The Wheel has a strong focus on skills and leadership development for the charities and community organisations. In recent years, digital upskilling and reskilling has become increasingly important for our members and the communities they serve. Digital technology is transforming our lives – the way we work, the way we learn, and how we interact with others. While the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this digital adoption, it also unveiled disparities in digital skills highlighting the risk that the more marginalized in our communities will be excluded from the opportunities the digital age presents. By 2030, 9 out of 10 jobs will require digital skills; yet, according to the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP), almost 38% of Irish adults have below basic digital skills, well behind both the EU average and the best performing countries in Europe. As a community and voluntary sector, if we are to serve our communities effectively, we must engage with the digitalisation agenda, and we can be pivotal in advocating for and facilitating an inclusive society-wide digital transformation.
With this digital inclusion goal in mind, The Wheel delivered our “Digital Transformation for Thriving Communities” project over a 6-month period in 2024. The project was generously funded by the European Citizen Action Service, a Brussels-based nonprofit organisation that defends EU rights and promotes digital democracy and open decision-making in the EU. By bridging digital divides and empowering Irish civil society, the project aimed to foster a more inclusive and digitally adept society, ensuring that no one is left behind in the digital transformation journey. ”Digital Transformation for Thriving Communities” was comprised of a social media campaign and a three-part online event series looking at the digital inclusion landscape in Ireland’s community and voluntary sector. During the three events we focussed on four key areas:
