Author: Taula d’Entitats del Tercer Sector
Reading time: 4 minutes
The “Digital Autumn” of m4Social of Taula d’Entitats del Tercer Sector has begun, a series of activities related to digital innovation planned for the end of this year with a special focus on digitalitzation and internationalization through its project DO Impact, for which shares responibility with Cluster Digital de Catalunya.
The kick-off was with the event “Connect and Transform: Social changes from digital innovation”, gathering more than one hundred people at Palau Macaya—federations, alliances, and administrations—to advance together in digital innovation in the third social sector.
The institutional welcome was delivered by Jèssica Celda, Vice President of la Taula d’entitats del Tercer Sector; Marc Simón, Deputy Director General of the Social Area at “la Caixa” Foundation; and Francesc Hernández, Manager of Social Services of the Barcelona Provincial Council. “The challenge is not only to adapt to this digital acceleration, but to do so with a critical perspective and ensuring rights,” emphasized Celda.
From the “Digital Autumn” to 10 years of m4Social: David Fitó, project manager, explained its evolution and challenges. “Digital innovation will only be a value-adding contribution to humanity if it transforms people’s lives.”
Three additions that multiply
The day began with an inspiring conversation on transformative alliances. Mireia Fernández-Ardèvol, Full Professor at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC), delved into the first Catalan digital divide index, created by the Table and the UOC: “We have found a way to build sustainable indicators over time with a great wealth of data at the county level.”
On her part, Nerea Plaza, Head of Social Action at Aigües de Barcelona, highlighted the importance of alliances and innovation always putting the person at the center: “Digitalize to offer a better service,” she said. Finally, Andreu Francisco, Director General of the Localret Consortium, explained how the process of digital transformation in towns and cities must be. His formula: “vision, consistency, and coalition.”
Connections that inspire
After a first roundtable, the event included a series of short presentations of innovative projects in the third social sector. We learned about:
- GEDISI (FEDAIA), a bet to modernize, digitalize and empower social entities working with children and adolescents and their families across Catalonia.
- Strengthening emotional support to youngsters with AI: With the Foundation Ajuda i Esperança, Salut Mental Catalunya and UPF-BSM, emotional support to young people using artificial intelligence.
- “Voces en red” (Red Cross Catalonia), whose aim is to bring older people closer to their nearest social surroundings, favoring their integration and active participation in society.
- The COMHOM project (Sant Joan de Déu Association), which represents a bold step toward addressing homelessness from the roots.
- The app “alteucostat” (Rubí City Council and COCARMI), a platform that connects people with information and activities concerning disability.
- The project “Digitalitza’t”, of the Sargim Foundation – AMEA Cooperative (Federation of Cooperatives and FEDAIA), MWC Foundation Barcelona and Hospitalet de Llobregat City Council, an open digital accompaniment, support and empowerment service for the community.
- “Muvity” (Dincat), a telerehabilitation platform with interactive exercises and a depth camera to send a detailed analysis afterward to therapists. In collaboration with ADFO – Functional Diversity Association of Osona and UPC.
At the closing, Sandra Ruiz, Director General of Digital Economy and Society at the Department of Business and Labour, underlined: “We are talking about transforming the quality of life of people. The power of alliance goes far beyond the sum of each entity. It is the strength of the collective.”
For the DO Impact project this was a very important moment since the project was mentioned to an audience that was wider than the focus organizations and social economy realities it is tackling, so its impact grew bigger as well.
Working sessions with federations and agents
The event concluded in the afternoon with three simultaneous working sessions moderated by Tàndem Social, with the participation of federations of la Taula, some partners of brother european projects from DO Impact and invited agents specially for the occasion:
- Coordinating the fight for full socio-digital inclusion in Catalonia. The fight against the digital divide is a priority because those left out of the digital world are also left out of the most essential rights.
- AI for better attention to people. How we use AI in our entities: internally, and in relation to the people we serve, accompany, and support.
- DO Impact: Data management: an opportunity for the third social sector. Open Data Space of the Third Social Sector: opportunity, challenge, and impact.
Regarding the DO Impact specific session, around 20 people from 15 different organizations gathered to develop a dynamic and hands-on meeting to understand the need to share and work with data, governance models and priorities.
The main conclusions were the following:
- Immediate action to take on: define standards, methodologies, and techniques of data gathering
- Data protection must be considered from the beginning.
- Clarify what we want – this is crucial.
- A governing group using appropriate tools must be created.
- Training is key.
- Encourage participation.
- Pilot programs are very valuable – they help incentivize and share learning through small-scale exercises and prototypes that can later be scaled up.
- Governance: there’s a need to think about the role of those who control data and what they do.
- Necessary bodies:
- Internal bodies for data management;
- Advisory Council;
- External institutions and administrations – Taula, public administrations, experts.
- GDPR and the AI Act: European regulations that protect individuals.
The event “Connect and Transform: Social changes from digital innovation” was supported by the Barcelona Provincial Council, “la Caixa” Foundation, and the European project DO Impact, of which Taula del Tercer Sector is a partner through m4Social alongside Cluster Digital de Catalunya.
Don’t miss the photo album from the event.