WIREDGOV

During the next six years the Assembly Government will spend nearly £20 million including European Regional Development Fund monies, on a new digital inclusion programme to provide community groups, social enterprises and individuals with support to use technologies.

The Welsh Assembly Government will also establish a Digital Inclusion Unit, which will take forward policy development, and will co-ordinate and mainstream digital inclusion activity, as well as oversee the delivery of the programme, named Communities 2.0.
 
On the day that Cardiff hosts a British Irish Council where one of the topics under discussion is digital inclusion Mr Andrews said that the Communities 2.0 programme will build on the Welsh Assembly Government’s highly successful Communities @One initiative.

The Deputy Minister said that the new initiative would drive forward the Assembly Government’s efforts to bridge the digital divide by helping people in the most disadvantaged areas of Wales engage with new technology in ways that are directly relevant to their lives.

Mr Andrews said:

Our new  programme will enable the Assembly Government to build on our strong record of success which has been praised across Europe. During the next six years, we will develop a more co-ordinated approach to digital inclusion across the Government and will continue to work with community groups and voluntary organisations to help them engage with technologies. We will also help new and existing social enterprise to engage with ICT by providing training, mentoring and business support.

This new initiative is the successor to Communities @One, which has supported more than 200 community groups and voluntary organisations in Communities First areas since its launch in 2006. This ground breaking venture has been commended for its success in reaching people and has gained European recognition as an innovative project that is ahead of its time.

Related Links

http://wales.gov.uk/topics/housingandcommunity/regeneration/communitiesatone/?lang=en