KEEP UP - improving digital competences of social workers

Our objectives were defined in advance as: - Increasing digital competences of employees in social-care services organizations; - Developing an e-learning opportunity, which will be motivating and...

Our objectives were defined in advance as: - Increasing digital competences of employees in social-care services organizations; - Developing an e-learning opportunity, which will be motivating and user-friendly for non-IT professionals; - Verification of a model of training the social care employees by e-learning developed at the European level, in cooperation of 3 partner organizations; - Overcoming the barriers of digitalization in non-IT professions by presenting the competence in welcoming environment and accompany the e-learning by a training mobility to have an opportunity to observe the reactions of the target groups. All project activities were aimed at fulfilling these objectives. Aims were achieved by implementing the project activities, the tools measuring the achievements are described below.

Two main activities were realized and each of them include particular activities: DEVELOPMENT OF E-LEARNING content followed the partners´ discussions about target group needs, up-to-date labour market requirements and new progress in the social services sector. Taking into account specific experience of each partner organization, partners decided about division of chapters to be developed. The content was developed in several forms, text, images, video, quiz questions, etc. All the content has been transferred into the online environment using the available technologies, e.g. Edapp or Genial.ly. The e-learning has been translated and language versions have been published. Self-assessment tool has been incorporated. PILOTING OF E-LEARNING was led by partners in their countries. The participant’s feedback was collected and analyzed for further e-learning adaptation. The participants which reached the threshold were given a certificate. THE LEARNING MOBILITY was organized in Burgh Haamstede for employees in social services. The programme of the event was interactive and allowed discussion about e-learning but also visiting the centres of social services in a country where digital technologies are used effectively.

E-learning is the main result of the project. E-learning consists of 9 chapters, promo video for social work, self-assessment test and feedback form. E-learning is available in EN, CZ, NL and LT language versions from the project website. The result of the project is also the enhanced digital competence of e-learning participants. 259 (204+15+40) participants were involved in piloting the e-learning course in the Czech Republic, Netherlands and Lithuania and proved their knowledge and skills in the self-assessment test. The successful participants (reached the threshold of 70%) were awarded by a certificate. The report from the learning mobility organized for social workers in Burgh Haamstede is another project result. The European dimension in competence enhancement was verified during the mobility. Participants (7 social workers and the project team) shared their experience, discussed how digitalization is implemented in their countries and visited centres of social services where technologies are implemented on a high level, elderly care using virtual reality.