JANUARY 9, 2026 DIGITAL LITERACY GROUNDCOVER NEWS On the road with the LogInBus: combating social exclusion in Germany ADRIANE DIETRICH Trott-War On Sept. 14, 2025, as the fourth edition of the StreetCamp festival brings together many people affected by poverty on Stuttgart’s Leonhardsplatz to mark World Homelessness Day, the LogInBus is in exactly the right place. Some guests still ask, a little shyly, what the “Baby Bus” actually is. But a glance inside quickly reveals the answer: the van’s seats have been replaced by four mobile PC workstations. In principle, it is a small internet café on wheels, but one that focuses on people who have little or no conventional access to the internet and digital technology for either financial or age-related reasons. For example, there is a man present who wants to switch from his old mobile phone to a smartphone and needs assistance to do so. In principle, anyone can use the service; the only condition is that they comply with the conditions of use. These set out how to use the equipment, but also how to interact with other users in the real and digital world. Project employee Oliver Ludwig is on hand to teach digital skills. He is also responsible for converting the van: the four laptops are each mounted on a small, customised table on wheels. Everything is designed so that nothing can slip while the bus is on the move. Of course, a power supply is needed for the PCs and also for the printer, and Ludwig has integrated charging stations for smartphones. Anyone wishing to take documents away with them is given a free USB stick. Ludwig cares deeply about the project and the people involved. On hot days, he provides bottles of water and muesli bars, kept in a small stash for emergencies. “In summer, our bus actually provides protection from the heat,” he says, smiling. If users need additional provisions, such as clothing, he refers them to relevant drop-in centres. The LogInBus team also consists of two other employees: Jana Tepper, project manager, and Hannah Gröner, project manager at the Street University, with which the LogInBus is affiliated. With its inclusive educational programme, open to all, the Street University sees itself as a bridge builder and knowledge mediator between people living in precarious circumstances and interested members of the public. The LoginBus not only acts as a mobile internet hotspot on certain days and at certain locations; the team also offers internet and digital technology events and courses through the Street University. There they teach the basics: How do I use the internet? How do I protect my data online? The aim is not only to provide immediate assistance, but also to make people more digitally literate and, where possible, more independent. However, the main focus is on the basic idea behind the bus: to offer a mobile outreach service, because it is often not possible for people living in poverty or disabled people to get to fixed locations if they cannot afford the fare or are unable to travel to a remote site. For this reason, the current LogInBus stops have been chosen deliberately so that they are easily accessible to the target group: central and public meeting points such as the St. Paul’s church in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, where there is also a food sharing point from which a hot meal is provided every Monday. The bus also makes regular stops at St Mary’s Church in Stuttgart. Harry’s Bude and other services for marginalised people, not far from the Paulinen bridge, reach people experiencing homelessness and addiction. The 21 Brückenstraße stop in Stuttgart-Bad-Cannstatt is home to a Caritas community psychiatric centre, the Femmetastisch day centre looks after women dealing with difficult life situations, and the Ostheim residential café is a multi-generational project. The project idea for a low-threshold digital participation programme came about as a result of increased enquiries from Street University clients: “During the project’s development, we worked closely with visitors to the Street University and the Vesper Church to find out what issues they are concerned with in the digital world,” Tepper said. The skill gaps that they help to address include internet research, writing emails and printing out a document. Staff also visited other institutions and drop-in centres to get the target group on board in advance and analyse their needs. They were also involved in the naming process. The project will supplement existing facilities, such as the Evangelical Society’s “Eva’s media room,” with whom the LogInBus team collaborates on a regular basis. As the overarching and long-term goal is to train and educate more people in digital skills, Neue Arbeit is dependent on volunteer support. There are also plans to offer one-toone learning tandems and possibly to Oliver Ludwig in front of the LogInBus. Photo by Adriane Dietrich expand the weekly programme. Volunteers do not need to be IT experts to impart basic knowledge and answer visitors’ most pressing questions; basic familiarity with digital technology is enough. The growing success of the LogInBus may also secure further funding for the project beyond January 2027, when the current funding from the Vector Foundation comes to an end. Translated from German via Translators Without Borders Courtesy of Trott-war / INSP.ngo 11 Did you know Washtenaw Literacy offers digital literacy tutoring every other week at the Groundcover News office? Sessions occur Mondays 10 a.m. - 12 p.m., the next two sessions are on January 12 and January 26.
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