Veronica Philippe, Project Manager at The Trust for the Americas

Estamos emocionados de compartirles las emocionantes novedades y los momentos destacados de la reciente sesión de bienvenida de POETA DigiSpark 2024. Con más de 75 invitados que se unieron al evento virtual, el espacio marcó el inicio de un año lleno de oportunidades y posibilidades emocionantes. Una de las experiencias más gratificantes fue la oportunidad de conectarnos con nuestros valiosos socios locales que abarcan nueve países este año. La diversidad y riqueza de estas conexiones reflejan nuestro compromiso continuo con la expansión y el fortalecimiento de la comunidad POETA en todo el mundo. Este año, estamos entusiasmados de llevar nuestro compromiso un paso más allá. Además de continuar con nuestro trabajo en habilidades digitales y ciencias de la computación, hemos incorporado herramientas transversales fundamentales como la ciberseguridad y la inteligencia artificial. Estamos convencidos de que acercar estas herramientas a nuestros beneficiarios les permitirá no solo enfrentar los desafíos actuales, sino también prepararlos para los avances futuros en el mundo digital. Durante la sesión de bienvenida, nos sentimos honrados de contar con la presencia de destacados líderes de Microsoft Filantropía en diferentes regiones. Catalina Rengifo, liderando la región de habla hispana en América del Sur, compartió su visión y entusiasmo. También tuvimos el placer de saludar a Lucia Rodrigues y Ricardo Rosado, quienes lideran la responsabilidad social de Microsoft Filantropía en Brasil. Lupina Loperena, junto Evaristo Espinosa, lidera la región de México, Centroamérica y el Caribe. Además, Joanna Smink, quien apoya en la coordinación de la implementación de iniciativas en la región, también se unió a nosotros y compartió unas cálidas palabras. Un momento destacado fue la participación de Jorge Cella, Director para las Américas de Microsoft Filantropía, quien compartió la visión de Microsoft sobre las nuevas tecnologías y la inteligencia artificial. Extendió sus felicitaciones a los socios locales de POETA DigiSpark, reconociendo el impacto positivo que están generando en la región. En la sesión, también compartimos los logros del año pasado. En 2023, POETA DigiSpark capacitó directamente a casi 25,000 personas. Queremos destacar que este logro extraordinario fue posible gracias al arduo trabajo y dedicación de cada miembro de nuestros equipos y socios locales. Cada hora de capacitación contribuye al éxito de esta valiosa alianza. Estamos ansiosos por el viaje que nos espera en 2024 y por el impacto positivo que juntos seguiremos generando en las comunidades que servimos. ¡Gracias a todos y todas por ser parte de esta emocionante travesía! Sigamos empoderando a través de la tecnología. ¡Hacia adelante y hacia arriba, POETA DigiSpark!

When Innovation is Accessible, the World gets closer to becoming inclusive Edel, an 18-year-old from Monterrey, Mexico, always dreamt of becoming a digital innovator and programmer to make a significant impact in the world. Edel, who has a hearing and speech disability, joined the DIA Innovation Lab in Mexico where he acquired new digital skills thanks to the Lab’s interpreters and its accessible equipment. His unique perspective to identify problems that could be solved with technology, enabled him and his team to launch an app that helps people with hearing disabilities receive notifications at airports to update them on their flights. This idea lead him and his team to win international recognition as they obtained top positions in competitions for innovation.   Edel’s story is an example of the importance of making digital skills and technological innovation accessible for people with disabilities. But, how many young adults are being left behind in the digitalization era? In the ever-changing world-of-work, the pace at which the digital transformation is taking place, may lead to exclude communities that have been historically overlooked. Now more than ever, it is possible to strive for creative solutions that bridge digital and skill gaps for those in vulnerable communities, such as people with disabilities. At The Trust for the Americas, we are committed to empower people with disabilities through the access, use and appropriation of technology and 21st century skills. This will enable them to be better prepared to compete in the Future of Work economy in Latin America and the Caribbean. In recognition of these efforts, the Zero Project, an initiative of the Austrian Essl Foundation, granted The Trust the Innovative Practice 2020 on Inclusive Education and ICT Award. This award recognizes The Trust’s accessible innovation lab “DIA (Democratizing Innovation in the Americas Inclusive Innovation Lab) in Santa Catarina, México. Problem Targeted at the DIA Inclusive Innovation Lab The DIA Lab in Santa Catarina, Mexico, operates in a context where more than 6% (291,000) of its population has a disability[1]. Youth with disabilities are often renegaded from educational opportunities because public schools do not provide nor have the capacities to provide accessible technology tools and equipment. Hence, leaving youth with disabilities at disadvantage compared to their peers, leading to social and educational exclusion and widening the digital gap for those with disabilities. Bridging the Digital and Innovation Gap for those with Disabilities In an effort to bring technology and innovation closer to people with disabilities, The Trust in alliance with the UTSC (Universidad Tecnológica Santa Catarina), created the first innovation Lab in Latin America that is accessible: the DIA Inclusive Innovation Lab. The Lab fosters inclusion and the democratization of technology in Mexico by providing youth, including those without disabilities, a space to acquire key vocational, digital and innovation skills. At the Lab, youth can materialize their ideas and create low-cost solutions and innovations through cutting-edge technology such as Arduinos, 3D printers, laser cutters, and Adapted Technologies. Access to the lab allows those with disabilities to do a wide array of activities, from doing their homework to coding their own websites or designing Android applications with Arduino technology. Breaking with the stigma that those with disabilities cannot manipulate technological tools, the DIA Lab provides state-of-the-art Adaptive Technology such as voice recognition programs, screen readers and screen enlargement applications, to help youth use computers and mobile devices. Since its creation in 2015, the lab has provided training to 2,000 at-risk young adults and has opened access to its resources to almost 14,000 people. An example of the kind of innovations created by participants in the lab is the Exo-chair, a low-cost technology kit that transforms a manual wheelchair into an electronic one. Influencing Public Policy In the public sphere, as an organization affiliated to the Organization of American States (OAS), The Trust has shared with the Department of Social Inclusion (DSI) the DIA Lab’s best practices and recommendations on accessibility. The DSI encourages member countries of the OAS, through its embassies, to incorporate such recommendations in their countries as public policy. Likewise, the DIA Inclusive Lab has raised awareness in the private and social sphere as it has participated in high level events throughout the continent. Most recently, the Lab participated in the Future of Work Event celebrated by The Trust for the Americas in alliance with Microsoft in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Furthermore, the DIA Inclusive Lab hosted a panel event at the first Innovation Summit ever celebrated in Latin America in the Caribbean. Organized by The Trust for the Americas and celebrated in Costa Rica, the DIA Inclusive Lab successfully utilized the Summit as a platform to share the importance of democratizing innovation and technology to those with disabilities. [1] According to INEGI (Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía)

During the months of March and April, we successfully kick-started NCB Icon Lab’s virtual “Train-the-trainers” (TTT), with kind support from NCB Foundation. The sessions will build the capacities of two of our local partners in Jamaica: The Mico University and the Institute of Law & Economics (ILE). To promote social distancing, we adapted the in-person training to be provided via Facebook Live and video conferencing platforms. These interactive formats have proven extremely successful and engaging as participants interact with the speakers in real-time, share their thoughts or questions, and test their learnings through interactive games. Mico and ILE’s faculty started their training by getting familiarized with The Trust’s innovation labs in Mexico, Colombia, and Jamaica. Maria Liliana Mor, Director of Programs at The Trust, shared the Labs’ success stories and best practices. Committed to measuring digital, life, and entrepreneurial skills, professors of Mico and ILE learned how to use Helelab’s Future Skills Tool.  This tool will enable the evaluation of the participant’s “digital genome” and digital competences, aligned with the European Commission Digital Competences Framework. Furthermore, professors also learned how to input data on the TIS (Trust’s Information System). Let’s talk about the future of work skills With international companies increasingly looking at Jamaica as a country for outsourcing animation production, according to the World Bank, we’d tap on the creative talent of Jamaican youth providing Augmented Reality (AR) training. The AR sessions, facilitated by Natalia Noreña from IoTIC, will familiarize participants with advanced components of AR. IoTic is a business founded by Carlos Noreña, one of the Trust’s first beneficiaries from our DIA Lab in Colombia, who is now a business owner and a partner to The Trust! Learning AR is the first step for youth to engage with the 4th industrial revolution technologies. A first practical application will be to challenge participants to use AR to present their business models and their pitch. “Through this technology, the possibilities are endless!” a Mico professor shared. Ready, Set, Go Pitch! Continuing to foster innovation in Jamaica, The Trust’s partner, ILE, is providing Innovation Methodology Training based on The Trust’s ICI component: Inspire, Create and Innovate. Shanae and Dwayne, ILE’s experienced facilitators, are presenting a series of tools and best practices to support the creation and strengthening of entrepreneurship. They will present best practices on how to operate an Innovation Lab, how to organize a Pitch Tank and Ideathon, how to develop a Business Model using Canvas, tips to engage youth, among others. These successful and engaging TTT sessions demonstrate how The Trust for the America’s, with the support from NCB Foundation, is committed to strengthening its partners’ capabilities, encouraging innovation, and fostering digital inclusion and economic opportunities in the Caribbean.