People of Môn Sơn Commune at the commune's public administrative procedure centre. — VNA/VNS Photo

NGHỆ AN — The 'Community Digital Transformation Team' model that was launched in the central province of Nghệ An has proved essential in accelerating administrative reform and bringing online public services closer to residents, especially in remote mountain communes.

This model is seen as a breakthrough solution and an extended arm for local authorities, enabling people to access and benefit from digital technology.

Maximising the role of these teams is key to narrowing the digital divide and supporting sustainable socio-economic growth in the highlands.

Community Digital Transformation Teams are voluntary groups operating under the direction of Party committees and local authorities, consisting of knowledgeable, tech-savvy members.

Bringing public services directly to the people

In the mountain commune of Yên Na, both the implementation of the two-tier local administration system and the operation of the Public Administration Service Centre have faced numerous challenges.

However, thanks to preparation and the strong performance of the commune’s transformation team, online public services are now within easier reach for local residents.

The team acts as an important bridge, helping people in remote areas – many of whom are unfamiliar with technology and new administrative procedures – access online public services more easily.

In Văng Cuộm Hamlet, home to the Thái ethnic group, many residents – especially older people – are still unfamiliar with handling administrative procedures on smartphones.

Team members like Lô Thị Được have been patiently offering hands-on help, guiding residents through every step of digital forms and procedures, and helping them better understand new administrative processes.

Vi Thị Tím, a resident of Văng Cuộm Hamlet, said she felt reassured with the step-by-step guidance on her phone and was able to complete her work with the team’s careful support.

Chairman of Yên Na Commune People’s Committee Thái Lương Thiện said: “Team members do not hesitate to endure hardships, give up their rest days or travel to remote hamlets to explain and help people use smartphones to access and complete administrative steps through the National Public Service Portal. Thanks to this, residents have gradually become familiar and more confident with new digital procedures.”

“The unity and dedication of the officers, along with the support of the teams, is what enables mountain communes to overcome shortages in personnel and difficult working conditions to accomplish their tasks effectively,” Thiện added.

With a mission of 'reaching every alley, knocking on every door, guiding every citizen', these teams help residents create accounts, submit online documents on the National Public Service Portal and use the VNeID app for digital identification.

This is especially important for helping highlanders save travel time and costs when performing online procedures.

Besides, Môn Sơn Commune’s team has also helped residents and cooperatives take photos, film videos and write product descriptions to promote their goods on social media, increasing visibility among visitors as the locality is endowed with advantages in community-based tourism and traditional brocade weaving, tea planting and citrus farming.

Many people can livestream their sales and introduce products directly to consumers, as well as set up profiles on Google Maps and post information about community tourism to make it easier for visitors to find products in the hamlets.

Difficulties and solutions

Digital transformation in the mountainous areas of Nghệ An still faces many barriers, such as uneven telecommunications infrastructure, limited access to smartphones, low digital skills and online public service interfaces that remain complex and insufficiently localised (i.e., not simplified or adapted to local languages).

A shortage of front line personnel also poses challenges, making it necessary to build a team of tech-savvy, respected community members who can provide direct support and build trust.

To make the teams truly a driving force of digital transformation, many mountainous localities in Nghệ An have been implementing coordinated solutions adapted to their specific conditions.

Chairman of Nga My Commune People’s Committee Lô Khăm Kha said that in the near future, the commune would continue to leverage the expertise of dynamic officers at the Public Administration Service Centre to support the teams professionally; organise regular in-depth training aligned with the local agricultural and economic cycles; and emphasise digital marketing, sales skills and information security to better serve the community.

Given ongoing staff shortages, the province prioritises training young people, youth union members, teachers or respected community figures such as village elders or hamlet leaders, focusing training on the most essential services.

Meanwhile, Chairman of Nhôn Mai Commune People’s Committee Lê Hồng Thái suggested developing specialised applications tailored to highland needs, such as weather and climate monitoring, disaster alerts for landslides and flash floods or local agricultural price lookup tools.

“Apps and information portals should have simple, user-friendly interfaces and support ethnic languages to help the community teams communicate effectively,” he said.

Community Digital Transformation Teams are not just technical support groups, but also a strategy for local digital workforce development and an effective communication channel for advancing digital transformation in disadvantaged areas.

By equipping each village with dedicated technology cores, Nghệ An is building solid 'digital bridges', helping residents in mountainous areas overcome geographical and technical barriers, integrating into the flow of the digital economy and digital society. — VNS