Our international study on effective uses by refugees of ICT showed 3 important things:
- Refugees are connected which means they can access information;
- Web and mobile app are not inclusive: NGOs and public actors working with refugees are usually addressing other stakeholders, medias, volunteers but not directly refugees;
- Web and mobile app are addressing society’s pity, charity but not society’s will to meet, share, cooperate and innovate on these topics.
That’s why we decided it was time to create new web and mobile app with/by/for the refugee users.
A “Connected Refugees Hackathon” in January 2015 led us to start with 3 projects:
- StayCALM : a web and mobile app to match refugees looking for a place and host families (similar to Refugees Welcome)
- Waya : a serious game to access essential information when you seek asylum: learning the language, socio-cultural codes and understand admin procedures
- Archipel : opening housing centers (where people stay for at least two years) to the neighborhood with a device to “swap services”
Developing these projects, we are facing some questions and obstacles, namely:
- How can we protect users’ data who need to be empowered by showing their skills and experience (so share personal information) and who need to use web and mobile application to stay in touch with their family (skype), to build a social (Facebook) and professional network (LinkedIn)? ;
- How can we make 1 information accessible in 27 languages? Translate all, use design, refer to people who can translate.
The workshop is led by Singa France.
Session documentation
Please add your session notes, resources, and other relevant information here!
Notes
Link to etherpad session page »
Resources list
Links to pages, information, …