15 November 2013 1

Assessing the socio-economic impact of Telecentres

Gianluca Misuraca, Senior Scientific Officer

The views expressed by the authors are not necessarily those of the EC

Institute for Prospective Technological Studies

IPTS: one of the seven

institutes of the EC JRC

IPTS Mission:

to provide support to EU

policy-making process

by developing science-

based responses to

policy challenges that

have both a socio-

economic as well as a

scientific/technological

dimension

15 November 2013 4

Information Society Unit of JRC-IPTS

Outline

1. The evolving eInclusion policy landscape

2. The role of eInclusion Intermediaries in the Information

Society

3. MIREIA - Measuring the Impact of eInclusion

Intermediaries

4. The Way Forward and what´s in for you

Setting the stage: the EU eInclusion policy

ICT play an essential role in supporting daily life in today's digital society

e-Inclusion means both inclusive ICT and the use of ICT to achieve wider inclusion

objectives

e-Inclusion policy aims at reducing gaps in ICT usage and promoting the use of ICT to

overcome exclusion, and improve economic performance, employment opportunities,

quality of life, social participation and cohesion

Launched under the i2010 Agenda for realising the inclusive pillar of the

Lisbon Strategy

Riga Ministerial Declaration in 2006

Vienna Ministerial Conference in 2008

It now features as an important element in the Digital Agenda for Europe, a

flagship of the current Europe 2020 strategy

Under Pillar 6 - Enhancing digital literacy, skills and inclusion, the Commission

proposes a series of measures to promote take-up of ICT by potentially disadvantaged

groups, such as elderly, less-literate, low-income persons, etc.

A changing Policy landscape for eInclusion

Renewed focus on Growth and Jobs in the current socio-economic context

(e.g. New Employment Package adopted on 18/4/2012)

it becomes crucial to assess the impact of eInclusion initiatives so to convince “ICT

outsiders” and to support mainstream of ICT use in non-ICT policies

eInclusion is closely related to EU policies on social inclusion, education and

culture, regional development, innovation, industry and internal market

An agenda for new skills and new jobs

Youth on the move

European platform against poverty and social exclusion

Regional cohesion

• especially in light of the current debate on the reform of the EU policy and

instruments for social and economic cohesion

Unleashing the power of the ´I2 paradigm´

• eInclusion is about both inclusive technological innovation and

innovative ways to deliver inclusive policies by using ICTs

• ’There are probably few fields where Inclusion and Innovation are so entwined

and can in principle virtuously feed each other as that of inclusive services

supported by ICTs

• Technology driven innovation in service provision has an impact on economy

and society and finds market sustainability only inasmuch as the adoption and

appropriation of such services in everyday life activities are wide and

expanding among citizens and across all value chains.

• Yet this potential will not be unlocked until innovative policies and regulatory

solutions, as well as investments by industry, expand their adoption.

Source, EC Vienna Study (2009).

The role of the eInclusion intermediaries (eI2) in the Information Society

eI2 play a crucial role especially due to their potential multiplier effects in

promoting socio-economic inclusion at various levels (regional, local,

community, thematic, etc.) and thus contribute exploiting the I2 paradigm

In spite of their crucial role, eI2 have received limited policy attention and

there are important ‘knowledge gaps’

The variety of eInclusion intermediary actors in Europe is high

‘Telecentres’ are assumed to be representative of the types of organisations

and network organisations populating the vast field of eInclusion

intermediary actors

MIREIA la estrella (MIREIA the star)*

*http://www.casadellibro.com/libro-mireia-la-estrella-un-libro-musical-para-mirar-tocar-y-escuchar/9788434885240/864859

MIREIA

Measuring the impact of eInclusion Intermediary actors

on Digital Literacy, Skills, and Inclusion Goals

Characterising the role of eI2 actors involved in

implementing eInclusion policies and better

understand their policy potential

Developing a conceptual and methodological

framework to assess impacts of ICT-enabled

services (eI2-mediated) in support of groups at

risk of exclusion and to promote social inclusion,

integration and employability

MIREIA’s Rationale

The rationale of the research relies on the need to develop a shared

methodological framework to measure the impact of eI2 actors on the

socio-economic conditions of the target users they address

This project, done in close cooperation with key stakeholders, is

expected to involve practitioner and design jointly a methodological

framework to further enhance capacity, mobilise stakeholders and

engage them to collect data so as to measure their impact

An indirect objective of the project is also to further link its results with

EC supporting funding schemes (e.g. ICT-PSP-CIP, European Social

Fund – ESF, and others)

Research design: MIREIA’s Building Blocks

WP1 – eI2A

Characterisation

& Mapping

Task 1 – Literature Review

WP2 – eI2

Impact

Assessment

Framework

Task 2 – Locality

mapping in 3 selected areas

Task 3 – EU Mapping

Task 4 – Review of

indicators & methods

Task 5 – IAF Development

Task 6 – Test of IAF

Explanation and theories

Methods

Locality Mapping

EU Mapping

Test LR on Employability

‘Piloting & Testing’

Design of IAF

Key activities

WP1 –

Characterisati

on & Mapping

of eIA

Task 1

WP2 –

Impact

Assessment

Framework

Task 2

Task 3

Task 4

Task 5

Task 6

Explanations and theories

Methods

Locality Mapping

EU Mapping

Test

LR on Employability

Pilot&Test

2 Expert

Workshops

1- MIREIA

2- Employability

Stakeholders

Consultation

Workshop

Draft IAF

Design of IAF

May 2012

Sept 2012

June 2012

Oct 2012

Jan 2013

June 2012

June 2012

Sept 2012

2013

MIREIA eI2-IAF

Objective:

To build and test an IAF to systematically collect end-users micro-data through

grassroots organisations and aggregate it at various levels, in order to facilitate the

measurement of outcomes and the estimation of the impact of those actors on

employment, education and social inclusion

Focus on the role of ICT for employability

'the combination of factors and processes that enable people to progress toward

or find employment, to remain employed, and/or to advance in the workplace'

(Brown, Hesketh, Williams, 2003; Fugate, Kinicki, Ashforth, 2004; Houston, 2005)

Evidence from literature shows that

• the adoption of ICT increases the demand for skilled workers and reduces that for

unskilled workers

• Employment, wage trajectories and labour supply decisions along the life-cycle tend to

be affected by the level of digital skills possessed by individuals

• Access and ability to use ICT affects employability, by shaping the decision to enter the

labour market and of investing in training, and the likelihood of obtaining/maintaining

a job

Unfolding ‘Impact Assessment’ in MIREIA

'a process aimed at structuring and supporting the development of policies’

identifies and assesses the problem at stake and the objectives pursued

identifies the main options for achieving the objective and analyses their likely impacts in

the economic, environmental and social fields

outlines advantages and disadvantages of each option and examines possible synergies

and trade-offs [European Commission, http://ec.europa.eu/governance/impact/index_en.htm]

The MIREIA eI2-IAF is to be considered as an hybrid mix of methodological

approaches and practical methods being, at the same time:

a methodological framework to measure the impacts of eInclusion interventions

implemented by eInclusion Intermediary actors

a practical tool-kit to provide guidelines and recommendations for the design and

operationalization of monitoring and evaluation systems to be implemented by eInclusion

Intermediary actors

eInclusion Intermediaries

Specific

Objectives Outputs Outomes

Socio-economic Impacts

Specific Impacts

Target Groups/ Beneficiaries

PEOPLE AT RISK

MISSION GOALS

NEEDS

ASSUMPTIONS / RISKS / LIMITATIONS

Key elements for designing the MIREIA eI2 IAF

Disruptives Variables / ICTs

Socio-economic

Inclusion

CBOs

Transactional environment

Government

Private

Sector

Technology

suppliers

Third sector

organisations Contextual

environment

National

Politics and

policies

Socio-

demographic

developments

Economics

...........

Research

Community

EU policies

Administrative

culture and

attitudes

School/training

centres

Principles underpinning the MIREIA eI2-IAF

Under certain conditions, ICT-mediated interventions of eI2 can have a

potential ‘amplifying’ effect capable of contributing to:

enabling empowerment mechanisms

• (e.g. in terms of improving ICT skills and acquiring other skills than ICT, such as social skills,

communication skills or labour market skills through ICT, as well as self-confidence, etc. which

in turn can increase social capital formation)

enhancing outreach capabilities of individuals and groups either as part of the local

community they belong too, but virtually at a global scale

• (e.g. through networking and participating in dedicated 'spaces' for socializing and community-

building, thus in turn improving social capital bonding and bridging, as individuals of various

backgrounds are brought together beyond one's immediate social network)

offering new and innovative ways for economic participation in society

• (e.g. increasing the opportunities for job-related search, training and self-employment or

online activities allowing to engage in social and economic interactions)

Methodological approach: A multi-level analysis

Perspective/Target Type of Indicators Level of analysis

Costs and benefits from a policy and broader

socio-economic perspective

Contribution of eI2 activities to ‘global

Impacts’ on society and economy at large

Policy/Macro

Role of eI2 from an organizational/

institutional perspective

‘Mediated effects in terms of indirect outcomes

/specific impacts

Strategic/Meso

eInclusion Intermediary/services

Direct benefits in terms of outputs/direct outcomes

Operational/Micro and Exo

Outlining the MIREIA eI2-IAF

Employability relevant outcomes and (specific) impact dimensions

Direct and indirect effects of eI2 identified to be employability relevant:

Skilling: improvement of ICT skills and capabilities, thus leading to better

opportunities to look for and apply for jobs

Empowerment: enhancement of confidence and motivation for learning,

leading to an increased perception of the possibility to improve

(individual/group) social and economic conditions (social capital formation);

Networking capacities: strengthening network ties and outreach potential

(social capital bonding and bridging), leading to increase of the opportunities

for socio-economic integration;

Job-placement: facilitate the possibility for accessing information on labour

market and entrepreneurial opportunities, thus participating actively to the

(local) economic development and contributing to socio-economic inclusion

MIREIA’s Overview of activities

Task 1 – Literature Review

Task 2 – Locality Mapping

Task 3 – EU Mapping

Task 4 – Review of methods and indicators

Task 5 – Development of the Impact Assessment Framework

Task 6 – Test of the Impact Assessment Framework

Way forward

2012 2013

Experts

and S

takehold

ers’ C

onsulta

tions

Where are we now?

The way forward

Continue building the MIREIA Community of practice

Experts and stakeholders workshops and Online consultation

Linking to Telecentre Europe and other key stakeholders

Finalise the three ‘Exhaustive Locality mapping´ analysis

1. El Raval, Barcelona, Spain - Neighboroud

2. Sunderland, UK – Urban Area

3. Zemgale, Latvia – Rural Area

Start-up the ´Mapping of Telecentres´ at EU27 level

Executed by Telecentre-Europe (October 2012 – March 2013)

Characterisation of eI2 in Europe

to support to gain visibility and policy attention with regard to their

contribution to policy goals

The way forward

Develop the eI2 – IAF and ´test´ its validity in real life settings

through ´applying´ its principles to 5 case study interventions

1. Community Hubs, UK Online Centres, UK

2. eSkills and your future profession, LDP/FRSI, Poland

3. Fast Track to IT, FIT, Ireland

4. Pane & Internet, Emilia Romagna Region, Italy

5. Social Innovation & Employability, Guadalinfo, Andalusia, Spain

Develop a 'full-fledged' operational framework including

a complete set of monitoring and evaluation indicators

guidelines, practical tools and instruments for monitoring and evaluation

Refine and validate the eI2 IAF through discussion with experts and

stakeholders

develop recommendations for possibly generalising the MIREIA eI2-IAF at

European level, through, for example, a 'large-scale' pilot and/or other policy

and research actions.

gianluca.misuraca@ec.europa.eu

cristina.torrecillas@ec.europa.eu

For further information about MIREIA: http://is.jrc.ec.europa.eu/pages/EAP/MIREIA.html