Driving Digital Inclusion in Your Community: Afternoon Workshop
Driving Digital Inclusion in Your Community: Afternoon Workshop
By 2030, nine out of ten jobs will require digital skills; yet just over half of Irish people possess basic digital skills. Irish civil society organisations are working hard to close the digital skills gap by delivering a range of excellent initiatives and resources to upskill both their staff and community members.
With a range of speakers from across the community & voluntary sector, this workshop will explore how and why we as a sector should ensure an inclusive Digital Transformation in our organisations and communities. The event will include:
- A roadmap to digitalising your organisation
- Practical tips and best practice examples for ensuring accessibility and inclusivity in digital initiatives
- Overview of funding opportunities for digital projects
- Supports available.
We will also be conducting a brief consultation regarding the challenges and opportunities organisations have encountered on their path to digitalisation. Participants’ feedback will inform the content of our online Digital Inclusion conference on 30 October – details coming soon!
Please note: This event was previously scheduled to take place in Galway but was moved online to allow for greater accessibility.
- You can book places for yourself and/or colleagues by clicking the button below.
- Please email matthew@wheel.ie if you have any special requirements.
Meet Your Facilitators:
Mark Guerin is the Support and Development Officer for EPALE in Ireland. Mark has been the EPALE Ireland Coordinator since June 2023 and having previously worked in the Tourism, Culture and Heritage sector. As a traditional Irish Storyteller, Mark has worked alongside colleagues from across Europe as a member of FEST (Federation of European Storytellers). With a BA in Fine Art, Mark has a strong interest in creative engagement, experience design and immersive learning.
Brendan Mulry is EU Projects Officer for Irish Rural Link. Brendan has extensive experience in European project management particularly in the area of adult and community education. He was previously a programme coordinator with EQUAL Ireland, a not-for-profit charitable trust engaged in adult and community education, and is chair of Galway Community Training Centre. Brendan is currently completing an Msc in Cooperative and Social Enterprise with UCC and holds an MA in International Studies from the University of Limerick. Irish Rural Link have recently been partners in two EU Erasmus+ Projects with a digital skills focus. 'Digital Entrepreneurship for Women' (DEW) was focused on the particular digital challenge of female led businesses. In the context of the much changed post pandemic environment 'Micro 2 Digital' worked to develop a Digital Skills Training programme for rural based Micro Enterprises.
Elizabeth Kelly is the Deputy CEO of Enclude and has responsibility as the Senior Development Manager for meeting new clients and working with them on their CRM journey. In addition, she writes Enclude’s funding proposals, and is in charge of HR for Enclude. Elizabeth is a certified Salesforce Business Analyst and has experience in both the Business and Non-Profit sectors, having worked as a trainer with UNICEF in Ghana and as Programme Manager for Church Support in Dublin. She has worked as a Documentation expert, and as a Technical Writer in the Localisation, Security and Energy Management industries. Before joining Enclude she was General Manager for a US Telecommunications Company in Bray Co. Wicklow. Her areas of expertise include Team Management, Project Management, Documentation and Training.
Emily Nelson joined The Wheel as European Programmes Officer in 2021 and took on the role of European Programmes Manager in 2024. She oversees the delivery of Access Europe, a support and capacity building programme for the community and voluntary sector around accessing and managing EU funding. This involves researching EU funding opportunities that are relevant to the sector and The Wheel’s members, coordinating and delivering training and events related to EU funding, and assisting organisations in building relationships with potential EU project partners.
Caitriona Whelan is the Acting Communications, Advocacy and Outreach Manager in NALA. Caitriona has worked in NALA since 2017, previously working on the WriteOn platform that supported 11,593 learners to receive 42,190 QQI awards at levels 2 and 3. Caitriona has managed the implementation of the Learn with NALA elearning platform which continues the work of WriteOn, supporting learners working at QQI Levels 1 to 3. With a Masters in Education in Special Educational Needs, she has delivered accessibility workshops in house and externally as part of an Erasmus+ KA-2 project following the launch of EU accessibility directive 2016/2102.