combine text, photos, video clips, links to other media and allow multi-way interaction • Social groups interacting via the Internet form virtual communitieswith common interests

4. eInclusion – Social networking • Social networking can help in eliminating social exclusion and stimulate socialcohesion • Latvia@World Initiative • Initiated and realized by LIKTA • Objective: to integrate people into social processes by developing their digital and Internet skills • Method: provide free 8 hour hands-on ICT training to selected social groups (unemployed, pensioners, disabled people, people in rural regions) to motivate them to use ICT in their everyday life

5. Essentials of the Latvia@World Initiative • ICT infrastructure • Public Internet access points (PIAP) • PC’s and Internet in private households • Internet content & services • Typical e- services(e-banking, information portals, e-culture, e-government, IP telephony, etc.) • Computer literacy & e-skills • Emphasise practical usage skills of useful Internet services, including security aspects • Train people to use services that are operational and available (e-banking, e-mail, utility bill payments, etc.)

6. How did we start • To start we had to do : • Check feasibility/ necessity of the idea • Develop a training program (teaching materials, find and train local instructors) • Survey availability of training centres and PIAPs in the regions • Find financial funding partners: • European Commission, • National and local governments, • Private organizations • Start with one well defined and financed social group • EQUAL project to train the unemployed • Supported by the EU Social Fund and the Latvian Government

7. Where did we start • How to bring the project to the people ?Most people live in rural and remote areas • Implications : • People must be trained on site ( not more than 25 km from their homes ) • Local trainers, training centres, Internet access points and coordinators needed • But LIKTA has been most active in Riga • Only solution : Co-opt local ( regional ) municipalities as key partners

8. Different partners - different roles • National Government • Ministry of Welfare(administration of EU funding and national co-financing for EQUAL project) • State Employment Agency(contact for training the unemployed) • E-Government Secretariat(responsible for e-government services, Information Society policy, endorsers of “e-trained” certificate ) • Ministry of Culture (PIAPs and consultants in Public libraries) • Ministry of Regional Development(PIAP development) • Ministry of Transportation (Broadband and Internet development)

9. Different partners - different roles (2) • Local Government : Municipalities • Coordinate the project in their region • Assist in finding local instructors • Assist in providing training centres • Provide public internet access points (mostly public libraries ) • Motivate local people, information disseminationvia local media

10. Latvia@World Regional partners

11. Different partners - different roles (3) Private organizations: • Training centres BDA, DZC, LatinSOFT • highly qualified and experienced institutions • help in training local instructors • knowledge transfer to the regions • Private sector financial sponsorsHansaBanka, Microsoft, LMT • sponsorsfor specific population groups • added value to the project • common PR

12. Different partners - different roles (4) Non-Governmental OrganizationsImportant role for assuring sustainability of the project • LIKTA – project initiator and coordinator : • Introduce project to new partners and regions • Procure financial sources for the project • PR and motivation of citizens • Ensure project quality and further development • Other NGOs ( thematic and regional) • Pensioners/senior citizens in Valmiera and Riga • Disabled people in Valmiera and Preili • Women Club in Preili and others

13. Different partners - different roles (5) International partners • EQUAL project : Vit@l society • Peabody Trust ( UK ) • Brekend Vaatwerk ( the Netherlands ) • De InformatieWerkPlaats ( the Netherlands ) • Common activities : • Exchange of experience • Book on Social use of ICT • Manifest on Social use of ICT • EQUAL and eInclusion sessions at Baltic IT&T 2006 Forum

14. International recognition and partnerships • Latvia@World selected as Signpost Project for EC eGovernment Conference in Manchester, November 2005 • Latvia@World project selected as Finalist for Stockholm Challenge, May 9-11, 2006 ( Competition among 1165 applicants) • We are willing and ready to share and replicate our best practice for other countries and regions ( in EU and elsewhere) !

15. Latvija@Pasaule Web page

16. Benefits of partnership • “Union fait la force” • Networking effect • Links between partners strengthen the whole undertaking • Transfer of knowledge • Complementary roles – not competition • Building-up of social networkingParticipation, communication, cooperation

17. Thank you for your attention www.latvijapasaule.lv/en www.likta.lv