It is often difficult to really give outside readers an idea about what Discover tries to achieve in The Netherlands and Europe. Therefor I have jumped to 5 years from now to our pilot region Limburg, the city of Kerkrade in The Netherlands. I have tried to imagine how it will be if Kerkrade would implement the results we are trying to achieve in The Netherlands during the Discover project.

The Kerkrade Discover groups are called ‘Doar Tuut ‘T’, roughly translated to ‘there the whistle blows’. This refers to the old coalmines in that region, now long dismantled. The ‘whistle’ called the miners to work.

The Kerkrade groups are trained and facilitated in all modern communication facilities: mobile phone apps, twitter, Skype, Facebook, webcam, YouTube and the use of 3D environment meeting opportunities. They also use the Dutch Discover platform for (informal) carers for information and chatting and learning.

The group’s meets regularly in the local public library and other facilities in Kerkrade where they find everything they need to use their digital skills. They are a mix of computer ‘Newbees’, computer hobbyists of all ages, service deliverers and experts in the area of mobility. Each of the ‘Newbees’ has chosen a 'Discover-buddy' from the computer hobbyists (of any age) in their group. They work together when using the new technology, in the group, but also at home.

The first thing the Kerkrade Discover groups have done is to find out what interests/ hobbies/ passion they share. It turns out that in one group culture, art and in particular the wish to visit a museum like The Louvre is a common interest in the group. Gerard cannot leave his house; John and Henry have mobility problems. All three of them have informal carers who also are part of the group.

The group asks Peter (the expert on mobility devices in their group) how John and Henry will be able to travel to the real museum in Paris and move around within the museum and even visit Paris afterwards. The necessary assistive technology and devices are procured or arranged through the connections of Peter for testing purposes during the trip.

Peter, John and Henry will organise the logistics of the trip with some help from the informal carers of John and Henry. Henry will test the possibilities of the assistive technology.
Gerard will take part by connecting him through video and sharing the experiences during the trip with the travellers. Mobiles and cameras will be used. Some informal carers will go along and help John and Henry where necessary. They will learn first-hand how to go for a trip abroad when physically challenged.

Just as Gerard, all group members can ‘visit’ the Louvre virtually through the Discover website sharing photo’s, films and blogs, written by the members who are there. Also they get links to the virtual Louvre to visit. 

This trip will enhance the friendship among the group members; teach them about the use of assistive technology and devices for now and for the future. They will be able to convey to the expert what kind of assistive devices they would like to have that are not (yet) available, by experiencing the need for those devices during the trip. Gerard will be able to share the joy of the trip while being bed ridden. In a certain way he will experience this as having travelled again.

The whole trip to The Louvre, including preparations and evaluation afterwards will be recorded for use by other Discover communities, with subtitles in different languages. This can be used by the other Discover groups all over Europe.

Hein

The Netherlands