In Europe, the dematerialization we have witnessed in recent years of public services and the digitalization of everyday life highlight the urgent need to develop the digital skills of social sector professionals who provide support to the most vulnerable populations, who are also more “distanced” from the digital society.

On one hand, there is an increasing risk of greater exclusion for these populations and more limited access to rights (Défenseur des droits, 2019); on the other hand, the professionals themselves are also confronted with new challenges in responding to and empowering these groups.

The NEF initiative seeks to address the challenges posed by the use of digital technologies for social sector professionals, as well as for their beneficiaries, aiming to develop a digital tool that can be validated and extended to the European context, facilitating the assessment of needs and the provision of responses to the most vulnerable segments of the population.