The "Agents TIC" service of Barcelona City Council is one accompanying program and digital training in which a team of people who are experts in information and communication technologies (ICT) advise people who do not use them or are not familiar with them in their daily lives.
The aim is to provide personalized assistance when carrying out administrative procedures and management online, such as registering for the various municipal services, obtaining a digital identification system or applying for assistance. Users are also taught how to use basic tools such as e-mail and electronic signature, to make video conferences or to generate documents in PDF format.
In this way, ICT agents train people in digital skills so that they are autonomous in their day-to-day life, both in their relationship with the Administration and in their personal environment, helping to reduce the digital divide in the city.
This best practice is published inDigiCanvis Observatory.
Com funciona?
The digital trainers or ICT agents are located in equipment and spaces intended for public attention in different neighborhoods of the city. To access the service, you must make an appointment by phone.
- On the agreed day and time, the ICT agent performs the support and accompaniment service with the administrative management required by the user, such as requesting and downloading information online, obtaining or presenting official documents, requesting an appointment in different administrations or request a digital certificate.
- Depending on the person's qualifications, the support can consist of carrying out the complete procedure or the necessary accompaniment so that it is the person himself who does it.
- To promote digital autonomy, the agent makes the user aware of the technological tools that are available to them and that facilitate communication with the different public administrations, empowering them digitally for the needs that may arise in the immediate future
What benefits does it bring?
- Increase the use of digital services. The service promotes citizens' access to the council's digital services and promotes electronic administration.
- Reduces waiting times. The ICT agents provide digital support with the previous management of the most requested procedures (digital identification, registration on certain platforms, necessary digital documentation...), which speeds up the subsequent procedures that are carried out at the various citizen attention points.
- It promotes personal autonomy. The program makes it possible to improve knowledge and take advantage of all the possibilities of the digital environment in the personal sphere, such as contact with relatives, educational support for children and the search for work and training.
The service was launched in October 2020 and during the firsteres In two weeks, ICT agents assisted 124 people. The project evaluation data We connect Barcelona (2023) show the positive impact of ICT agents. The percentage of users with a low or no level when doing electronic procedures has decreased by almost 42%. In the personal sphere, the use of tools associated with e-mail has increased by 30%.
If you want to expand more information and know the key aspects to consider to replicate this good practice, you can consult the fact sheet ICT agents to empower citizens digitally, available at the DigiCanvis Observatory.
DigiCanvis Observatory
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