Digital inclusion elsewhere
Like Communities @One, digital inclusion initiatives aim to help people get access to new technologies and improve their skills. There are different approaches and funders.
The Social Exclusion Unit of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister produced research on how on digital inclusion can help citizens.
Digital Challenge
The Digital Challenge encouraged communities in England to bid for funding to become digital communities. After 79 bids, 10 finalists were chosen (called the DC10), the winning bid was Sunderland.
The project’s website collects good practice examples and is run by the Challenge & Innovation Team, Department for Communities and Local Government.
UKOnline Centres
UKOnline Centres are centres across the UK where people can go to get access to computers, as well as help and advice on using them. There are over 6000 centres, ranging from libraries to mobile units.
Citizens Online
Citizens Online is a UK charity researching and addressing the issues of universal internet access and promoting digital inclusion. They aim "to make the benefits of digital technologies easy to access and usable by all.” Citizens Online advised at the inception of Communities @One and are members of our Advisory panel.
They also run Everybody Online, a programme helping the most disadvantaged communities get access to technology, and the Alliance for Digital Inclusion, a group of industry partners who aim to help bridge the digital divide.
The ICT hub
The ICT hub provides technical support to community and voluntary groups and its website the knowledgebase has many ICT guides.
Digital Unite
Digital Unite previously known as hairnet, provide specialist help for organisations tackling the digital divide and organises the annual silver surfers day in May.
The Scottish Executive launched a digital inclusion strategy called ‘Connecting Scotland’s People’ to tackle the digital divide in 2001. The Scottish Digital Alliance was set up in December 2005 and has representatives from public, private and voluntary sectors. It co–ordinates and contributes to a range of digital inclusion initiatives and collects best practice.
The Executive is working with the Scottish University for Industry (SufI) to build networks and facilitate sharing and support.
The Digital Inclusion Unit of the Northern Ireland Executive aims to facilitate a digitally inclusive society. The unit is led by the Department of Finance and Personnel. It aims to increase access to low cost, convenient computing and internet technology and increase skills. The unit works with a steering group and Everybody Online to deliver 6 projects to the elderly, disabled and unemployed. It is also running a broadband awareness campaign.
EU
Digital inclusion is on the agenda at European level. There was a conference discussing initiatives in 2006 in Riga, Latvia and a follow up will take place in 2008 in Lisbon, Portugal. This will feed into the i2010 info-age strategy.
i2010 is the European Commission´s strategic policy framework laying out broad policy guidelines for the information society and the media in the years up to 2010. It promotes an open and competitive digital economy, research into information and communication technologies, as well as their application to improve social inclusion, public services and quality of life.
€1bn will be invested in research on information and communications technologies (ICT) targeted at improving the life of older people – aimed at allowing older Europeans to stay active for longer and live independently.
Other work in Wales
Canllaw Online
Canllaw Online run the Credu project providing digi-labs for young people.
There are many other initiatives running digital inclusion projects, look at our links pages.
England
The Social Exclusion Unit of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister produced research on how on digital inclusion can help citizens.
Digital Challenge
The Digital Challenge encouraged communities in England to bid for funding to become digital communities. After 79 bids, 10 finalists were chosen (called the DC10), the winning bid was Sunderland.
The project’s website collects good practice examples and is run by the Challenge & Innovation Team, Department for Communities and Local Government.
UKOnline Centres
UKOnline Centres are centres across the UK where people can go to get access to computers, as well as help and advice on using them. There are over 6000 centres, ranging from libraries to mobile units.
Citizens Online
Citizens Online is a UK charity researching and addressing the issues of universal internet access and promoting digital inclusion. They aim "to make the benefits of digital technologies easy to access and usable by all.” Citizens Online advised at the inception of Communities @One and are members of our Advisory panel.
They also run Everybody Online, a programme helping the most disadvantaged communities get access to technology, and the Alliance for Digital Inclusion, a group of industry partners who aim to help bridge the digital divide.
The ICT hub
The ICT hub provides technical support to community and voluntary groups and its website the knowledgebase has many ICT guides.
Digital Unite
Digital Unite previously known as hairnet, provide specialist help for organisations tackling the digital divide and organises the annual silver surfers day in May.
Scotland
The Scottish Executive launched a digital inclusion strategy called ‘Connecting Scotland’s People’ to tackle the digital divide in 2001. The Scottish Digital Alliance was set up in December 2005 and has representatives from public, private and voluntary sectors. It co–ordinates and contributes to a range of digital inclusion initiatives and collects best practice.
The Executive is working with the Scottish University for Industry (SufI) to build networks and facilitate sharing and support.
Northern Ireland
The Digital Inclusion Unit of the Northern Ireland Executive aims to facilitate a digitally inclusive society. The unit is led by the Department of Finance and Personnel. It aims to increase access to low cost, convenient computing and internet technology and increase skills. The unit works with a steering group and Everybody Online to deliver 6 projects to the elderly, disabled and unemployed. It is also running a broadband awareness campaign.
EU
Digital inclusion is on the agenda at European level. There was a conference discussing initiatives in 2006 in Riga, Latvia and a follow up will take place in 2008 in Lisbon, Portugal. This will feed into the i2010 info-age strategy.
i2010 is the European Commission´s strategic policy framework laying out broad policy guidelines for the information society and the media in the years up to 2010. It promotes an open and competitive digital economy, research into information and communication technologies, as well as their application to improve social inclusion, public services and quality of life.
€1bn will be invested in research on information and communications technologies (ICT) targeted at improving the life of older people – aimed at allowing older Europeans to stay active for longer and live independently.
Other work in Wales
Canllaw Online
Canllaw Online run the Credu project providing digi-labs for young people.
There are many other initiatives running digital inclusion projects, look at our links pages.
Wales Co-operative Centre, Llandaff Court, Fairwater Road, Cardiff, CF5 2XP
Increase text size