The team of the European Projects Department of the Provincial Federation of Associations of People with Physical and Organic Disabilities of Seville, organised on 5 July in the Seville municipality of Los Palacios y Villafranca, the discussion group: ‘Empowering Rural Communities with Digital Entrepreneurship to Boost Local Economies’, whose objective was to learn first-hand, the needs, barriers and specific aspirations of people belonging to vulnerable groups in the rural world in the province of Seville.
This activity is part of the qualitative research and needs assessment on digital entrepreneurship in rural areas that is carried out in the European project called ‘Digiboost’, which plans to develop a training programme and establish effective resources and support systems adapted to people with disabilities living in rural areas.
During the 2 hours of the event, we had the participation of 11 people (8 women and 3 men) between 24 and 58 years old respectively. The event was moderated by the technicians of the department, Álvaro Walls Toledo and Carlos Manuel Reina Rosales, who were developing the relevant topics, such as: Access to digital technologies, knowledge of digital entrepreneurship opportunities and specific skills or knowledge needed to improve a digital business.
Among the most important conclusions drawn from this focus group is that the participants previously had limited ideas and knowledge about digital entrepreneurship and the sale of certain products online, and are now aware of the enormous market possibilities that this type of niche promotes thanks to its impact and economic ease, which has had an impact on increasing their interest in materialising a productive idea or business idea online.
Another noteworthy conclusion, once the focus group was over, is that the participants see digital entrepreneurship as a great opportunity for self-employment and economic growth. A justification that is more important in rural areas due to the lack of job offers in these areas, and that by having a digital impact beyond the municipal borders, it would be in demand in urban contexts.
Finally, the participants have raised as a notable conclusion, the low quality of the existing internet service provision, which would become a barrier when thinking about the ideation, assembly and implementation of a business or digital entrepreneurship. This would be a barrier when thinking about creating, setting up and launching a digital business or enterprise, thus requesting more information, training and investment from the administrations to facilitate these productive initiatives.
It should be noted that the European project Digiboost is made up of the partners Antalya Bilim Universitesi from Turkey (coordinator); Atabey Halk Egitimi Merkezi Mudurlugu, also from Turkey; Ozara Storitveno in Invalidsko Podjetje Doo from Slovenia; Viesoji Istaiga Baltijos Edukaciniu Technologiju Institutas from Lithuania; Pmi Services Soc. Coop. Arl from Italy and the Federación Provincial de Asociaciones de Personas con Discapacidad Física y Orgánica de Sevilla, representing Spain.
