Event connects volunteers around the world Thursday, July 29, 2010 - 16:22

The Digital Activist Inclusion Network (DAIN) - run by WEA, NIACE, and CEFET - tests and delivers different approaches to challenging the digital divide across the East Midlands. The project trains and supports volunteers called Digital Activists, who are committed to sharing the benefits of using digital technology with their communities.

Today's event enabled Digital Activists in the UK to review their recent work and to share information and receive feedback from contributors in Mexico, Germany, Bulgaria, Greece, Belgium, Switzerland and Scotland.

Partner contributions were delivered in a series of short pre-prepared video montages which respond to a short video presentation about the DAIN project.

Andria Birch, DAIN project manager for WEA, said:

"A key feature of the DAIN project is that volunteers develop their practices by learning from others, so it has been great to have so many contributions. One of our German contributors was visiting Slovenia this week when his laptop broke as he was sending a video. A local Apple computer shop in Ljubljana saved the day, by letting him record and upload his video in the shop."

Alastair Clark, Senior Programme Director for Digital Learning at NIACE, said:

"Working with the WEA to pull this event together has been really exciting. It has been great to find so many colleagues around the world committed to digital inclusion and who would spare the time to add to the discourse of the event. The rich mix has been achieved at a fraction of the cost of bringing delegates to Nottingham and with tiny carbon footprint."

The Digital Activist Inclusion Network is funded by the European Social Fund.