Digital Inclusion Strategy: helping everyone to get online
14 Apr 2014 02:34 PM
We have launched a strategy and a Digital
Inclusion Charter to help more people get
online.
Today we are launching a Digital Inclusion
Strategy that aims to reduce the number of people who are offline by
25% by 2016.
As
part of this, we have also launched a new Digital Inclusion Charter. The
charter brings together 40 organisations from all sectors who are committed to
reducing the number of people who are offline by 25% by 2016, and a further 25%
every 2 years after that.
Read the Government Digital
Inclusion Strategy and sign up to theUK Digital Inclusion Charter.
The
internet has transformed almost every aspect of public, private and work life.
It underpins our economy, changing the way every workplace communicates. It is
reshaping government through simpler, clearer, faster public
services.
But
BBC research found that 21% of people lack the basic digital skills they need
to benefit from the internet. Lloyds Bank revealed, in its UK Business Digital
Index, that half of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary and
community social enterprise organisations (VCSEs) do not have a
website.
This is why we are launching a strategy which aims
to get 2.7 million more people online in the next 2
years.
Minister for Civil Society Nick Hurd
said:
As
Sir Tim Berners-Lee reminded us in the London Olympics Opening Ceremony, the
internet is for everyone. We do not want people to feel excluded, our mission
is to make Britain the most digitally capable country in the world. A more
digitally-skilled nation will help us to boost our economy and strengthen
communities.
This new partnership is about making it easier for
people to build their digital skills and confidence, with the aim of reducing
the number of people offline, so that by 2020 everyone who can be online, will
be.
Digital Inclusion Strategy
We
produced the strategy through working with partners from across the public,
private, and voluntary sectors.
The
strategy includes a national support programme that will bring together funding
for digital skills projects. This will open the market for new providers to get
involved.
Digital Inclusion Charter
We
and our partners will urge businesses to expand their role in tackling digital
exclusion. For example:
- Asda will launch a national programme of free
face-to-face advice sessions on going online in 60 stores with The Tinder
Foundation
- EE will launch a National Techy Tea Party Day in
all its UK stores, contact centres and offices on 9 September, providing
support for those seeking help with their digital skills
Working with Go
ON’s national programme and digitalskills.com, we will also
help SMEs and VCSEs improve their digital capabilities
through with events and masterclasses. Lloyds Bank’s new UK Business
Digital Index will help SMEs and VCSEs to measure and grow
their digital skills.