The workshop aims to explore the multiple dimensions of digitalization and its social impact, questioning its purposes, target audiences, and—most importantly—the ways in which digital tools can become a tangible ally of social cooperation. The event is designed to foster an open dialogue between actors from the cooperative sector and those from the digital ecosystem, gathering the experiences and perspectives of social cooperatives in South Tyrol regarding the challenges, support needs, and opportunities that digital transformation brings.

Through discussion sessions and collaborative work, the workshop will seek to understand how digital culture can help make organizational processes more efficient, improve internal and external communication, strengthen community engagement, and envision new forms of work inclusion, even in higher-value sectors.

The morning will open with a keynote presentation by sociologist Maurizio Busacca (Ca’ Foscari University of Venice), a university professor and researcher in the fields of social economy and digital innovation, and one of Italy’s leading scholars on third-sector transformation processes. The program will continue with a series of talks focused on best practices and innovative case studies of cooperatives that have tackled the digital challenge from different perspectives: from digitalization as an organizational culture to technology as a tool for inclusion, and even digital solutions as standalone products or services.

Through these experiences, participants will gain a diverse and concrete overview of how digital tools can be interpreted and integrated into the social mission of cooperatives.

Following this, participants will engage in thematic working groups where they can share challenges, experiences, and specific needs, collaboratively developing proposals and strategies for support. This direct exchange will be essential for collecting insights to guide future research, support, and co-design activities promoted by the Center.

The morning will conclude with a guided visit to the BITZ unibz fablab, offering a tangible opportunity to reflect on the potential of digital making as a lever for inclusion.