Telecentar from Zagreb is a non-governmental, non-profit organization founded in 2005. The mission of Telecentar is to promote lifelong learning as a key development tool for all citizens. The organizational vision of the Telecentar is to create a non-profit brand, recognizable for its high-quality digital inclusion program, development of digital and media literacy, professional multimedia competences and social entrepreneurship in education, culture, health and sports.
In the period from 2005 to 2008, Telecentar coordinated a regional network of non-governmental organizations that implemented a digital inclusion programme for over 5,000 refugees and displaced persons in Southeastern Europe. At the same time, Telecentar’s production of films and videos begins, including two promotional films for the Croatian Tourist Board.
In 2009, Telecentar participated in the founding of the international organization Telecentre Europe, which brought together members from 28 countries with headquarters in Brussels. Membership in Telecentre Europe has opened a large space for international cooperation, insight into the public policy of the European Union and access to centralized EU funds for the development of human resources. Telecentre Europe was renamed All Digital in 2017, and the CEO of Telecentar was elected to its Board of Directors for the second time in 2021.
Based on the experience gained, representative of Telecentar was invited to the working group of the Agency for Vocational Education and Education of Adults, as the only representative of the citizens’ association in the vocational education reform project in Croatia. In the period from 2010 to 2011, the working group created occupational standards, qualification standards and a curriculum for vocational education of media technicians.
From 2012 to 2022, Telecentar participated in the implementation of 15 EU projects in cooperation with 43 Croatian and 26 European partners from 17 countries. In 2014, the projects were presented as examples of good practice at the UNESCO Forum on Media and Information Literacy in Paris, in 2015 at the Media Literacy conference of the 3L Platform in Brussels, and in 2016 in the Council of Europe’s Report on the Mapping of Media Literacy practice and action in the EU-28. In 2019, Telecentar presented the projects at the first European Commission Conference on Media Literacy in Brussels.
From 2020, Telecentar is coordinating the work of the Croatian Digital Literacy Network. The network was formed with the general goal of strengthening intersectoral cooperation and building the capacity of stakeholders from the civil, public and private sectors for research and development of the digital society in Croatia. The network conducts scientific research and, based on their results, develops guidelines for the development of public policies in the field of digital inclusion, digital education and digital transformation of work and professions.
The network currently has 25 members, of which 15 are civil society organizations, 7 are scientific and educational institutions, and 3 are regional and local governments. Trends and best practice examples of digital transformation of Croatian and European society are presented at round tables and thematic conferences of the Network. At these hybrid events, it is possible to participate live or follow the video streaming on the Internet.