Welcome, then, Digital Week, a series of activities and workshops across Flanders to teach us how to best use our computers and alert us to possible dangers of multimedia. This year is the fifth Digital Week in Flanders, sponsored by Vlaams Steunpunt Nieuwe Geletterdheid (VSNG), the Flemish Organisation for New Literacy. The VSNG stresses the importance of acquiring ICT skills to bridge the digital gap, which is often due to socio-economic differences and needs of a specific job – not everyone works in an environment where computer skills are necessary.

On the other hand, owning a computer doesn’t automatically mean knowing what to do with it. About 70% of all Belgian families have a computer, but only 59% use it every day. About 64% of Belgians have access to the internet but mainly use it to send e-mails and look up information.

The organisers of Digital Week are especially encouraging older people and those with few computer skills to learn how to work with a computer. ICT skills can make life a lot easier, for instance, on the job market. But the internet can be a cruel environment too, so they want you to understand just what you’re doing every time you click “yes” or “continue”.

More than 300 workshops and info sessions hosted by companies, schools, libraries and municipalities will help you gain extra knowledge on multimedia, from “online gaming” and “social websites Twitter and Facebook” to “what to look for when buying a new PC” and “how to protect children from the dangers of the internet”. Most of the sessions are free or come at a very low price.

As in last year, spokesperson for Digital Week is Pol Goossen (aka “Frank” in the Flemish drama-soap Thuis). Since 2005, he’s also been the spokesperson for the Centre of Basic Education. His social engagement, popular alter-ego and age (60) have made him an ideal role model for these campaigns, and he will make a personal appearance at some of the workshops during Digital Week.

To announce the event, the first week of March will feature a commercial on Flemish TV station Eén and several regional TV stations, where a woman (actress Karlijn Sileghem) visits her shrink because she no longer “understands” her computer. Also keep a look out for random keyboards placed in train stations and other public places. They will have a reference to Digital Week and, if you find one, you win a prize.

Digital Week in parliament

Bridging the digital gap is a national issue. That’s why Digital Week and the same initiative in Wallonia (La Semaine Numérique) are joining forces to get the attention of federal leaders. On 2 March they will hold a study day in the federal parliament on the digital gap. A similar colloquium will be organized on 9 March in the Flemish parliament, hosted by Ingrid Lieten, the Flemish media minister. This day will be dedicated to the possibilities and challenges of the concept “media literacy” and will consist of a theoretical session and workshops.

The results of these sessions in parliament will be published on the Digital Week website, as well as communicated to the government. By putting the digital gap on the political agenda and creating awareness, VSNG is working on structural solutions to this social phenomenon. 

Digital Week
5-12 March
Across Brussels and Flanders
www.digitaleweek.be