Project Title:  DRIVE: Digital Research and Impact for Vulnerable E-citizens (in Ukraine and Georgia)

Supported by: e-Governance Academy and Luminate

Grant Amount: EUR 30,107.00

Grant Term: September 1, 2021 - August 31, 2023

Project Summary

In most countries around the world, the last year has caused the employment of digital and technological solutions at unprecedented speed across all sectors. Such rapid developments have led to many challenges. One of them is a fear of the widening gap between the developments and citizens. This unprecedented speed might have even caused a new set of marginalised citizens to emerge. Any innovation should precisely address that: future developments should not only be guided by the technologically feasible but by what is socially desirable and acceptable. Therefore the citizens’ engagement, particularly digital, in the decision-making in the sectors, services and ecosystems that affect their lives is crucial.

This project, DRIVE, wishes to address this – its ultimate vision is that the vulnerable citizen groups in Ukraine and Georgia have a changed quality of life (better) by being digitally engaged in political decision-making (advanced policy development) and services, and having necessary conditions, awareness and skills for that.

Though a large number of different elements can contribute to a changed quality of life and digital engagement, the DRIVE project aims at one: public authorities and CSOs are aware of the digitally vulnerable groups and their needs, and have improved skills to engage these groups and to prevent the digital divide (further). For that, the project targets two specific outcomes: first, public authorities and CSOs are aware of the digitally vulnerable citizens (DVC), and know the needs and gaps in their digital literacy and access (tools and skills), and second, they are able to work together to design smart responses to address the needs and overcome the gaps, and to implement transparent, accountable and participatory e-governance (e.g. a new tools, platform, etc.). These form the key outcomes of the project. In addition, the collaboration between eGovernance Academy (Estonia) and the local partners (Georgia and Ukraine) aims to advance the capacity and aftercare so that the local partners can continue working for the same objectives, able to find necessary funding (joint projects for EU and Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs) for action proposals, and achieve the ultimate objective for the digitally vulnerable e-citizens.

Project activities include:

Stage 1: Preparatory activities

Stage 2: Hands-on activities to implement selected recommendations

 - Trainings and actions proposals

 - Pilot project or civic engagement/tech initiatives and regional outreach