No Digifear

Results

Context and problem:

The No Digifear project was developed in response to a shared and increasingly important challenge in Sweden and Latvia: the growing digital skills gap and its impact on the employment opportunities of women over the age of 40.

As workplaces and society become increasingly digitalised, the ability to use digital tools confidently has become essential for navigating and remaining competitive in the labour market. Yet many women in this age group have had limited opportunities to develop digital skills through formal education or professional life. As technology continues to reshape the workplace, this can make it more difficult to keep pace with changing requirements and increase vulnerability to unemployment, job displacement and financial instability.

This challenge is relevant in both Sweden and Latvia, where an ageing workforce coincides with rapid technological development, including the growing use of AI and automation. As jobs evolve and the skills they require change, workers with limited digital competence risk being left behind, despite having valuable professional experience and knowledge.

No Digifear was created to address this specific challenge: the digital skills gap among women over 40 and the resulting risk of reduced employability and labour market participation. With Sweden and Latvia facing similar demographic and labour market challenges, this is not only an individual concern but also a shared regional challenge in an increasingly digital labour market.

Idea and solution

The core idea of No Digifear was to strengthen the digital skills and employability of women over 40 who were unemployed, underemployed or at risk of job loss. Building on the shared challenges identified in Sweden and Latvia, the project aimed to provide participants with practical digital knowledge while also strengthening their confidence and ability to navigate an increasingly digital labour market.

To turn this idea into practice, No Digifear developed and implemented a six-month development programme, delivered in two cycles with a total of 84 participants. Each cycle brought together 42 women, 21 from Sweden and 21 from Latvia, creating a cross-border learning environment where participants could develop their skills, exchange experiences and learn from one another.

Each cycle began with a two-day, face-to-face kick-off event, the first held in Sweden and the second in Latvia. The kick-offs introduced participants to the programme, its objectives and the digital tools they would use, while inspirational lectures, networking activities and the development of individual action plans helped create a supportive learning environment from the start.

The programme then continued online, combining educational modules, practical workshops, peer-to-peer learning, group and individual coaching, case-based assignments and presentations. Participants could choose from 12 digital learning modules and were required to complete at least four. The modules covered relevant topics such as AI-powered digital tools, online presence, digital tools for productivity and basic online safety, with opportunities to explore more advanced subjects. Recorded modules were also made available online, giving participants flexibility to revisit the content.

An important part of the approach was connecting the learning to each participant’s own development. Participants worked on an individual challenge based on their interests and developed it throughout the programme. Group coaching sessions provided opportunities to reflect on the learning, discuss questions and share experiences, while individual coaching was linked to each participant’s action plan and personal and professional development.

Implementation and impact

Cross-border cooperation was an important part of No Digifear, as Sweden and Latvia face similar challenges related to digital literacy, an ageing workforce and an increasingly digital labour market. By combining expertise, experience and networks, the partners could exchange knowledge and good practices and bring different perspectives into the programme.

The cross-border dimension was also part of the participants’ experience. Women from Sweden and Latvia followed the same development programme, met through joint activities and peer-to-peer learning, and exchanged experiences across borders. Face-to-face kick-off events were held in both countries, helping to build connections and create an international learning environment.

For the target group, the programme provided practical digital skills relevant to an increasingly digital working environment, while peer exchange and coaching supported participants in applying their new knowledge to their personal and professional development.

An important benefit was the combination of increased digital competence and greater confidence in using technology. Participant feedback and final evaluations showed positive development in digital skills and knowledge, while the project also exceeded its original targets for both results and outputs.

At regional level, No Digifear strengthened cooperation and knowledge exchange between Sweden and Latvia around a shared labour market challenge, while building joint experience in supporting women over 40 in an increasingly digital labour market.