Benidorm TIC begins digital literacy courses in three classrooms and extends schedules to the afternoons

The municipal digital training project ‘Benidorm TIC’ has already begun at the José Llorca Linares social centre and is fully funded by municipal funds. Its objective is to end citizens' technological difficulties by training them in new technologies and the Internet. This year, the scope is being extended, and the training action is being focused on the most disadvantaged groups to access new technologies, however, anyone who wishes to do so can sign up for the courses.

The first edition of the project will last fifteen months, and more than 75 courses are planned to be offered during this time. There will be three editions, which will make Benidorm TIC last 45 months. The courses will be given in three classrooms (José Llorca Linares, La Torreta, and Benidorm City Hall), and the schedule will also be extended to the afternoons so that the greatest number of people can sign up.

The aim, as explained by the director of the courses, is “to set up collective training, but also to provide personalised training”. The courses range from 30 to 40 hours each “and are aimed at all groups, not just the elderly”.

The mayor, Toni Pérez, visited this morning the first course being held at the José Llorca Linares social centre. He was accompanied by the councillor for Innovation, Aida García, and the councillor for Social Welfare, Ángela Zaragozí. He welcomed the attendees, saying that “we want you to be very comfortable here and not to be left behind because this is what these courses are for: to be up to date.”

Pérez pointed out that this project “gives continuity to a training initiative that has been tested and consolidated over the years and now we are going a step further by enabling a care service focused on the elderly, one of the groups most affected by the digital divide, but open to all”. The mayor stressed that “we are immersed in a process of constant technological and digital transformation and we have to focus all our efforts and actions to ensure that no one is left behind, guaranteeing that all people, regardless of their age, training or personal and/or economic circumstances, have the skills and knowledge necessary to function in digital environments.”

Courses will be offered with specific content depending on the group and will be held in the municipal spaces mentioned to facilitate attendance as much as possible. The courses offered may be suggested or adapted based on the needs that are detected in each of the groups.

Toni Pérez recalled that “the last edition of ‘Benidorm TIC’ was a great success regarding participation, with a hundred courses and nearly 900 students, some of whom signed up for more than one training course, expanding their digital skills in different areas.” “These figures confirm not only the suitability of the project – he added – but also the relevance of going deeper into it, bringing it as close as possible to the population and expanding the services with this new Office for Senior Citizens, which was a firm commitment of the local government and which will soon become a reality.”

The tender price for this contract was 373,500 euros, financed entirely with municipal resources.