Increase the digital skills of associations in key areas of their internal operations and in carrying out their missions with their audiences, while at the same time promoting the political, economic, social and cultural choice of a free, open, transparent, local and inclusive digital environment in line with the values upheld by the voluntary sector and the European Union: Priority 2019-2024: ‘A Europe fit for the digital age’ and the 2020-2023 ‘Open Minds’ free software strategy. The Open Minds project aims to offer them a free, ethical digital alternative that respects privacy and energy consumption. The objective was to develop and offer a platform providing free access to a set of free digital resources and solutions specific to the sector: software, online services and facilitation methods, best practices, a selection of training courses, documentation, address directories (support and training structures, service providers, user associations). This should enable them to find the right digital tools for their projects, identify suitable training courses and partners, share their experiences and discover those of others.
The Open Minds project aims to provide free and innovative digital solutions to the socio-cultural sector. It is in line with the priority identified by the Commission for the period 2019-2024: ‘A Europe fit for the digital age – Fostering a new generation of technologies that empower citizens.’ Open Minds is also fully in line with the ‘Open Mind’ strategy for 2020-2023. Europe is characterised by a very strong commitment from citizens to associations and socio-cultural structures. The network of public structures and associations is very close-knit. These two types of actors are largely intertwined in terms of social and cultural services. Libraries and readers' associations, jointly managed cultural centres, mutual aid associations and social services converge in their mission to provide public services. Associations, made up of 92 million volunteers in Europe, play a privileged role in adult education. Increasingly, this is happening through digital means. However, the provision of services in this area is saturated by large proprietary platforms. Open Minds aims to be an alternative that is more in line with the values upheld by the voluntary sector.