Online Challenge

After 2 successful in-person Thinkathon events in Montreal/Brussels and Edmonton/Milan, it was decided that the next Thinkathon would be an online challenge. Youth from Canada and Europe wide, respectively, gathered in groups of four to discuss ways and create projects that would be helpful in guaranteeing a digitally inclusive future. Topics such as education, social relations, culture, politics, the environment, are just a few examples of the topics that the discussions and projects consisted of. Dozens of groups submitted their projects, each unique and innovative in their own way.

The online challenge was not planned as an alternative event due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, but this only forced participants to think about the implications this global phenomenon will have on the information and communcation technologies (ICT).

The object of the online challenge was to allow youth to get creative with their projects, and give them a platform to manifest these ideas in order to positively influence the digital future.

Find below some of the ideas that were created during this online cross-continental event

Website Thinkathon "Online Thinkathon"

Check out the Finalists and Winners

Think Outside the Bars (Winner)

We are recommending the Government of Canada support the establishment of a pilot-study which will explore the implementation of digital skills learning opportunities for incarcerated persons, in federal correctional facilities. Through equipping participants with digital skills, we hope to support their future employment prospects and reintegration with society.

2. TalkMaze (Winner of Audience Prize)

Our policy recommendation is for K-12 schools to emphasize public speaking education by offering it as a course in their curriculum and to facilitate its delivery using technology.

3. Exity

Our recommendation is based on usage of Digital identity and Data Sharing which enables citizens to have full ownership over the usage of personal data to ensure privacy.

The Sword Analysis

Our recommendation is based around the need to incentivise engagement, active citizenship and inclusion in urban areas. We proposed that cities could create large networks of residents that can take part in activities, centred around these themes of participation and togetherness, and in return they could get things back, like discounts or other small perks. They will care for their cities and fellow people, and the cities will care for them.

Online Accesibility

Our primary recommendation is to make websites more accessible and inclusive for all to use. We chose to present this in the form of recommending all of EU to implement the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 Level AA on borth public bodies and private companies in such a way that is currently done in Ontario.

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