Shortlist for the European Commission's 2008 European e-Inclusion Awards announced

PRESS RELEASE

Shortlist for the European Commission's 2008 European e-Inclusion Awards announced

15 October 2008

Thirty-five initiatives from public, private, charitable and community organisations across Europe have been short listed as finalists for the 2008 European e-Inclusion Awards, a European Commission initiative. Selected for their innovative uses of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to help digitally and socially excluded Europeans, they are already improving the quality of life of many people and should help inspire others to do more.

Europe has made good progress in e-Inclusion in recent years but, with 30-40% of Europeans still at risk of being excluded from the information society, much more needs to be done. Nevertheless, the 469 entries to the awards, with participation from every European Union country, are a clear indication of the commitment to creating a more inclusive Europe through ICT.

The medallists of the European e-Inclusion Awards are:

Ageing Well Award

• Inforum (Hungary)

• Kommunförbundet (Sweden)

• London Borough of Newham (United Kingdom)

• Seniormedia Marketing (Austria)

• Seniornett Norge (Norway)

Marginalised Young People

• A-Clinic Foundation (Finland)

• CSV TEN (United Kingdom)

• Cyberhus (Denmark)

• Fundación Tomillo (Spain)

• KPN (Netherlands)

Geographic Inclusion Award

• Kyyjärven kunta (Finland)

• Ministry of Communications and IT – PMU Knowledge Economy (Romania)

• Welsh Assembly Government (United Kingdom)

• Youth Association for Habitat (Turkey)

• South Witham Broadband (United Kingdom)

Cultural Diversity Award

• Erudis,o.p.s (Czech Republic)

• Focus-5 TV (Switzerland)

• ITpreneurs (Netherlands)

• Milton Keynes Council (United Kingdom)

• Municipality of the Hague Public Library (Netherlands)

Digital Literacy Award

• Association ‘Langas i ateiti’ (Lithunia)

• Les Ateliers du Bocage (AdB) on behalf of TechSoup Europe (France)

• Sonovista (Austria)

• Swedish Disability Federation (Sweden)

• Tampere City Library, Sampola Library, Netsquare (Finland)

e-Accessibility Award

• Apex (Czech Republic)

• Enable Ireland (Ireland)

• IAM-Ayuntamiento de Madrid (Spain)

• Medicton Group (Czech Republic)

• Synscenter Refsnæs (Denmark)

Inclusive Public Services Award

• Centre of Registers and Information Systems (Estonia)

• Sotiria Hospital (Greece)

• eHungary Project (Hungary)

• Mid-West Regional Authority (Ireland)

• Significan’t (United Kingdom)

The winners in each of the seven categories will be announced at the European e-Inclusion Awards Ceremony on 1st December in Vienna, as part of the 2008 e-Inclusion Ministerial Conference and Exhibition (30th November to 2nd December, 2008), the largest event on e-Inclusion ever organised in Europe.

Ends

More information:

Alison Johnson

Media Relations Manager, European e-Inclusion Awards

Phone: +44 (0) 20 7234 3535

Email: alison.johnson@key20media.com

For press accreditation to the event, please check:

http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/events/e-inclusion/2008/press/index_en.htm

More information on the seven categories and shortlisted finalists can be found at

http://www.e-inclusionawards.eu

Details of the European Commission e-Inclusion initiative are at

http://ec.europa.eu/einclusion

Note to the Editor

Additional Medallist Information

Ageing Well Award

• Inforum (Hungary)

Inforum is an umbrella organisation of Hungarian ICT Non Government Organisations. Their Grandparent-Grandchild Competition of Informatics demonstrates how children can play an important role in the motivation of their grandparents for using computers and the internet.

• Kommunförbundet (Sweden)

Through the use of videophone computers, the ACTION-project provides caregivers for the elderly access to an online network of health care personnel and other carers enabling them to share knowledge and experiences with others in the same situation.

• London Borough of Newham (United Kingdom)

The NeAT and WSD programme implements the use of tele-care and tele-health technologies in the homes of elderly people, enabling them to continue living independently.

• Seniormedia Marketing (Austria)

The Seniormedia Marketing flagship project (Seniorkom.at) works towards facilitating access to the internet for elderly people and integrating different generations. The project contains a series of initiatives such as schooling programmes, learning events to inform the elderly about e-Government and the benefits of computers.

• Seniornett Norge (Norway)

Seniornett Norge is a Non Government Organisation working towards e-inclusion for elderly people. The organisation has two tiers, the first is the annual ‘Senior-surf day’, an open house event held at libraries and community centres nationwide for the elderly to learn about ICT. The second tier is a ‘club’ or training centre established at the local site where seniors can continue their learning and become proficient ICT users.

Marginalised Young People

• A-Clinic Foundation (Finland)

The A-Clinic Foundation provides services to reduce alcohol, drug and other addictions.

Their project ‘Shadow World’ aims to reach Finnish young people aged 11-15 suffering from parental substance misuse and to provide them with information and support. Their digital methods include an interactive website where they can share their stories and a corresponding comic book available in both digital and print form.

• CSV Training & Enterprise North West (United Kingdom)

CSV is a national volunteering charity, their Training & Enterprise North division specialises in providing media related volunteering opportunities for young people; The ‘CSV TENW’s digital media’ project has used sonic art, digital music production film making and other formats of digital technology to engage young people in actively addressing issues such as Citizenship, politics, sex & sexuality, drugs & alcohol.

• Cyberhus (Denmark)

Cyberhus is a charity and youth website which reaches out to under privileged children in need of help and guidance from trustworthy adults. Volunteers, who work online, provide an anonymous and confidential chat counselling service and Cyber School agents teach school children about e-safety and netiquette.

• Fundación Tomillo (Spain)

Tomillo Foundation is a not for profit organisation which focuses on people from Madrid’s more deprived areas. Tomillo’s training programs provide young adults that have low levels of education and employability, skills to gain highly qualified employment.

• KPN Mooiste Contact Fonds (Netherlands)

KPN founded the Mooiste Contact Fonds company which supports the ‘KlasseContact’ project, together with Stichting Ziezon, a foundation that enables sick schoolchildren to stay in contact with their classmates. This is achieved through the installation of a laptop and webcam installed at the home or in hospital and a chair with a big screen and webcam installed at the school so sick children can follow lessons from home and maintain social contact with their friends.

Geographic Inclusion Award

• Kyyjärven kunta (Finland)

Nopoloa News is an online news portal where the news content is mainly provided at a grass roots level by local citizens of Kyyjarvi, a town which does not have its own local paper.

• Ministry of Communications and IT – PMU Knowledge Economy (Romania)

The project has set up knowledge centres in disadvantaged communities throughout Romania to provide information services to improve the quality of government services as well as creating an enabling business environment with a particular focus on SME’s.

• Welsh Assembly Government (United Kingdom)

Communities@One is a digital inclusion project that operates in the 150+ most disadvantaged communities in Wales to help people engage with technologies that are relevant to their lives.

• Youth Association for Habitat (Turkey)

Youth Association for Habitat facilitates the network of local youth councils throughout Turkey; they implement numerous international and national projects in order to empower young people as active partners in social processes and e-transformation of Turkey.

• South Witham Broadband (United Kingdom)

South Witham Broadband is a social enterprise set up when the rural community it serves found that it was not commercially viable to provide broadband.

Cultural Diversity Award

• Erudis (Czech Republic)

CH@VE internet clubs support socially and culturally disadvantaged school children using games and leisure activities to encourage the children’s e-skills. The project also works with local teachers, raising their awareness of how ICT can support the learning process through interactive and online methodologies.

• Focus-5.tv (Switzerland)

Focus-5.tv provides online video content for hearing impaired people in German speaking Switzerland. The site makes it easier to create and access journalistic sign language videos reducing the linguistic and technological barriers faced by users.

• ITpreneurs (Netherlands)

ITpreneurs develops innovative technology solutions for cultural and social issues. "Nederlands aan het Werk" prepares immigrants for work, learning and family life in Dutch society.

• Milton Keynes Council (United Kingdom)

ConnectMK/Digital MK supports people on low incomes and those from excluded groups to improve their lifestyles through the use of digital technology. Initiatives range from distributing low cost PCs and providing tele-health initiatives to improving the accessibility of online public services.

• Municipality of the Hague Public Library (Netherlands)

Community Media Centres have been established where citizens can produce their own media content, sharing it with the local residents and neighbourhood. Video and audio material can all be developed with support from qualified professionals.

Digital Literacy Award

• Association "Langas i ateiti" (Lithunia)

The Window 2 Future project from the Langas I ateiti alliance increases the accessibility of internet and e-services through computer literacy and Internet training for adults. Through their national ‘Computer Literacy Basics for a Lithuanian E-Citizen’ digital literacy project they have trained over 50,000 people in basic computer, internet and e-services skills.

• Les Ateliers du Bocage (AdB) on behalf of TechSoup Europe (France)

The TechSoup Europe network is a European partnership of NGO’s that provide technology product donations, lever technology expertise and training, promote knowledge transfer and the use of successful business models among not for profit organisations, and in turn for the disadvantaged communities that rely on them.

• Sonovista/Telekom Austria – Buntes Fernsehen Engerwitzdorf (Austria)

Buntes Fernsehen encourages local people of the rural Austrian community of Engerwitzdorf to create their own digital content based on their personal interests and disseminate within their local community via Television over Internet Protocol (IPTV).

• Swedish Disability Federation (Sweden)

The Swedish Disability Federation’s project ‘MediAbility – Digital Storytelling’ uses simple, cheap digital online tools to encourage people to express themselves on the internet.

• Tampere City Library, Sampola Library, NetSquare (Finland)

In addition to providing free internet access in its local branches, Tampere City Library offers free training in basic computer skills and also takes a mobile Internet prepared bus to local communities to teach them about using the internet.

e-Accessibility Award

• Apex (Czech Republic)

The Apex Tyfloset system is a wayfinding information system with digital audio announcements for disadvantaged groups, especially the blind and visually impaired, that enables them to travel independently.

• Enable Ireland (Ireland)

Enable Ireland provides services for people with disabilities and their children. Their flagship National Assistive Technology Training Centre develops and delivers training and information resources promoting the independence of people with disabilities.

• Informatica del Ayuntamiento de Madrid (Spain)

Guia Urbana Accessible (Street Directory of Madrid) allows people with disabilities to plan an appropriate route to shops, public transport and leisure facilities. The system also translates the geographic environment into a textual description, greatly enhancing the city experience for people with visual impairment.

• Medicton Group (Czech Republic)

Medicton's I4Control system is an assistive technology that enables people with motor disorders to use eye movements not only to control their PCs but also other household equipment including the TV.

• Synscenter Refsnæs (Denmark)

Synscenter Refsnaes, the Danish Centre for Visual Impairment has pioneered RoboBraille, an e-mail based translation service that automates the translation process and empowers visually impaired users to have electronic documents converted into either synthetic speech or Braille on demand.

Inclusive Public Services Award

• Centre of Registers and Information Systems (Estonia)

Using integrated and real time technology, the e-Notary system has improved the quality, speed and security of access to the registers and infosystems within the Ministry of Justice. Customer service has improved as processing time for legal matters such a Land Registry transactions has reduced by up to 60%.

• e-Hungary Project (Hungary)

The e-Hungary Project supports disadvantaged people and isolated rural communities to use Government e-Services through the provision of IT access points and an eCounsellor network. Trained local processionals provide a personalised service to citizens, encouraging them to engage with eGovernance.

• Mid-West Regional Authority (Ireland)

The CitizenFirst project, part of a pan-European partnership, encourages increased citizen and community participation with local and public bodies through ICT awareness training and the installation of Public Internet Access Points.

• Significan’t (United Kingdom)

Significant (Sign If I Can’t) is a social enterprise that uses innovative SignVideo technology through a unique Video Call Centre to provide immediate and real time access for deaf people.

• Sotiria Hospital (Greece)

The e-Health Unit at Sotiria Hospital has incorporated the use of ICT into clinical practice to allow a gradual evolution to more home and community based health and social care particularly for chronic care management, this has proved invaluable for elderly and disadvantaged patients.