Collaboration between ING Netherlands fund and IMC Weekend School Foundation for digital literacy of disadvantaged students
Although the digitization of society continues to increase, there is still a large group of people in the Netherlands with insufficient digital skills. This urgency proved to be high, especially in schools with many disadvantaged pupils. It follows from the Digital Literacy Monitor that schools with 75% of more disadvantaged pupils in primary education develop an average of 5.1 for digital literacy. That is why the ING Nederland fund is committed to including digital skills in the curricula of social organisations. Such as the IMC Weekend School Foundation, which aims to grow from 40 to 100 locations with its IMC Basic program over the years, with an annual reach of 5,000 students.
Digital literacy is now just as important as reading and writing. To be able to participate in society and to be well prepared for the labor market. School is a logical place to learn digital skills. However, it appears that at the moment there is not enough attention given to the above in schools. the Monitor Digital Literacy of the ECP | Platform for the Information Society, made possible by the ING Netherlands fund, namely that teachers who teach at a school with more than 75% disadvantaged pupils pay more attention to this than teachers at schools with fewer disadvantaged pupils. These schools often lack the money and time to reduce digital skills. As a result, students are digitally behind and the inequality of opportunity increases.
‘To teach children more digital skills, you have to go to the place where children come together. At the IMC Weekend School Foundation, for example. Their reach actually helps to educate children dealing with disadvantage, give them the opportunity to learn these indispensable skills, broaden their opportunities for education and in the job market. I am very happy that we can call ourselves a partner in this change.’
Kirsten Ottens, director ING Netherlands Fund
Digital skills in the curriculum of the IMC Basic Programme
IMC Weekend School Foundation has been committed to developing young people in places where it is most needed for more than 20 years. On the basis of their special teaching methods, the Foundation prepares young people for the most important step in their school life: making result choices for their future. Every week during school time, the children are taught by enthusiastic guest teachers who take the students into their professional world. The mind during the lessons is on doing and experiencing it yourself. Pupils learn new skills, strengthen their ability and motivation and gain insight into their talents and possibilities.
With support from the ING Netherlands fund, the Weekend School focuses on digital skills in the IMC Basic programme; a two-year program that is given in primary schools during school time for groups 7&8. This includes basic ICT skills, computational thinking, media literacy and information literacy. There are now more than 40 IMC Basis locations throughout the Netherlands. With ING Nederland, the number of locations will grow to 100 in the coming years. The growth ambition is mainly in the provinces of Zeeland, Overijsel, Gelderland, Friesland and Drenthe.
‘We are grateful that we have had a partnership with ING and the ING Netherlands Fund for ten years now. We are both committed to the importance of digital skills and we are extremely happy that we can take the fund’s investments this step. We are always innovating our teaching methodology and with this support we can take a big step. By adapting the program we are not only making an impact on the children. Teachers are also present in the lessons and will also become more involved in learning and working with digital skills.’
Marion Idema – Weijman director of the IMC Weekend School Foundation
About the ING Netherlands fund
It ING Netherlands fund is committed to an inclusive society and economy. In which people are financially healthy, everyone can participate digitally and have a chance at work. The ING Nederland fund therefore invests in good business social organizations. Support for social entrepreneurs can take the form of a partnership to start, grow or become more sustainable. When it comes to digital skills, the ING Netherlands fund supports partners such as JINC, VHTO, Oefenen.nl, Hack your future and Young Digitals.
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