Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) is setting up 46 SG digital community hubs on the island as part of its range of digitization initiatives. Earlier this year, IMDA established the SG Digital Office (SDO) to accelerate digitization as part of its phased post COVID-19 economic recovery plan.
The help centers will be located in community centers and public libraries. Digital ambassadors will be at each hub to provide one-to-one assistance regarding digital skills, and small group classes will be available in various languages and dialects. The community hubs are open for all, but seniors and hawkers (street vendors) are the “immediate priority,” according to IMDA, as part of its Seniors Go Digital and Hawkers Go Digital programs. Senior citizens will be able to learn how to use their digital devices for basic communication skills, using government digital services, using public transport, and making e-payments. Street vendors can learn to more efficiently use e-payment tools, such as QR codes. The centers will be opened by the end of August, 2020.
“As part of the next step in this nationwide digitization movement, we are reaching out and going deeper into every community to better understand concerns on the ground,” said minister for communications and information, S Iswaran. “That way, we ensure that every individual, especially our seniors and hawkers, is well-supported at each step of their digitization journey, and that everyone, young or old, will have a place in Singapore’s digital future.”