Dream Spanish
National Report

Spanish National Report on Focus Groups’ Findings

As part of the Activity “Focus Groups for In-Depth Skill Assessment” of the DREAM project.

Reference Number: 2023-2-EL01-KA210-ADU-000170360

This document was developed in the framework of the project DREAM: Digital Readiness Empowering Ambitious Middle-Aged Women Entrepreneurs (Reference Number: 2023-2 EL01-KA210-ADU-000170360) by AFAEMME.

“Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the State Scholarships Foundation (IKY). Neither the European Union nor IKY can be held responsible for them.”

1. Introduction

In today’s rapidly evolving digital world, it’s becoming increasingly important to master digital tools across all age groups. However, for women over 45, there is a noticeable digital divide. Many in this demographic didn’t grow up in a technology-driven environment, and, in addition to managing careers and jobs, they traditionally bear the responsibility of caring for children and elders, which limits their time for continuous learning. This makes adapting to new digital platforms and tools more difficult, particularly for those looking to start or enhance online businesses.

Empowering women over 45 with digital skills is crucial not only for their personal growth but also for their participation in the modern economy. With digital literacy, they can overcome barriers in accessing online markets, managing their businesses, and expanding their professional reach. This demographic also benefits from digital training, as it can open pathways for career reinvention, entrepreneurship, and greater financial independence.

The objective of this report is to explore the specific digital needs of women over 45 and design a targeted digital training workshop that meets these needs. This workshop will equip participants with practical skills, foster confidence, and create sustainable pathways for their personal and professional development in the digital space.

2. Methodology

To gain a deeper understanding of the digital literacy needs of women over 45, we conducted a series of Digital Focus Groups. These sessions were designed to assess participants’ digital skills and identify areas requiring improvement. Three online Focus Group sessions were organized in Spain, on September 6, 12, and 27, 2024, gathering women from diverse backgrounds. Alongside these sessions, participants completed an online questionnaire focused on digital marketing, website development, social media management, and data analysis.

The sessions began with a brief presentation of AFAEMME and the European DREAM Project, followed by introductions from the participants. Each participant shared their personal and professional experiences and explained what they hoped to gain from the project. We also encouraged participants to share their “superpower” as a way to empower them. Each session included a short talk to help define their digital needs and concluded with time for questions and encouragement to complete the online questionnaire.

These sessions provided valuable insights into the participants’ digital skills, motivations, and goals, particularly as many were looking to start or enhance online businesses, or improve their digital knowledge for better positioning in the job market.

3. Profile of Participants

The participants in the study were all women over 45 years old, from diverse professional backgrounds, including lawyers, teachers, coaches, artists, entrepreneurs, and women from the real estate and insurance sectors. They were recruited through online calls, newsletters, LinkedIn, and through AFAEMME partners in Spain.

A total of 25 women, aged 45 to 65, registered for the study, with most participants residing in Barcelona or the surrounding Catalonia region. They all completed the registration form and granted permission for their data to be used solely for the project’s purposes. The participants clearly expressed their opinions, interests, and goals regarding digital learning, with many having previously completed training courses and recognizing the importance of continued digital education.

The three Focus Group sessions had the following participants:
– 6th September: 9 women
– 12th September: 8 women
– 27th September: 5 women

Three women who registered were unable to attend the sessions, but we are evaluating whether they can participate in future stages of the project.

4. Analysis of the Needs of the Participants

4.1 **Participants’ Needs in Digital Training**

We analyzed data from two sources: the online questionnaires and the responses gathered during the Focus Group sessions.

4.1.1 **Answers to the Online Questionnaire**
The responses from 19 participants revealed a varied but insightful range of digital competencies. Most participants demonstrated a medium-to-high level of skill in browsing, filtering, and managing digital content. They were comfortable using digital technologies for basic collaboration, such as sharing documents via Google Workspace, but showed a need for improvement in content development (e.g., audiovisual or multimedia content) and understanding copyright and licensing.

Participants expressed an interest in better protection for their digital content and data, as well as more knowledge in privacy and data protection. They were familiar with the basics of data analysis but had varied levels of expertise in specific areas such as digital marketing, web development, social media management, and data analysis. This suggests that any training should cater to different levels of proficiency (beginner, intermediate, advanced) to meet the diverse needs of the group.

4.2 **Focus Group Results**
The Focus Group sessions were highly valuable, providing personal insights into the participants’ experiences and concerns. Many participants expressed strong motivations for starting online businesses and were eager to continue their digital learning to achieve their goals. They showed a keen interest in learning about specific software programs and tools to support their projects.

While there were some barriers to using digital tools—mainly related to a lack of time and support—fear or lack of confidence was less of a concern. Participants had high expectations for the DREAM Project and the digital training, expressing a strong desire for continued support and guidance.

4.2.1 **Analysis of the Needs**
Key areas of interest that emerged from the Focus Group discussions include:
– **Digital Marketing:** Participants wanted to learn strategies for digital marketing, personal branding, and networking. They were also interested in tools to automate processes, manage customers and sales, and handle secure online payments.
– **Web Development:** They wanted to understand the basics of web development, including terms like landing pages, domains, WordPress, WooCommerce, and SEO. They also wanted to learn how to protect their websites and content.
– **Social Network Management:** Participants were particularly interested in creating attractive content, editing photos and videos using simple tools like Canva and InShot, and monetizing their social media presence on platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
– **Data Analysis:** Participants wanted to learn how to collect and analyze data to better understand their customers and drive business growth.

The participants acknowledged that digital marketing, web development, and social media management work together to create a successful online business and that mastering data analysis would provide a competitive edge.

5. Recommendations of Priority Training Areas

Based on the responses from the online questionnaire and Focus Group sessions, the following topics should be prioritized in the training program:

– **Digital Marketing:**
– Branding development and personal branding online
– CRM management using tools like Excel, Mailchimp, and newsletters
– Effective customer relationship management and automation tools
– Managing online payment systems

– **Web Development:**
– Understanding the basics of WordPress, WooCommerce, and SEO strategies (e.g., Yoast SEO)
– Optimizing content for websites and online stores
– Tools for creating and selling online courses (e.g., Teachable, Udemy)

– **Social Media Management:**
– Managing LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok
– Creating content using tools like Canva for graphic design and InShot for video/photo editing
– Understanding and effectively using hashtags and mentions to increase visibility

– **Data Analysis:**
– Using Google Analytics to track website traffic and customer behavior
– Analyzing customer data to improve marketing strategies and increase conversions
– Understanding how to utilize paid ads (e.g., Google Ads, Instagram Ads) effectively

6. Conclusion

The participants in the study represent the target audience for the DREAM Project: ambitious, middle-aged (45+) women entrepreneurs with a strong desire to improve their digital skills.

– Their digital literacy is intermediate; they are familiar with various digital tools but lack proficiency in some areas and often feel overwhelmed by rapid technological advancements.
– Many have previously attempted business ventures, including online projects, and are eager to continue learning and trying again.
– Their goals include building a digital brand, developing high-quality content, creating deeper connections with customers, and monetizing their efforts effectively.
– They are also interested in finding collaboration and support networks to help them navigate digital tools and their business projects.

The DREAM Project can support these women by providing comprehensive, tailored digital training that meets their diverse needs and empowers them to achieve their business and personal goals.

ANNEX

a- PROFILE OF PARTICIPANTS

b- STATISTICS OF RESPONSES FROM SPANISH WOMEN TO QUESTIONNAIRES

It does not seem necessary to present all the data from the questionnaires. Therefore, I have selected and show here only the majority responses that confirm our assessments. In this way, we can focus on achieving results for the objectives of the Focus Groups.

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