End of Commitment Report – Development of digital competencies of community residents in cooperation with the public sector

Name of Evaluator

Mariana Zvarych

Email

[email protected]

Member Name

Ternopil, Ukraine

Action PlanAction plans are at the core of a government’s participation in OGP. They are the product of a co-creation process in which government and civil society jointly develop commitments to open governmen... Title

Action plan – Ternopil, Ukraine, 2021 – 2023

CommitmentOGP commitments are promises for reform co-created by governments and civil society and submitted as part of an action plan. Commitments typically include a description of the problem, concrete action...

Development of digital competencies of community residents in cooperation with the public sector

Title

Development of digital competencies of community residents in cooperation with the public sector

Action

Development of digital competencies of Ternopil City territorial community involves analysis of digital literacy, implementation of measures to develop digital competencies of the community, introduction of appropriate incentives for digitalization of the public sphere, awareness of existing challenges, acquisition of digital competencies, stimulation of use and consumption of digital technologies and electronic services.

Problem

The acquisition of digital competences by the community will stimulate the use and consumption of digital technologies and electronic services, which is an important step in implementing commitments 2 and 3 of this Action Plan.

1.1 What was the overall level of progress in the commitment implementation at the time of this assessment?

Complete

Provide a brief explanation of your answer:

The commitment “Development of digital competencies of community residents in cooperation with the public sector” is being fulfilled through the successful implementation of the “University of the Third Age” project in Ternopil. The key fact confirming this progress is that over 500 people have completed this course. This number is an objective and verifiable indicator demonstrating that the project:

• has a significant reach: It has covered a wide audience of residents who gained access to knowledge and skills that directly align with the commitment’s goal.
• Is being implemented in practice: The training is not a one-time event but has become a systematic process, allowing the community to continuously improve its digital literacy.
• Directly promotes the development of digital competencies: Courses in computer literacy and other subjects directly ensure the fulfillment of the stated objective.

Thus, the fulfillment of the commitment is confirmed by a concrete result— a large number of people who have successfully completed the training and acquired new digital skills.

Provide evidence that supports and justifies your answer:

№3-Evidence-_eng.docx

1.2 Describe the main external or internal factors that impacted implementation of this commitment and how they were addressed (or not).

Key factors:

• RelevanceAccording to the OGP Articles of Governance, OGP commitments should include a clear open government lens. Specifically, they should advance at least one of the OGP values: transparency, citizen partic... and High Demand: The “University of the Third Age” project was successfully implemented due to high demand among older adults for acquiring digital skills. This allowed it to attract a significant number of participants (over 500 people) and ensured sustained interest in the training.
• Partnership: The collaboration between the Ternopil City Territorial Center for Social Services, educational institutions, and students created a sustainable and effective training model. The involvement of volunteers and teachers from various fields significantly reduced financial costs and improved the quality of the courses.
• Funding: The availability of funding from the local budget enabled the initiative to operate.

Hindering Factors:

• Martial Law: The full-scale war was a primary factor that could have hindered the project’s implementation. Due to shelling, air raid alerts, and the general danger, training could have been temporarily suspended, which affected the stability and continuity of the educational process.

1.3 Was the commitment implemented as originally planned?

All of the commitment milestones were implemented as planned

Provide a brief explanation of your answer:

The commitment was fulfilled because its key goal—the development of digital competencies among community residents—was achieved. The “University of the Third Age” project was not only launched but also successfully implemented, engaging over 500 people.

2.1.1. – Did the government disclose more information; improve the quality of the information (new or existing); improve the value of the information; improve the channels to disclose or request information or improve accessibility to information?

No

Degree of result:

Did not change

2.1.2. – Did the government create new opportunities to seek feedback from citizens/enable participation inform or influence decisions; improve existing channels or spaces to seek feedback from citizens/enable participation/ inform or influence decisions; create or improve capabilities in the government or the public aimed to improve how the government seeks feedback from citizens/enables participation/ or allows for the public to inform or influence decisions?

Yes

Degree of result:

Major

Explanation: In narrative form, what has been the impact on people or practice.

The implementation of the “University of the Third Age” project did more than just provide theoretical knowledge; it created a real mechanism for developing digital skills among the older generation. Thanks to this project, over 500 people were able to overcome the digital divide. They learned to use computers and smartphones, enabling them to engage with the government’s electronic platform (E-Ternopil Resident Portal) and improving access to services, requests, inquiries, and public surveys and discussions. This not only improved their digital literacy but also had a deeper social impact. Older people who previously felt isolated from technological progress have now become full participants in the digital society.

2.1.3 Did the government create or improve channels, opportunities or capabilities to hold officials answerable to their actions?

Not Applicable

Degree of result:

Did not change

2.1.4 Other Results

Not Applicable

Degree of result:

Did not change

2.2 Did the commitment address the public policy problem that it intended to address as described in the action plan?

Yes

Provide a brief explanation of your answer:

The original problem was to promote the acquisition of digital competences by the community, which will stimulate the use and consumption of digital technologies and electronic services. This was achieved by the program, which focused on promoting the elderly’s use of digital technologies.

3. Provide at least one lesson or reflection relating to the implementation of this commitment. It can be the identification of key barriers to implementation, an unexpected help/hindrance, recommendations for future commitments, or if the commitment should be taken forward to the next action plan.

The “University of the Third Age” project demonstrated how an initiative based on collaboration between the government, educational institutions, and the public sector can continue its operations even under the difficult conditions of wartime. Despite air raid sirens and other challenges, the project did not stop because it had a strong foundation laid in partnership.