Digital Citizenship and Skills (IT0066)

Background and objectives

As shown by recent DESI (Digital Economy & Social Index 2019) data, the low level of digital skills is a critical issue for Italy and is considered as one of the main causes of the delayed digital transformation process in the public sector.
Moreover, according to DESI, Italy needs strategic digital skills initiatives for the different population groups, such as, among others, elderly people, the unemployed and young people themselves, who are rarely the beneficiaries of targeted initiatives in relation to their specific needs. At the same time, businesses increasingly need to simplify their relationship with public administration, including access to services and meeting requirements.

In order to properly address the challenges connected with an increasingly digitally-oriented social and economic context, we need a synergic system of actions on digital skills for citizens, businesses and public employees. These measures cover different fields of action:
- basic digital skills needed by citizens to be able to interact consciously in an increasingly more digital social and occupational context, where DigComp 2.1 is the main EU shared reference framework;
- specialized skills to improve productivity and competitiveness in an economic context more and more oriented towards knowledge and information as well as effective management of public services;
- specific digital skills in a given working environment (defined by the OECD as “Digital Complementary Skills”) which, in the case of public administration, is characterized by specific operational processes and technological solutions regulated by norms (above all Legislative Decree 82/2005, Code of Digital Administration);
- digital management and e-leadership skills which are expressed in the ability to seize opportunities, benefits and challenges connected with the digital transformation and, hence, promote and drive change.

Together with the scarce pervasiveness of digital skills, there is an equal low awareness of digital citizenship rights. Technological evolution and the consequent demand for digital services by citizens and businesses imply the need to promote tools and initiatives to disseminate digital citizenship. It is therefore important to develop tools and initiatives to raise awareness about digital citizenship rights and the added value of digital services among citizens, in particular:
- supporting the implementation of digital citizenship and safeguarding it as both a right and an obligation: the right of digital citizens to access services; the obligation for citizens to comply with e-government requirements to be able to exercise their right;
- allow civil society to understand and learn about digital transformation projects in the public sector both engaging young people in the digital projects and promoting a platform dedicated to them.

Commitments
The objective of this action is to implement the following activities in the field of digital citizenship:
- drafting a Handbook for citizens describing the main digital rights laid down in the Code of Digital Administration (CAD) which regulates and simplify the relationship between citizens and businesses and public administration;
- developing a “Youth Portal” to engage young people aged 14 to 35 and include them in the economic fabric of the country;
- developing a three-year work-linked training project on digital citizenship education: from being of aware of rights to welfare measures provided by INPS and literacy programmes to use online services;
- at regional level, increasing the number of free access points to ultra-broad band internet networks, increasing the quantity and range of available digital skills, increasing the number of places where you can co-design and co-evaluate public services (innovation labs, open lab, etc.).

Regarding digital skills, the objective of this action is implementing the following activities in line with the different fields of action:
- organizing initiatives to support the dissemination of digital skills for citizens also using a gender perspective;
- producing directly managed digital services and content in public libraries;
- launching a web based platform to self-assess skills and abilities public employees are required to have to work in an increasingly more digital public administration (digital complementary skills) and personalized training. The platform will be made available to all administrations and public employees after it is piloted with some large-sized administrations, including the City of Rome and INPS, that wish to use the digital skills self- evaluation system to support the development of internal training;
- developing technical regulations laying down the general requirements for digital innovation managers and helpful to prepare harmonization activities and other activities such as training and certification of digital skills in businesses.

Lead Administrations
Agency for Digital Italy (AGID) – Daniela Intravaia
Department for Public Administration (PCM – DFP) – Elio Gullo

Other administrations involved
Department for Youth and National Community Service (PCM-DGSCN), INPS, INAIL, Ministry of Culture (MIBAC), Unioncamere
Regions and Autonomous Provinces City of Rome

Monitoring contact person from the Open Government Forum
University of Salerno – Daniela Vellutino

10. Digital citizenship and skills

10. Digital citizenship and skills

Completion: Limited

Milestones 10.1 and 10.2 (AgID): The guide on digital rights is due to be published by the end of 2021 according to the self-assessment. The process to develop the plan was delayed by the pandemic and change in minister. Webinars were held in 2020 and 2021 for local and central administrations (but not for citizens) on the subject of digital rights. [139]

Milestones 10.3–10.6 (PCM- DFP): A demo version of the system for public employees to self-assess their digital skills is available online. [140] The self-assessment reports that Formez PA, INAIL, [141] INPS, [142] the Lazio Region, and Unioncamere piloted the website to provide input on improvements. Since then, the assessment part has slowly opened up to other parts of public administrations for use (while the courses are still being prepared). A dashboard of usage statistics is not yet available on the website.

Milestones 10.7–10.10 (INPS): Linked to the above milestones, the self-assessment says that central and regional employees from the public administration took assessment tested their digital skills between February and March 2020. A test of a wider group of employees has not started but the Regional Directorate of Emilia Romagna has been identified to be tested on their digital skills, according to the self-assessment. A training plan has yet to be put in place, but the self-assessment says that INPS will select a provider to train employees on digital skills. The self-assessment states that ministerial directives in October 2018 (before the action plan’s adoption) meant that Milestone 10.10 could not be implemented as it was no longer possible to have an agreement between INPS and the Ministry of Education, University and Research.

Milestone 10.11 (MIBAC): There is no evidence this milestone was completed.

Milestones 10.12–10.21 (PCM-DGSCN): According to the self-assessment, the government internally tested a prototype of the online Youth Portal and a web platform to allow young people to apply for community service; launched pilot versions; and tested and monitored it with a group of young people. Improvements were made to the youth portal and the community service application system, and both are available online. [143] On 5 September 2019, one day after publishing the announcement for volunteers, the new online platform to apply for community service received 4,271 requests for access and 787 completed applications. [144] The Youth Platform was relaunched in February 2021. [145]

Milestones 10.22 and 10.23 (Unioncamere): Unioncamere developed and published a certification scheme for Digital Innovation Managers in May 2021. [146] The self-assessment states that limited dissemination activities have occurred through Unica Desks (information and consultation points for small and medium enterprises).

Milestones 10.24–10.32 (Regions and Autonomous Provinces, City of Rome): Emilia-Romagna now offers 10,000 access points to its wifi network throughout the region, [147] online courses to improve citizens’ digital skills, [148] and ten “open laboratory” spaces to encourage collaboration between businesses, citizens, and public administration. [149] The City of Rome adopted regulations for Punti Roma Facile and Scuola Diffusa, [150] and opened two new Punti Roma Facile despite the COVID-19 pandemic. [151] The self-assessment reports that the Scuola Diffusa is currently running digital skills trainings for women. City of Rome employees are not using the digital skills platform, nor were they invited to participate in piloting it (see Milestones 10.3–10.10) but some have taken part in focus groups. City of Rome has created two types of digital-skills training for employees (a general one and one for employees requiring retraining). [152]

Additional Milestones 10.A1–10.A9 (Ministry of Education): The Ministry of Education added to the original action plan two more clusters of milestones under Commitment 10: to train new teachers online, and train civic education teachers specifically. The self-assessment reports these have been completed, but only provides evidence for the availability of an online training course for new teachers. [153]