Digital inclusion convening

To help charities be better equipped to respond to digital exclusion  across the sector, through the sharing of good practice, peer support and signposting to useful resources and solutions. 

Digital exclusion affects millions of people across the UK who are being left behind because they can’t get online. The Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated the problem and highlighted the need for everyone to be able to get online and access essential services.

Charities are all too aware that the people they support need, now more than ever, to be able to get online to access virtual support. Over the past year, many charities have pivoted their delivery models to ensure they can continue to provide essential services through remote channels. This rapid shift to digital services has brought to the fore many challenges: access to digital devices, access to wifi/data, digital confidence and skills of staff, volunteers and beneficiaries. As a result, charities need to be able to respond to digitally excluded beneficiaries’ needs, through leveraging local partnerships, as well as through access to the range of brilliant support and resources available in local communities.

As a charity wanting to respond to digitally excluded beneficiaries' needs, I need to:
- find out what other charities are doing to respond to similar needs
- access resources which can help me respond to similar needs 
- access to funding programmes which will help me respond to these needs