Technology Project Forum
- 25/06/2025 09:15-09:45
Series of short ‘elevator-pitch’ presentations on projects related to the conference theme. Delegates are invited to follow up on the presentations with the presenters during the networking breaks. This session is open to all delegates to attend.
Room: The Large Hall
Moderator: Jane Dudman, Freelance Journalist, Event Chair & Consultant, United Kingdom
Interpretation Languages: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish
Technology Project Forum
Social Services Professionals’ Digital Competences Framework
As digital technologies are reshaping social services delivery, this project aims to provide social services professionals with a framework defining the digital competences they need to continue providing quality blended care, where face-to-face and digital contact are combined.
By identifying the necessary skills and attitudes to adapt to current and future digital developments, this framework is expected to enhance recruitment, professional development and training, and support the development of policies in the social sector.
Presentation Language: English
Presenter:
- Jana Verplancke, Researcher, Artevelde University of Applied Sciences, Belgium
E-friend Enhancing Quality of Life for People with Intellectual Disabilities
A robot capable of addressing the diverse needs of people with intellectual disabilities in day-to-day life is being designed through this project. Through its tablet screen and voice interface, the robot facilitates individuals’ access to digital content and entertainment, such as music, videos, games, and communication with family members and the community.
In addition to digital inclusion, this innovative technological solution also promotes social inclusion and emotional support by facilitating friendships and providing resources for stress-relief and therapeutic conversations. The ultimate goal of this robot is to improve the quality of life of people with intellectual disabilities, prevent loneliness, foster interests and their self-expression, and strengthen autonomy.
Once the design phase is completed, the robot will be tested with a limited number of people with the aim to extend it afterwards to all persons with disabilities currently supported by the Centre.
Presentation Language: English
Presenter:
- Slavko Bolčević, Director, Tončke Hočevar Care and Work Centre, Slovenia
Digital Transformation in Social Services: Case Management Implementation
This project seeks to improve the quality and accessibility of social services across Ukraine through the establishment of a digital case management system. This digital tool is intended to address key challenges in the delivery of social services, such as inefficiency, bureaucracy, and lack of coordination.
The platform automates routine tasks and provides social services professionals with real-time access to data, promoting more personalised and timely interventions. Furthermore, it integrates multiple stakeholders, including social workers, service providers, and government agencies to ensure smoother coordination, clearer communication, and more accurate tracking of service provision.
More than 1,200 professionals have received training on how to effectively use the platform, which, during the first three months of piloting, received over 20,000 applications for social services from individuals and families in difficult life situations and successfully reduced the processing time by 40% on average.
Presentation Language: English
Organisation: Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine, Ukraine
Telecare on the Move for People with Dementia
Telecare on the Move addresses the challenges faced by adults over 60 years of age who have been diagnosed with dementia and are at risk of becoming lost.
This initiative provides older people with a free SOS GPS tracker that works both indoors and outdoors and which they can wear as a key chain or pendant so they can communicate with their carers, relatives or a call centre. Moreover, this device allows carers or relatives to establish the precise geographical location of the older person and be notified if the older person goes beyond the set GPS geofencing. The device also sends automatic alerts to the relatives or the call centre in case of falls.
This project ultimately allows older people with dementia to continue living in their own homes and communities by increasing their sense of safety and security and providing relatives with peace of mind.
Presentation Language: English
Presenter:
- Renzo De Gabriele, Chief Executive Officer, Active Ageing and Community Care, Malta