Politicians, policy makers and public servants have never faced a situation like this. They immediately need policies that really work. Best practices can serve as an inspiration, a starting point and a proof of concept.
Providing information for voluntary services
To allow for smooth and un-bureacratic administrative support for voluntary services, the regional government of Rhineland-Palatine has set up an information initiative.
18 digital solutions to support the vulnerable and people self-isolating
TechForce19 has awarded up to £25,000 each to innovations that offer a digital way to support vulnerable people who need to stay at home or need other help in the community for extended periods of time.
Digital infrastructure for homeschooling
The city of Vienna provides free laptops and a digital learning platform for students in need.
Free online state library
Access to digital library service is opened up online, to offer reading materials while closing the physical libraries.
Policy lessons from the crisis
The Bennett Institute for Public Policy brought together a diverse group of people to understand why we consistently don’t learn lessons from situations of crisis.
Instagram channel promotes supporting local businesses
An Instagram channel presents small businesses and ways to support them.
Government offers free webinars for a “safe home office”
The government of the Austrian province Lower Austria offers free and publicly accessible webinars on the topic of “Secure Home Office”. They inform citizens on how to protect themselves and their data.
An urban crowdsourcing platform for mutual aid
To connect those who offer help and those who need help, the City of Linz created a crowdsourcing platform.
Helping governments to tackle challenges in technology, communications, and operations
A volunteer-run, non-partisan initiative helps governments to tackle challenges during the Covid-19 crisis.
A remote learning city
To make as many learning resources available online, the City of Gdynia offers a variety of online platforms, online services and websites.
Take-away library books
A Swedish library organises contactless pick-ups of books outside the library to provide reading material during the lockdowns.
Providing citizens with iPads for virtual family reunions
To make it possible for families to reunite at least virtually, the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde are supplying their wards with 100 iPads, complete with FaceTime, Skype and Zoom.