TELECENTRE EUROPE | ANNUAL REPORT 2016
I-LINC
The Platform for ICT learning and inclusion for youth employability and
entrepreneurship
Period: Jan 2015 – Dec 2017
Source of funding: Horizon 2020
Coordinator: Telecentre Europe
Website: www.i-linc.eu
The main objective of I-LINC is to establish a
sustainable, overarching platform for ICT (for) learning
and inclusion, focused on boosting the employability
and entrepreneurial skills of young people.
The I-LINC platform is a meeting point for
stakeholders to constructively discuss and co-design
socio-educational e-solutions and policy options to
modernise education through ICT, provide inclusive
alternatives to formal education developed by the
non-formal education sector and third sector, and
create a new “digital” path for employment for young
people.
The project gathers resources from existing platforms, networks and initiatives that are available on the topic
of ICT (for) learning and inclusion, as well as creates original resources and provides them to its audiences
on the platform. The project is also developing an active community of diverse stakeholders and users in the
field while linking them to the main beneficiaries - young people.
Telecentre Europe is leading the implementing consortium, which also includes:
• European Schoolnet (Belgium)
• Technical University of Dortmund Social Research Centre (Germany)
• Telefonica (Spain)
One of the main highlights of activities in 2016 was
the organization of the I-LINC international event at
the Telecentre Europe Annual Conference in Ghent in
October. Several sessions were organized by members
of the I-LINC consortium, one worth mentioning,
was a discussion on closing the digital skills gap for
employability and entrepreneurship led by a group of
I-LINC young digital changemakers. During social event
Telecentre Europe & I-LINC Awards were presented
to winners of the Best Practice and the Best Digital
Changemaker contests. The awards recognized work
of several I-LINC stakeholders who were present to
accept the awards and share their experiences.
ANNUAL REPORT 2016 | TELECENTRE EUROPE
Period: Jan 2015 – Dec 2017
Source of funding: Erasmus + Key Action 3 Support for Policy Reform
Civil Society Cooperation in the field of education and training
Beneficiary: Telecentre Europe
Operating
Grant
After 2014 and 2015, Telecentre Europe again successfully applied for an Operating Grant from the European
Commission in 2016, funded by the Erasmus+ Programme. The Operating Grant – equivalent with 125,000
EUR annually – allowed us to implement our core, statutory activities such as Board and Advisory Board
meetings, General Assembly, annual conference; contributed to the employment costs of key personnel, and
provided additional funding to a number of key activities.
In 2016, with the support of the Operating Grant, we implemented the following activities:
1. General Assembly in Amsterdam (March)
2. Four face-to-face Board meetings in Amsterdam (March), Barcelona (May), Ghent (October), and Brussels
(December) and one Advisory Board meeting in Brussels (December)
3. Annual Conference in Ghent (October)
4. European Get Online Week ( www.getonlineweek.eu )
5. Keeping up Skillage online self-assessment tool ( www.skillage.eu )
6. Capacity building of e-Facilitators
7. Evidence base, policy monitoring & advocacy: annual membership survey, monitoring policy developments
and attending policy events, position papers and contributing to relevant consultations
8. European Affairs Service: creating and promoting factsheets, news feeds, infographics explaining policy
developments
9. Unite-IT: Management of our online community, database of resources, forums, working groups, webinars
( www.unite-it.eu )
10. Telecentre Europe Awards: our annual recognition to organizations and professionals in the field of digital
inclusion and who bring digital opportunities to people in their communities
11. I-LINC stakeholder platform on ICT for Learning and Inclusion for youth employability and entrepreneurship
( www.i-linc.eu )
12. Membership development: Comparative analysis & clustering of members’ portfolios
At the end of 2016, as granted by a framework agreement for the period of 2015-2017, we were invited by
the European Commission to apply for the Operating Grant in 2017. The new work programme keeps most
elements from 2016, but also introduces a few more activities, such as a new Staff Exchange programme
Other highlights in the past year included the relaunch of the platform further enhancing user experience,
launching several initiatives and events to bring it to the attention of wider audiences, and the organization
of several other online and offline events.
Other highlights in the past year included the relaunch
of the platform further enhancing user experience,
launching several initiatives and events to bring it to
the attention of wider audiences, and the organization
of several other online and offline events.
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