AI development in the social economy: technology at the service of social impact?

by sogaccelerator | 26 May 2023 | Communs & plaidoyer, Editorial, Revue de presse

AI development in the social economy: technology at the service of social impact

Artificial intelligence (AI) is booming. With the arrival of ChatGPT, a hundred experts ask in an open letter dated March 28, 2023, to pause the development of artificial intelligence in order to take time to consider its ethical aspects. Our previous article has shown that in technological sectors in tension such as artificial intelligence, the non profit nature of organizations is no longer sufficient to ensure the values defended by the latter. It is partly for these reasons that social economy organizations are generally wary of the development of these new technologies. Yet as we shall see, the development of AI in the social economy could put technology at the service of social impact.

Before looking at their uses, it is relevant to recall what AIs are and how they work. Strictly speaking, an AI is a set of techniques that allow machines to simulate certain characteristics of human intelligence. In the case of Chat GPT, the software bases its operation on a neural system called GPT Generative Pre-Trained Transformer. This is a machine learning model that analyzes and decodes the input text to provide a response to the user based on a large corpus of data. The software generates responses based on statistical patterns and word associations rather than actual understanding of the content. Although it may resemble this in some areas and with some specific training, experts are not unanimous in describing the software currently in circulation as artificial intelligence with reasoning capability.

Through this article, we propose to explore the possibilities and uses in the social economy of these software developed with learning technologies and which tend to approach an artificial intelligence.

Artificial intelligence to improve targeting of donation campaigns

Organizations have already seized this opportunity to develop tools that use artificial intelligence to improve the effectiveness of fundraising campaigns. Among their customers are big names like the NGO Greenpeace which used this kind of service during one of its campaigns to improve its ROI. As the graph below proves, the results are indeed quite convincine.

Source : https://dataro.io/2021/03/09/artificial-intelligence-for-nonprofits/#use

Red is the classic non-targeted canvassing, green is the classic targeting and blue is the targeting done with algorithms. Artificial intelligence improves the efficiency of donation campaigns by identifying donor profiles and directing mailings in the best possible way. It is therefore a gain in efficiency, profitability but also an ecological argument by reducing the number of emails and therefore the carbon impact of a campaign.

Artificial intelligence would therefore allow to reach more efficiently certain contributors. However, there are some reservations about the large-scale deployment of the tool and its real effectiveness. It is difficult to be categorical about the effectiveness of these techniques, as the lack of open source data makes them difficult to use and rather unreliable.

Impact measurement enhanced by artificial intelligence sentiment analysis

The main objective of social economy organizations is to create social value, but this is difficult to quantify because of the complexity of the impacts produced by this sector. It is a complex and costly process, both economically and in terms of human resources, yet it is at the heart of the improvement and innovation of the social economy sector.

Impact analysis allows them to improve their practices and better communicate their impact to their stakeholders. This is an issue that is at the heart of the use and development of artificial intelligence. These tools already enable large-scale analysis of the feelings expressed by stakeholders. Using data collected on social networks for example, this would allow to identify trends on the impact of programs, services or fundraising efforts but also how they are perceived in the population.

The development of artificial intelligence specifically designed to analyze how a sample of the population feels about an action could be a solution to the difficulties faced by social economy actors on this topic.

AI development in the SE: the internal opinion of an expert

We had the chance to talk with a national expert in data science and artificial intelligence working for a large mutual. As a developer of artificial intelligence tools himself, he offered us an inside look at the current state of development of these technologies in the social economy. He clearly saw recent progress in a sector that he still defines as “difficult to move”. For him, the social economy enterprises have difficulty in moving forward in the adoption of data science and artificial intelligence, in particular because of the negative vision that these fields suffer from.

“For a long time the topics of artificial intelligence in the social economy have been under-considered and seen as only for ‘geeks’.”

The social economy also faces obstacles in terms of data collection. In fact, according to our expert, the main difficulties encountered by social economy actors are in the implementation of data collection processes and the delivery of results and predictions. In the mutual field, risk management is mainly based on business experience, so it is difficult to change methodologies to implement efficient and automated tools.

Despite these obstacles, artificial intelligence can bring many benefits to the social economy sector. The tools developed by the mutual insurance company for which our expert works help to optimize customer relations by better understanding the reasons for contact, sorting emails and scanned paper documents, and automating routine requests. These tools can also more easily detect fraud and thus improve the company’s efficiency and profitability.

“The results of these investments over the past decade are already palpable, with time savings and significant improvements in customer relations.”

Conclusion

In conclusion, the use of artificial intelligence in the social economy sector is a topic that raises important ethical questions, particularly in terms of data collection and use. However, artificial intelligence can offer opportunities to improve the efficiency and sustainability of fundraising campaigns, as well as to measure the impact of actions undertaken. While the literature in France on this topic is limited, companies and experts are already working on artificial intelligence solutions specifically designed for the social economy sector.

Convinced by this usefulness, Dr. Lobna Karoui, a Forbes board member and lawyer specialized in the ethics of artificial intelligence, gave an overview of the applications of artificial intelligence in the social economy sector. Whether it is to raise funds, improve the efficiency of their actions or better understand the needs of their beneficiaries, she believes that artificial intelligence is an asset for organizations. However, she warns that AI cannot and should not replace the human qualities of actors in the social economy.

The sector is evolving and there is no doubt that it will rise to the societal challenges raised by artificial intelligence. It is important to ensure that these tools are developed in an ethical and responsible manner, in order to preserve the integrity and values of social economy organizations.

About the author

Léon Launay

Community, Communication and Public Affairs Manager

leon(at)socialgoodaccelerator.eu

The evolution of OpenIA with ChatGPT: is non-profit a guarantee of ethics?

by sogaccelerator | 9 Feb 2023 | Communs & plaidoyer, Editorial

Ethics and performance: the case of Chat-GPT development

ChatGPT is not only a technological revolution, it is also a case study in corporate social responsibility. Developed as a counter-model to GAFAM with a non-profit organisation, OpenAI, the company that produces Chat GPT, eventually branched out into a capitalist model. In addition, the Kenyan workers’ case revealed by Time also involves Samasource, a former NGO turned for-profit company. Time’s revelations raise the question of whether non-profit statutes are now being used as launch pads for tech companies motivated by profit rather than by the public interest. A look at this case and the questions it raises.

Although the non-profit sector has been structured around models of democratic governance, transparency and ethics that are beyond those of the average sector, there are situations that can challenge this solidarity ethic. Like any commercial enterprise, non-profit structures can be subject to constraints. Economic difficulties, a drop in turnover, economic redundancies and treasury problems are all threats to non-profit organisations. They are therefore obliged to make ethics and performance coexist in their objectives. Could these pressures supplant the general interest mission of the non-profit sector ?

The evolution of OpenIA: from non-profit to limited profit status

Issue faced by the company OpenAI, mainly known for its tool ChatGPT. The organisation was founded by Elon Musk and Sam Altman in 2015 as a non-profit company. The aim was to develop artificial intelligence for the benefit of all, thus quickly entering into direct competition with GAFAM.

The company’s status changed in 2019: one year after Elon Musk’s departure, the company is switching to a limited profit motive to attract investors. This is an American entrepreneurial status that allows a company to incorporate private funding while limiting dividends to shareholders. Despite this change in status, the company continues to position itself as acting for the common good, the website even states that their mission is: “to develop artificial intelligence for the benefit of all humanity.”

Until the publication of a Time magazine study in early January, the company maintained an image of transparency and ethics faithful to its origins. To resolve the toxicity issues present in previous AIs at ChatGPT, the company used a subcontractor located in Kenya. The revelations of the investigation have undermined OpenAI’s apparent ethics, whether in terms of working conditions, remuneration or the massive exposure to toxic content and language. In the press release produced in response, OpenAI’s managers explain that they had no knowledge of their service provider’s practices.

Strong pressures on a competitive sector

This case reveals the hidden side of the struggle between competitiveness and ethics. In an ultra-competitive sector massively invested by GAFAM, Open-AI found itself confronted with the limits of its moral commitments. The company commissioned by Open-AI is in fact employed by the majority of its competitors, because it offers extremely competitive prices. While the organisation can be criticised for breaking with its initial commitments, it has in fact behaved like any of its competitors. The use of subcontractors to filter out hate data is a method used by OpenAI’s main rivals in the AI race. Companies such as Google, Meta and Microsoft have also signed contracts with the same operator implicated here and for similar tasks. As OpenAI has developed, it has become more and more similar to its competitors, both in terms of the evolution of its status and in its practices of raising funds and using cheap service providers.

In reality, Open-AI is being criticised for the incoherence between its positioning in the media and the reality of the company’s operations. Displaying a particular legal status and moral commitments has made the company a global phenomenon. When the reality behind this success was revealed, many users felt cheated by the company.

However, the case of Open AI should not be generalised to all non-profit organisations and companies or even to the AI sector. The last one represents a real asset for the Social Tech associations which in the near future will probably work with artificial intelligences such as ChatGPT. Writing articles, research aids and integration in search engines, the applications of AI in the web will be multiple and intersectoral. Social Tech will certainly be capable of taking advantage of these opportunities to develop ethical solutions with real impacts.

What is ChatGPT’s view ?

ChatGPT was asked a few questions to find out its analysis of the dilemma its creators faced, between productivity and ethics. And for AI, the conclusion is clear: companies with a commitment to non-profit and ethics have a responsibility to the public and the rest of the non-profit sector. Transparency and accountability of non-profit organisations is an absolute necessity.
Having made no specific commitments in response to the scandal, OpenAI plans to reach $1 billion in revenue by 2024. This goal seems to be moving further and further away from its initial intention, but also from the recommendations of its own product as evidenced by this response provided by the said AI :

About the author

Léon Launay

Community, Communication and Public Affairs Manager

leon(at)socialgoodaccelerator.eu

The Orange Digital Center, an initiative for digital inclusion

by sogaccelerator | 27 Sep 2022 | Communs & plaidoyer, Interviews / Témoignages

The Orange Digital Center, an initiative for digital inclusion

On the occasion of Orange’s membership to the SOGA, let’s get to know the Orange Digital Center in favor of digital inclusion in the territories. For this, we asked Orange teams a series of questions about this innovative project to learn more about this.

Orange digital Center, an international program to promote digital skills

The Orange Digital Center are places where digital skills are supported and developed. From coding training to digital manufacturing and business creation, they cover a wide range of activities. Free and open to all, these centers base learning on concrete projects. Training programs dedicated to digital professions are offered to students, unemployed people, school dropouts and young entrepreneurs, for example. Most Orange Digital Center also offer workshops, training and online content.

To date (September 2022), 15 Orange Digital Center have already opened in Africa and the Middle East (Tunisia, Senegal, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Jordan, etc.). In Europe, the Brussels center in Belgium welcomed its first learners last spring, while the Saint Ouen center in France opened its doors at the beginning of June. Others will soon be opened, notably in Poland, Luxembourg, Romania, Slovakia, Spain and Moldavia. Orange has decided to deploy this concept in all the countries where it operates.

The Orange Digital Center reflect the responsibility of the Group, the leading digital operator in France. To make digital an opportunity for everyone, the basic skills associated with it must be widely mastered and accessible. This program therefore aims to reduce the inequalities linked to access, equipment, uses and mastery of the digital world, by promoting connectivity, inclusion and the development of skills, without discrimination.

A picture of the first Orange digital center in France. Photo credit: Orange

We asked Orange teams a series of questions about this innovative project:

With whom and how do you build your programs and workshops?

The program is present in 17 countries to date. Each Orange Digital Center organizes its programming taking into account its local context, its resources, the ecosystem present and the major objectives we have set. The programs are designed to enable the acquisition of digital skills, of course, but also to promote the professional integration of people who are far from employment and to increase the proportion of women working in technology.

The complementary nature of the coding courses, the presence of the fablab and the incubator energizes our learners’ careers. The training courses are often built with partners: local fablabs, SIMPLON in Senegal, Becode in Belgium, the AWS restart program in Tunisia, the examples are numerous.

What are the challenges that Orange Digital Center will have to overcome?

Opening centers with a training space, a fablab and incubation programs in 25 countries is a challenge in itself and we are approaching the goal with 17 ODCs open by the end of August 2022. Once all the centers are open, one of our challenges will be to maintain the momentum and added value of the programs for our beneficiaries. This international network makes it an original initiative. The animation of the ODCs should be key in order to promote capitalization, exchanges and the production of commonalities.

How do you intend to overcome them?

For the moment, we are still in a phase of support to our subsidiaries for the opening to the first beneficiaries. Once the network is in place, we are planning joint actions to encourage capitalization between ODCs. For example, the Orange Foundation has launched a call for projects to create training for trainers in the Orange Digital Center fablabs. The partnership with SOGA should also help us better understand the issues we want to address in Europe.

As far as the impact on our beneficiaries is concerned, we have launched social impact measurements on a few programs and, without totally generalizing the approach, we would like to continue it with regular evaluations.

What is the first feedback on the Orange Digital Center opened in Saint-Ouen?

It’s a bit early to say because the activities are just starting.

In the field of professional integration, the “Envol numérique” pre-qualification program is aimed at young school dropouts. The aim is to give them the desire to train for a job in the digital sector. During 5 weeks of training, followed by 3 weeks of internship in a company, they will acquire know-how (web developer, coding, digital manufacturing, etc.), interpersonal skills (self-knowledge, communication, etc.) and knowledge about the environment and the impact of digital technology. The first cohort has been recruited and will start end of September 2022. The place also hosts activities for the general public. The digital workshops are aimed at all audiences and aim to familiarize themselves with uses ranging from the discovery of a smartphone to the implementation of parental controls. The place also houses a fablab which is used for discovery sessions of digital fabrication. Beyond physical locations like Saint Ouen, Orange Digital Center is the Orange Group’s flagship program for digital equality and brings together many initiatives.

Some examples of available resources

Resources to discover digital responsibility

There are many free online workshops and courses available to everyone. For example, if a person is a beginner, he or she will be offered an online workshop on how to protect personal data. For parents, the digital platform offers for example a workshop to understand parental control and to set up appropriate protections. If you have a child who loves soccer, the French soccer federation has developed tools and awareness programs for responsible digital use.

Resources to learn how to use digital tools

Training courses are offered to learn how to make the best use of digital tools. For example, the SuperCoders program allows hospitalized children to escape and have fun while learning to code. For job seekers, the Blabla Code program offers training to sharpen your digital skills and boost your resume. But you can also go on an apprenticeship in FabLabs, places where a professional or an individual can come, freely or with prior registration, to bring one of their projects to life, using innovative machines: 3D printer, connected embroidery machine, etc.

Entrepreneurial resources

The Orange Digital Center offer useful resources to help you get started in entrepreneurship. You can find a guide to entrepreneurship, information on how to create a business, how to equip yourself and with which tools. Women entrepreneurs are also honored with presentations of inspiring women’s stories. You will also find resources related to the protection of your data and communication on the Internet.

We hope you learned something new and that it will be useful in your digital transition or in supporting the digital transition! For more information visit their website.

About the author

Justine Coopman

justine(at)socialgoodaccelerator.eu

Communication, Community and European public affairs

Lille, France

Analysis of the report on the Digital Commons

by sogaccelerator | 13 Jul 2022 | Communs & plaidoyer, Editorial, Revue de presse

Analysis of the report on the Digital Commons

On the occasion of the Digital Assembly co-organised in Toulouse on 21 and 22 June by the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union and the European Commission, the report on the Digital Commons was published. This report was initiated by France during the conference ‘Building Europe’s Digital Sovereignty’ organised on 7 and 8 February.

This report is the result of collective work by a group of 19 European union (EU) Member States, the European Commission.

The aim was to collectively develop a project to promote and accelerate the development of the digital commons.

The digital commons, pillars of European digital sovereignty

According to the definition of Elinor Ostrom, winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2009, a commons is defined as a resource designed and governed by a community, with established rules of access and sharing. A digital commons is therefore a digital resource such as a platform, a website or an application whose particularity is that it belongs to everyone and can be modified by everyone. In other words, the governance of this resource is managed in a democratic and bottom-up manner.

The basic premise is that a well-maintained digital commons offers ‘a unique opportunity to support European digital sovereignty’.

First, under the right conditions, digital commons contribute to the preservation of control by external powers. Indeed, a digital commons is by definition neither in the hands of a single large company nor in those of a single state. This shared ownership aims to prevent the risk of abuse.

Secondly, the commons contribute to the collective valorisation of a digital resource and to the reuse of the digital data and infrastructure concerning it. The digital commons therefore promote innovation, social value and sustainability. Collective intelligence is indeed increased tenfold by the free access to information and the possibility to enrich the resource.

Finally, the digital commons are a pillar of cybersecurity, provided that they are well maintained. In other words, according to Eric S. Raymond’s adage, ‘if you have enough eyes, all bugs are shallow’ (The Cathedral and the Bazaar, 1999).

A strong need for visibility and acculturation of the digital commons

‘However, without a cultural shift in understanding the added value of the commons, their sustainability is threatened by a lack of use and contribution.’ As this report points out, the digital commons are excellent tools for moving towards European digital sovereignty, provided they are widely used. It is true that without widespread use and contribution, the resource can quickly become inefficient and obsolete. Hence the report’s proposals aimed firstly at giving visibility to the digital commons, and secondly, at gaining the trust of the different actors, in particular those of the digital commons community.

Image aggrandie : Visuel article communs numériques (Publication LinkedIn)

Four proposals to promote and accelerate the development of the digital commons

Proposal 1: Create a European one-stop-shop to guide communities towards adequate funding and public support

The idea is to create a platform to centralise at a European level the process of finding public funding for digital communities by providing guidance, expertise and resources.

Proposal 2: Launch a call for projects for the most strategic commons

The purpose of a call for projects on the digital commons would make it possible to respond to the financial problems encountered by the majority of commons, given their limited resources.

An orientation of funds towards thematic digital commons is recommended. The themes identified as priorities by the working group are research, e-government and strategic elements.

Proposal 3: Create a European Foundation for the Digital Commons

The creation of a European Foundation is the most ambitious proposal. ‘In coordination with the EU’s policy objectives, the structure would aim to foster the development of digital commons ecosystems across Europe, to strengthen existing communities and encourage the re-use of digital resources, while facilitating the spread of the digital commons model by supporting the generation of new digital commons.’

But, it would only become a true catalyst, supporter and promoter of the digital commons ‘if its governance is open and shared with the communities concerned.’ Governance would therefore be shared between the States, the European Commission and the digital commons communities. In addition, a permanent team would be dedicated to supporting this structure.

Proposal 4: Leading by example, the digital commons by default

This proposal aims to ensure that national and European administrations assess as a priority the possibility of a solution using open source code and open data as soon as they are faced with the development of digital resources.

Conclusion: the scope of the report

Welcomed by many in the digital commons community, these proposals are encouraging for the future and fully in line with the EU’s climate and digital objectives.

The next step is suggested by the report. This is a broad consultation on this topic in coordination with the launch of the call for projects. However, caution is called for. Indeed, the Czech Presidency of the European Union – which began on 1 July 2022 – must take over to ensure that all the challenges are met. But the Czech Republic is one Member State absent from the list of Member States that supported the report. The adoption of these recommendations could therefore be slowed down.

Finally, to complete these elements, the actors of the sector, including Wikimedia France, Framasoft, and Mobicoop, have taken up the issue. They have, in turn, drawn up a set of proposals with the same objective in mind.

The digital commons still have a bright future. In this regard, our next study will focus on the new models of citizen and contributory economy in Europe. This study will analyse the practices, partnerships and effects of two digital commons by social economy actors: Open Street Map and Open Food Fact.

About the author

Justine Coopman

justine(at)socialgoodaccelerator.eu

Public Affairs and Communication

Lille, France

‘It was a successful experience’, Social Economy Europe’s view on the European Social Economy Summit.

by sogaccelerator | 17 May 2022 | Communs & plaidoyer, Editorial, Interviews / Témoignages

‘It was a successful experience’, Social Economy Europe’s view of the european social economy summit

The European summit on the social economy brought together nearly 2000 participants on 5 and 6 May 2022 in Strasbourg. Organised in the framework of the French Presidency of the European Union with the support of the Eurometropole of Strasbourg, the objective was to discuss the place of the social economy in the European Union and its future through conferences, workshops and meetings.

The Social Good Accelerator, member of the steering committee of the event, was present and contributed to the promotion and dissemination of its ideas, namely raising awareness on the necessary digital transition of the social economy through two workshops and a conference.

Our member, Social Economy Europe, also a member of the steering committee of the event, also participated in this summit through numerous workshops and conferences.

This interview with Victor Meseguer, Director at Social Economy Europe, aims to enrich the feedback on this major European summit for the social economy.

From the Social Economy Europe side, how did you prepare for this event?

The preparation of the event started in June 2021. The first meeting took place with Pierre Roth and Sandra Guilmin in Brussels at the time when they were exploring the different funding options for the European social economy summit (hereafter “Conference”). At that time, it was already known that the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union was going to take place, so it was expected that there would be a strong presence of the French Presidency, but also a strong presence of the European Commission, which was present through human resources and political representatives. In July 2021, the Social Economy Europe (SEE) team travelled to Strasbourg with the presidents and co-presidents of the European Parliament’s social economy intergroup to have a meeting with the Mayor of Strasbourg. The exchanges focused on the expectations related to the Conference.

This Conference was expected to be the major european conference of the social economy in 2022. We can also say that there was a sort of handover of legitimacy at the end of the social economy summit in Mannheim in 2021.

From then on, the way of working was similar to that of the SOGA, notably through meetings to co-construct the event. The added value of SEE was also similar to that of SOGA. Our aim was to create bridges between actors, to ensure that the Conference had a European dimension, that it responded well to the interests of Social Economy actors. Our added value as a network is our ability to mobilise people, networks and organisations across Europe.

Also, on the SEE side, we organised our general assembly in Strasbourg, the day before the Conference, which allowed us to mobilise most of our members.

From the SEE side, how did the workshops go? In particular the one on transition pathways, what did you learn from it?

It was an interesting workshop. We mobilised between 30 and 50 people. There were key players in the social economy in the room: both major European networks, for example Cooperative Europe, Philea, ESS France Outre-mer and others. We also managed to mobilise two players who are strongly committed to the social economy in the territories: the region of Brussels and the region of Navarra in northern Spain.

‘It was a successful experience, a first opportunity to educate on a subject that is difficult to understand, not that it is difficult as such, but it is mainly the terminology, the slang that can cause problems. When we talk about transition pathways for the social economy, we are talking about a big strategic plan where everyone must be involved and express their expectations and needs. On this last point, there is a problem of connection with reality. So this workshop was a step to start explaining the exercise we are doing and its importance.

Also, we gathered some interesting information. First of all, the problem with the transition pathways is that you have a lot of access to generalist experts, people who are very knowledgeable about the whole subject of social economy. But it is difficult to find people with expertise on the green transition and the digital transition. There is a second problem. We don’t capture the whole reality of the social economy. We need to capture the whole reality of the social economy, which is much broader. The Social Good Accelerator has a key role to play on this point to get its network involved.

You had a stand shared with ESS France and the CRESS Grand Est. What were the interactions with the public? What types of exchanges did you have?

We had quite a few people from very different backgrounds who came by, including a representative of a Greek association and a journalist from Euractiv, for example. Many of them asked for information on social economy and information on how to join us.

Juan Antonio Pedreño maintains Social Economy Europe’s vision for the future of the sector in the continent, in Strasbourg.

Photo credit: Social Economy Europe

The social economy, the future of Europe: that was the name of this forum. What can we retain from this summit for the future of SSE?

We can retain these key words: alliance, change of scale, major macroeconomic objectives. Our objective is indeed to move from 6.3% of employment in SSE in Europe (i.e. 13.6M jobs) to 10% (i.e. more than 22M jobs) in 2030 by the time of the action plan.

‘The Social Economy Action Plan is our window of opportunity to grow.’

It is not about growing for the sake of growing, it is not about growing for the sake of more money, but it is about growing to create more quality jobs in Europe, to create more integration for disadvantaged groups and/or those at risk of social exclusion, to create more social, environmental and technological innovation and to be the major player in Europe in digital, green and fair transitions. To grow, we need to meet and get to know each other. We need to build more alliances on a European scale, starting from the local level. In this respect, we have a big window of opportunity on our table with the European Social Economy plan.

Are you satisfied with this summit?

We are very satisfied because there were 2000 people registered. There was a risk that it would be very Francophone, but I don’t think that was the case. I saw people from all over Europe: from Lithuania, Ukraine, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Ireland.

You can also see that everything is in place to jump. This is the image of the trampoline. To jump, we need a lot of cooperation and alliances. The principle of the social economy is cooperation, but we can do much better in this area.

What are the next steps for Social Economy Europe?

The next steps are to keep growing. We have recently welcomed two new members, one from Ukraine and one from Poland. We are the voice of the 2.8M social economy organisations in Europe. We aim to represent not only European but also pan-European networks.

We have 2 other key objectives that will happen soon. Before the summer, we want to write a policy paper on the implementation of the action plan with concrete proposals. Since 2014, we have made two proposals for an action plan. For example, we asked for the single platform on the social economy, which the European Commission accepted. But now we have to go further and say what exactly we want through this platform. The new policy paper will address this issue. In parallel, we are undertaking a strategic reflection process to consolidate the organisation.

About the author

Justine Coopman

justine(at)socialgoodaccelerator.eu

Public Affairs and Communication

Lille, France

La MedNum, “a singular structure” for digital inclusion

by sogaccelerator | 25 Mar 2022 | Communs & plaidoyer, Editorial, Interviews / Témoignages

La MedNum, “a singular structure” for digital inclusion

On March 15, 2022, Guilhem Pradalié, Managing Director of the MedNum, member of the Social Good Accelerator, granted us an interview during which he comes back on what the MedNum is, what are its projects, challenges and his role within the SOGA.

Guilhem Pradalié

(General Director of La MedNum)

Can you tell us about your professional background?

I have a background in economics and a master’s degree from Sciences Po Paris. I worked for ten years in the mutual insurance sector, at the Mutuelle générale de l’Éducation nationale (MGEN). I worked on various digital and innovation programmes, then in the group’s strategy department.

I was then advisor to the President, in charge of economic and financial issues, strategy and digital commitments until September 2021. I joined La MedNum as Managing Director in October 2021. Attached to the issues of digital inclusion and mediation, I mobilise the teams of the cooperative to facilitate and amplify the virtuous action of MedNum’s members on all territories.

What is MedNum?

MedNum is a singular structure. Indeed, it is a cooperative (NDLR Société coopérative d’intérêt collectif, i.e. a SCIC) which gathers very diverse members, all actors of digital inclusion. It fulfills missions of representation and structuring of a sector while carrying out “project” and “consulting” activities around the industrialisation of digital inclusion solutions. We work with our members to create national projects. The objective is to help the sector to develop while carrying the voice of its actors.

Who composes MedNum?

The team is composed of about 15 people. We have recently reorganised our activities around 3 departments: a research and advocacy department, a project department which is transversal and a finance and member services department which should be created at the end of the first semester. Finally, the general management is responsible for the communication and cooperative life departments, which are essential for the good animation of our networks and the promotion of our members’ actions.

But MedNum is composed of very diverse actors: more than 100 members, local authorities, the State, economic actors and other types of actors such as private individuals, actors of digital mediation who carry together, beyond the social issue, the values of the free, the common… In short, digital technology in the service of the general interest.

Speaking of values, what are those of MedNum?

First and foremost, we are attached to the common good and the general interest. This is reflected in the very form of our cooperative and in the way it operates. We intervene more broadly on all subjects by developing the idea of a responsible digital technology accessible to all (health, territories, education, reception of refugees, culture…). We are obviously very attached to the culture of the free internet and the commons, like many of our members.

You implement these values in particular through the projects that you carry out. Which of these projects makes you the most proud?

It’s hard to choose, because the projects are all important! But I would say, because of the current context of the war in Ukraine, that “refugiés.info” is the one that makes me most proud. The teams are personally committed to it, putting all their skills at its service. There is a big human investment in this project, which is currently the government’s official platform for connecting French people who want to help with accommodation with associations and people who express the need.

What does the Réfugiés.info project consist of?

In “normal” times, it is an information portal, contributory and open-source, co-developed with the Interministerial Delegation for the Reception and Integration of Refugees, which provides simple and translated information to refugees and their carers.

This project helps refugees to find an initiative, a training adapted to their situation, to understand the administrative procedures or to consult the directory to find an association.

This platform works like Wikipedia: everyone can contribute by writing or translating practical information.

If you had to summarise the main challenges of MedNum today, what would they be?

First of all, it would be to succeed in making the voice of our members heard during the various upcoming elections, presidential and legislative. We have big objectives around data projects this year, but also around the launch of a version 2 of the telephone platforms for help and support in everyday digital uses.

The presidential elections are coming soon in France. You have published your proposals for the 2022 presidential election. What problem do you address and what solutions do you advocate?

In France, more than 14 million people are said to be in a situation of digital fragility, i.e. remote, unequipped and/or in great difficulty with the various uses of digital technology. This is the social justice issue to which we are responding.

We recommend actions on 4 important themes for our members: education, employment and purchasing power, health and the environment.

We especially insist on the need to create a real professional sector of digital mediation, by working for example on the stability of the financing of digital inclusion structures, to offer digital services accessible to all and everywhere and to promote a digital society of general interest, free, open, universal and collective.

In terms of education, we propose to make digital education a priority in education, from primary to higher education, in order to train the enlightened citizens of tomorrow, and to equip, raise awareness and train professionals in education and social support. But also to affirm the complementarities between mediation and digital education while paying specific attention to particularly remote audiences.

On the issues of employment and purchasing power, we are working to intensify efforts to train and support young people and jobseekers in digital technology; to make businesses a real place for learning about digital technology; to support small organisations in their digital transformation; and to make digital technology an accelerator of citizens’ purchasing power. We defend, for example, the implementation of a real “social internet tariff” for low-income households.

Finally, in terms of health, La MedNum proposes to act as close as possible to people in fragile situations to guarantee them access to information and care, to reinforce the acculturation dynamic between digital mediation and the world of health and to create the conditions for user confidence in the use of digital health.

Finally, what are your links and your expectations of the Social Good Accelerator?

La MedNum has been a member of the Social Good Accelerator for two years. We are partners in the Social Tech Academy project, which explores the digital skills of the SSE to create an information portal, and members of the European Public Affairs working group.

For many people, European issues still seem far away, but we are convinced that running projects of this scale is effective, both in terms of sharing good practice with our neighbours, and in stimulating interesting policy developments for the Social Economy sector and digital inclusion in particular.

Being part of the Social Good Accelerator allows us to have a common environment to express our expectations and to pool the means to achieve them. This is a direct extension of the way we work with our members and is particularly in line with our values.