In a recent pilot project led by the City of Helsinki and the city's innovation company Forum Virium Helsinki, digital tools, such as Kwizie, were tested to support the learning process of these vulnerable clients in their transition from social services to employment or education. The pilot was part of the European Commission-funded CommuniCity project, which aims to carry out one hundred digital trials.
Project lead Titta Niemonen guides the development of Helsinki's remote work coaching in the digital rehabilitation work unit called Virtuaaliverstas.
“Not all job seekers start from the same line. This is why it's essential to provide flexible learning methods that consider these different needs and backgrounds. This project's goal has been to support clients' opportunities to pursue vocational or degree-targeted studies and job search skills,” she explains.
With the help of AI, clients could, for example, learn about the essentials of how to navigate the job market, such as employment laws, regulations, and practices. For many, work-life concepts can pose challenges, especially in written form. However, gamified learning can be of help.
“With Kwizie, even the most difficult and unfamiliar terms were understood. For example, the clients watched videos on the basic principles of signing an employment contract, workplace responsibilities, and obligations. Kwizie generated quiz questions from the videos, supporting the learning process of the clients. The experience was empowering and supportive of social participation, with nearly all participants reporting that the trial deepened their learning,” Niemonen describes.
Deepened understanding with the help of AI
In the trial, reconceptions and concerns about AI were not uncommon, but ultimately, the tool was seen more as an opportunity. “Many worries dissipated once the customers tried the tool themselves. AI was seen as a helper instead,” she summarizes.
Niemonen views gamification positively, even from a coach's perspective. “Kwizie brought playful elements that encouraged participants to learn more enjoyably. The joint experiment brought all participants together. Playfulness can also be beneficial for the coach. The rhythm and engagement of virtual teaching can improve with AI-assisted tools,” she explains.
“Digital inclusion is as significant in our functioning in the society as literacy. For instance, handling matters with the unemployment office or taxes are done digitally. An increasing number of people are at risk of digital exclusion, which is why learning these digital skills is extremely important for everyone. The OECD has also criticized Finland for many years for adult education being mainly concentrated among well-off, highly-educated individuals who are already educated and further continue to educate themselves. It is crucial to support the development of digital skills, especially for vulnerable client groups,” Niemonen emphasizes.
AI provides ease for work-life coaches and instructors
Niemonen envisions how AI could lighten the workload of teachers of multilingual groups, where material translations are not always available. “Multilingual material could be translated into Finnish, thus easing the instructor's work. It is in everyone's interest that such tools expedite the translation or adaptation of materials to different language needs in educational institutions,” she says.
Niemonen sees significant potential in AI solutions supporting learning and skill articulation. She calls for trials where the startup sector and work-life organizations could collaborate more. By supporting digital inclusion, the risk of exclusion for vulnerable groups can be reduced. “By sitting around the same table, we can also find ways to work together. This could reduce societal tensions and divisions,” Niemonen concludes.
From Work Activities to Employment Project
Text: Milja Inkeri Mäkelä
