Relevance to Theme: Digital skills are an important aspect of ensuring that all young people are digitally included. However, little policy attention has addressed the digital inclusion systematically among young people; there are varied approaches that are currently being implemented for the same. This workshop will bring together key real-world implementers of digital skill training programs for youth in different geographies. In Sri Lanka, Fusion developed telecenter-based digital skills training program to promote entrepreneurship among youth. In Rwanda, the Digital Skills ambassadors program focuses on after-school mentorship clubs. In Portugal, the government funds digital skills training using government-secured funds as part of InCode 2030, their national plan. These real-world perspectives from various different organization types in different parts of the world will shed new insights into digital literacy training programs for youth by 1) providing challenges and opportunities at the community, organization, and government levels confronting digital skills training for youth; 2) identifying regional, national, and global standards for outcomes in digital skills and readiness; and 3) informing both policymakers and implementers in terms of duration, curriculum, delivery modes, and impact of different real-world programs.
Relevance to Internet Governance: This session bears direct importance to Internet governance, as a first step to understanding the norms, shared principles, and best practices around youth digital skills training is to understand practice on the ground. Our session, as with previous ones in the past, addresses this challenge directly. 1 World Connected has historically introduced new and diverse voices from the grassroots to address policy questions. Addressing of the question on digital skills training is one that benefits from the voices on the ground, and lends valuable perspectives to the growth of Internet governance overall.