Harnessing the power of technology and new digital tools is key to supporting inclusive communities and neighbourhoods. This Award recognises not only advancements in technology and digital improvements that promote inclusion in communities, but also the availability and accessibility of digital tools, relevant services, training for digital literacy, ensuring everyone’s digital inclusion.
Specific examples of applications may include:
- Design and delivery of affordable access to digital infrastructure for socially inclusive communities
- Programmes ensuring the accessibility of digital technologies for everyone regardless of income and ability
- Online community platforms to support people access social services or digital support for people using social services;
- Tools to secure the accessibility of people with disabilities
- Educational and training programmes on digital skills, the use of digital technology and literacy
- Tools promoting improvement of quality of life e.g. assisted home care technologies that support people to remain in their homes within their communities;
- Innovative technology aiding professionals and informal carers in their decision-making and daily tasks to improve the delivery of community-based care and social services;
- IT case management to help professionals to better manage the specific situation of people using social services in the community;
- Digital platforms that support the integration of social services in the community;
- New tools to enhance communication of professionals with people using social services and to aid the co-production and co-design of community social services with people using social services.
Automating Social Protection for Internally Displaced Persons in Ukraine
Organisation: Ukrainian Ministry of Social Policy and Ministry of Digital Transformation & Medirent
Country: Ukraine
Due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Ministry of Social Policy has a pressing challenge to provide social protection and benefits to many internally displaced persons. To tackle this problem, the Ministry introduced centralisation of appointments, accrual, and payment processes using the Unified Information System of the Social Sphere (UISSS). Medirent, with support from the Ministry and the State Enterprise ‘Information and Computing Centre’, developed and implemented the necessary software for this purpose. The project successfully automated social protection processes, assisting nearly 2.5 million internally displaced persons, easing the workload on social workers, and providing the government with a tool for monitoring and analysing social protection efforts. The project was implemented thanks to the support of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP UN).