We believe that Digital Development Clubs will fill the digital skills gap. By involving local communities, we will be able to effectively support most deprived persons, helping to level the playing field and strengthen social inclusion. The implementation of this project is a milestone towards the digital development of Poland. Through Digital Development Clubs, we can build an equal, knowledge- and modern skill-based society. 2024 is also a year of digital hygiene. While teaching digital competence, let us also remember to shape healthy digital habits,

said Deputy Prime Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski.

Digital Development Clubs represent a strategic project for the European Funds for Social Development 2021-2027 programme. This programme pursues very ambitious goals and contributes to the social and economic development of our country, in particular through investing in human capital. We provide special support to those who are less likely to do well in particular areas. This represents a challenge for Digital Development Clubs. To persuade Poles, who currently lack even basic digital competence, to start using computers and the internet and to teach them how to safely and freely interact with the digital reality that is becoming our daily life,

added Deputy Minister Konrad Wojnarowski.

Project Background

Currently, the level of digital competence in Poland is among the lowest in the European Union – only 44% of citizens boast at least basic digital skills. With the dynamic development of technology and the growing number of digital services, the lack of these skills has become a serious limitation for Poles, affecting their quality of life, competitiveness in the labour market and opportunities for educational and cultural development.

Services of Digital Development Clubs

The Digital Development Clubs project aims to establish local digital competence development centres in municipalities across Poland. Clubs will operate within already established cultural and educational institutions, such as libraries and municipal cultural centres. Primary objective is to create an accessible and diverse educational offer for adults, with a particular focus on persons at risk of digital exclusion. Clubs will host classes to develop skills in the safe usage of new technologies and digital services such as e-health and e-government.

Pilot project implementation

The project will commence with a pilot phase in 64 municipalities. The pilot phase will last for two years. It will aim to overcome potential obstacles, assess educational outcomes and minimise the risk in the subsequent stages of the project. As part of the pilot, the Ministry of Digitalisation will actively support the municipalities by offering them comprehensive training materials, instructions and support.

The project also provides for the development of the competence of the educators employed by Clubs and ongoing evaluation studies that will allow for continuous improvement of clubs' operations. The project is then planned to expand to approximately 2,000 municipalities across Poland.

Contest for municipalities

The Ministry of Digitalisation, together with the Digital Poland Projects Centre, has announced a contest for municipalities that want to join the pilot phase of the project. Municipalities can apply for a maximum financing of PLN 480,000 for clubs’ operation over a two-year period. Applications can be submitted until 5 July 2024 and the total allocation of funds for this phase of the project is nearly PLN 31 million. 

The project titled “Digital Development Clubs - Support Project (DDC Support)” co-financed by the European Social Fund Plus under the European Funds for Social Development Programme 2021-2027 – Priority: 1. Skills, Action: 01.09 Digital competence development.