DIGIT-ABLE

Acronym: DIGIT-ABLE
Title: Driving Digital Transition for Social Enterprises for Inclusion

What is DIGIT-ABLE about?
DIGIT-ABLE aims to drive the digital transition for social enterprises, particularly those supporting people with disabilities and Work Integration Social Enterprises (WISEs). The project focuses on improving digital skills, access to technology, and fostering collaboration between social enterprises and tech companies. The consortium builds on the groundwork laid out by the B-WISE Erasmus+ Blueprint project, which has focused on supporting the development of basic digital skills. DIGIT-ABLE digs deeper by addressing the barriers hindering Social Enterprises for Inclusion access to advanced digital tools and technologies, to drive a digital transition.

Three key gaps have been identified: a lack of advanced digital skills, insufficient resources for digital innovation, and a need for better collaboration between social enterprises and tech providers. DIGIT-ABLE addresses these issues by creating training programs, Digital Innovation Hubs, and building partnerships across Europe to support these enterprises in their digital transformation.

By involving 2 platforms (ENSIE and EASPD) as full partners, the consortium wanted to give a ‘European Dimension’ to this project making its scope transnational, including activities impacting multiple EU countries, facilitating transnational cooperation, capacity building, and transferability of project results. This collective European commitment ensures a comprehensive and inclusive approach to digital skill enhancement, extending its impact beyond its participating countries, and reaching out to a broader European community.
 

Why is this project important for the VUB and its role in the consortium?
VUB, through the imec-SMIT research group, leads the research methodology and develops training materials for the project. Our goal is to ensure that social enterprises can not only gain digital skills but also sustain them long-term. One key output is the creation of Digital Innovation and Acceleration Hubs. These hubs will foster ongoing collaboration between social enterprises and tech companies, ensuring the digital transition continues beyond the project’s 30-month timeline.

The project also ensures that training content is integrated into national contexts across Belgium, Spain, Romania, and the Netherlands, making it accessible and impactful on a broader scale.