Kyiv, 27 October 2022 – Online training of trainers for regional training centres for librarians working in each region has started in Ukraine. Over a week, trainers will learn more about the services of Digital Education Hubs, the regulatory documents covering their work, the necessary competences of librarians managing the Hubs, and the requirements for setting up such a hub in a library.

After the online training, the trainers will organize sessions for librarians – the coordinators of Digital Education Hubs across the country – where they will learn to help citizens acquire digital skills even more effectively.

The training was the first of a number of activities planned as part of the implementation of the Ukrainian Library Association project, which is being implemented with grant support from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Ukraine and the Government of Sweden.

Valeriia Ionan, Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation for European Integration, welcomed the participants to the start of training and emphasized that libraries are one of the key focuses of the Diia.Digital education project’s work to improve the digital literacy of Ukrainians.

When full-scale war broke out in Ukraine, there were more than 6,200 Digital Education Hubs across the country, most of which were library-based. Ionan noted that this training of trainers for library-based Digital Education Hubs was important for the continuation of the work on improving the digital skills of citizens, as it will contribute to the training of trainers for libraries – Digital Education Hubs. She thanked the experts of the Ukrainian Library Association, UNDP and Sweden for their support.

“You’re not just teaching people how to provide services to citizens, you’re helping realize our main goal – simplifying people's lives through the creation of digital services,” Ionan said.

Volodymyr Brusilovskyi, manager of the DIA Support project, emphasized that digital literacy is vital if people are to use digital services effectively. That is why UNDP, through its strategic partnership with Sweden, will continue to support the development of this area, he said.

“We understand that our support for the development of digital services will only be useful if people are in fact able to use these products,” said Brusilovskyi. “After all, it is obvious that if people don’t have digital skills, access to the Internet, a computer or a smartphone, they will not be able to use these services. That’s why our project is focused on the issue of digital accessibility – which includes the development of digital literacy and competencies.”

Oksana Brui, President of the Ukrainian Library Association, emphasized the importance of using the potential of libraries as social institutions, particularly in work to improve the digital competences of Ukrainians. She thanked the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine and partners for cooperation with the aim of developing citizens' digital literacy. “It was only by working together that we were able to achieve results and move forward so quickly in this direction,” she said.

Background

UNDP’s Digital, Inclusive, Accessible: Support to Digitalisation of Public Services in Ukraine Project (DIA Support Project), in which framework the grant support was provided, was launched in 2021 and aims to bridge the digital divide between generations and various social groups. Its main goal is to increase the accessibility of new digital solutions, so that everyone in Ukraine can use electronic services, and no one is left behind.

Media inquiries

Yuliia Samus, Communications Team Leader, UNDP in Ukraine, yuliia.samus@undp.org