Portuguese Internet Spaces Network

Acronym of the case:

REI (in Portuguese:

Web address of the case:

http://www.umic.pt/index.php

Country of the case:

Portugal

Posting Date:

27 November 2007

Last Edited Date:

31 July 2008

Author:

GraÃ§a SimÃµes (Knowledge Society Agency (UMIC))

Policy | PIAP | free

Type of initiative

Network

Case Abstract

The Internet Spaces Network encompasses more than 1,130 Internet Spaces (Public Internet Access Points) all over the country providing open and free access to multimedia computers and the Internet to all citizens, with the help of trained personnel and in most cases equipped for accessibility to the handicapped. This is the densest network of this kind in Europe and assumes an important role as a social mediator to computer and Internet technology in local, and frequently remote, communities.

Human mediation has been found essential in enhancing the use of computers and the Internet by digitally illiterates, and this network provides a means to overcome this difficulty.

The network involves Internet Spaces installed in varied locations, such as public facilities in central places of municipalities (324), public libraries (187), social solidarity institutions (215), digital inclusion centres for immigrants and other social groups risking exclusion (132), facilities provided by Digital Cities and Regions projects (123), employment and training centres (30), culture, recreational and sports clubs (109), CiÃªncia Viva Centres (11).

It is possible to view the Internet Spaces positioned in Google Earth (http://www.umic.pt/redeespacosinternet/REI.kml). It is also possible to request in the Internet information on each Internet Space (http://www.rededeespacosinternet.pt/index.php?option=com_chronocontact&Itemid=31).

The Internet Spaces have been a privileged tool to promote digital literacy and for the awarding of Basic Digital Competencies Diplomas, which were already awarded to about one hundred thousand people.

Through the coordination of the Internet Spaces Network, campaigns for the awareness of safe use of the Internet have been launched, involving hundreds of Internet spaces that targeted different target segments, including people with low digital literacy.

Also through the coordination of the Internet Spaces Network, campaigns were launched specially aimed at promoting digital literacy and the use of the Internet and computers by immigrants in more than one hundred Internet Spaces.

Description of the case

Domain

eInclusion

Topic

(public) e-services for disadvantaged people

Sector

Education, Science and Research | Culture and Media | Communication (infrastructure) | Local/Regional Community Development

Start date - End date

January 1999 (Ongoing)

Date operational

December 1999

Target Users

People with disability

Target Users Description

All population groups at risk of "digital exclusion", particularly:

- people leaving in remote areas;
- people with disabilitites;
- elderly people
- immigrants;
- other low socio-economic status groups, specially those with lower formal education levels.

Scope

National

Status

Operation

Language(s)

Portuguese

Policy Context and Legal Framework

According to EUROSTAT, in 2007 the Internet penetration rates in the population with secondary but not higher education was 81%, the 5th highest in the EU27 well above the 63% average and just below that of the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Denmark and France; in the population with higher education it was 90%, the 7th highest in the EU27 and just below the preceding countries, Finland and United Kingdom. However, the Internet penetration rate in the population that did not complete secondary education was only 24%, one of the lowest of the EU27, just above Italy, Cyprus, Malta, Bulgaria, Romania and Greece. The digital divide in Portugal is mostly an educational divide.

Thus, this initiative has been one of the most visible practical cumulative results of all ICT National Development Plans since 1999, particularly the current â€œTechnological Planâ€ (www.planotecnologico.pt), to address the digital illiteracy problem in the country.

Project Size and Implementation

Type of initiative

Inclusive services of general interest

Overall Implementation approach

Partnerships between administration and/or private sector and/or non-profit sector

Technology choice

Not applicable/not available

Funding source

Public funding EU | Public funding national

Project size

Implementation: Not applicable/not available

Implementation and Management Approach

The approach used was essentially based on central funding of decentralised local initiatives.

Proposals for funding were presented by a wide variety of organisations: Municipalities, Public Libraries, Employment & Training Offices, â€œLive Scienceâ€ Centres, Social Solidarity Institutions, NGOs. Proposals were selected on the basis of an evaluation performed by independent experts.

When in operation, Public Internet Access Spaces are under the local responsibility of the promoter organisation, and are encouraged to establish partnerships with (e.g.) local schools, local community associations (elderly citizens, disabled people, leisure groups).

The overall coordination is entrusted to UMIC (The Knowledge Society Agency, Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education -- http://www.umic.pt).

Technology solution

Each Public Internet Access Space is set-up with 3-10 PCs with a broadband internet connection (at least 2 Mbits/sec) and basic personal productivity and communication software (MS Office or Open Office, Skype, Messenger, High5, etc.).

In each location, at least one PC is set-up with h/w and s/w to make it accessible to people with special needs (particularly blind and deaf people).

Impact, innovation and results

Impact

The main impact of this initiative has several dimensions:

- Making ICT technology available in poor/ remote areas
- Making ICT technology available to groups at risk of e-Exclusion, particularly from low-income groups, elderly people, immigrants and people with special needs.

The use of the Internet Spaces is closely monitored in a particular set of 95 Internet Spaces with 514 computers within a Digital Cities and Regions project in an area with a population of about 350,000 people and 11 municipalities.

Throughout the year 2006, these Internet Spaces counted 28,390 unique registered users, were used for a total of 498,000 hours in 780,000 sessions. The number of unique users in each month was around 7,000 for most of the year 2006.

About half of the users were adults and the other half were people below 18 years old. Unemployed or retired people accounted for slightly over 10% of the users. About 54% of the users had lower than secondary educational level.

From 2005 to 2006, there largest increase of users in age brackets was for people over 65 years old (88% increase), followed by the 51-65 age bracket (37% increase), the 0-9 age bracket (31% increase) and the 36-50 age bracket (20%), in the age brackets 20-35 the number of users either remained stable or decreased slightly.

A comparison of the values of the Social Development Indicator in the 11 municipalities covered and the change in users shows that use has increased in the least developed municipalities and decreased in the more developed municipalities of the region.

Track record of sharing

Initial dissemination was widely done through the media (press, TV) and public websites, currently in â€œcruise speedâ€.

Lessons learnt

Overcoming the most common causes of e-Exclusion (low-income, low-education, disability, unemployment, old age, etc.) is a paradigmatic situation where there is no substitute for public initiative and funding, backed by a strong political will and support. In several instances, public-private partnerships have been established.

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