In today’s rapidly evolving digital economy, low-skilled women across Europe face significant barriers to accessing education, employment, and opportunities in the technology sector. According to recent reports, a large percentage of women still lack basic digital skills, with an even smaller representation in the IT workforce. Factors such as low levels of education, lack of vocational training, unemployment, family responsibilities, migration background, and experiences of social exclusion or violence create multiple layers of disadvantage for these women. The COVID-19 pandemic and other recent global events have further widened this digital gap. ENCODE-IT was developed in response to these pressing challenges, with the aim of promoting digital inclusion, gender equality, and economic empowerment for low-skilled women.

PROJECT PROGRAMME

ENCODE-IT is funded under the Erasmus+ KA210-ADU programme, which supports Small-scale Partnerships in Adult Education. The project is implemented within a 15-month period, from February 2025 to April 2026, with a total budget of €60,000.

The main aim of ENCODE-IT is to empower low-skilled women by equipping them with essential coding and digital literacy skills, thereby improving their access to employment opportunities in the IT sector and enhancing their participation in the digital economy. The project also aims to foster social innovation, support gender equality, and contribute to the broader digital transformation goals of the European Union.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES

The project seeks to train 60 low-skilled women from Portugal, Türkiye, and Belgium in basic coding skills, with a focus on the Python programming language. It will develop and deliver six comprehensive interactive coding modules tailored to the needs of adult learners. The project will conduct a four-month Virtual Bootcamp providing hands-on, immersive coding training. An International Hackathon will foster collaboration between participants and professionals, promoting digital inclusion and innovation. The project also aims to establish a sustainable learning community that encourages knowledge sharing, peer support, and continuous learning beyond the project’s duration. It contributes directly to the EU’s gender equality, digital skills, and social inclusion strategies.

PROJECT TARGET GROUP

The primary target group of the project consists of low-skilled women who face significant barriers to education and employment. This includes women with low education levels, unemployed women, housewives, refugees and migrants, survivors of violence, and women affected by social or economic exclusion. The secondary target group includes professionals working in education, social services, and civil society organizations who support these women, such as vocational trainers, educators, NGO staff, and social workers.

ENCODE-IT consists of four main activities. Project Management ensures effective coordination, communication, quality assurance, and risk management to achieve successful project implementation. Interactive Coding Modules will deliver six engaging and accessible coding modules in English, Portuguese, Turkish, and French, focusing on Python programming and digital literacy. The Virtual Bootcamp is a four-month intensive training programme offering structured, hands-on coding education for 60 low-skilled women across partner countries. The International Hackathon will bring participants and professionals together to co-develop solutions to real-world challenges related to digital inclusion and sustainability, fostering creativity, innovation, and cross-sector learning.

For more information about the project, upcoming activities, and latest updates, please visit our official ENCODE-IT website and follow our journey toward digital empowerment and inclusion: https://www.encode-it.eu