Earlier this month, Get Online Week gave a clear reminder of the continuing need to bridge the digital divide in the UK. In a nationwide digital inclusion campaign run by the Good Things Foundation, 570 organisations came together for the week to provide over 1,000 events aimed at those who are struggling with using the internet. Altnets supported the campaign in full. We know that in this day and age, it has become essential that everyone across the UK can access the internet from home. This unlocks opportunities like working from home, accessing job applications (90% of vacancies are only advertised online[1]), and unlocking vital services, like booking GP appointments or banking online.
The Good Things Foundation is a national network for digital inclusion, seeking a commitment from Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and other organisations to reach out and provide equal, capable, and safer conditions online for all. The Foundation aims to help people thrive in the digital world, hence it has organised Get Online Week, the biggest and longest-running digital inclusion initiative in the UK.
During Get Online Week, communities across the country hosted activities such as Tech Tea Parties and 1-to-1 computer learning sessions, providing general and personal support to help people build their digital skills. All these activities were aimed at bridging the digital divide for those who may feel isolated in an increasingly online world.
In Brighton and Hove, one noteworthy event was conducted by Conversation Over Borders, a charity which offers one-on-one online befriending, English classes, mental health support, and digital access for individuals who have entered the UK to flee war and persecution. The workshop taught participants about getting online, getting on Google Meet, where to find the charity’s resources, and providing a SIM card distribution spot – all served up alongside some tea and cake.
The Hangleton & Knoll Project, a charity that supports community groups and works with local residents to establish new groups as required, also supported Get Online Week. They hold free and welcoming computer drop-ins every Wednesday in Hove, helping people learn how to use a computer to access the internet, use email, and Microsoft Office, and search for jobs.
As part of the Good Things Foundation’s Get Online Week, some of our team at Altnets joined their #ConnectIn5 challenge to help raise awareness and funds for bridging the digital divide. The challenge invites participants to donate £5 and take five minutes to share five ways the internet impacts their daily lives on social media to promote the Foundation’s mission to make digital skills accessible.
Our Marketing Executive, Paola, took up the challenge and gave her views on the five reasons the internet is essential in her day-to-day life. She shared her appreciation of working from home, managing her finances online, maintaining her visa in the UK, keeping in touch with family and friends back home, and booking any classes or dance sessions which provide her with some much-needed balance.
We at Altnets are strong advocates of digital inclusion initiatives such as Get Online Week. Our mission aligns closely with those of the Good Things Foundation to increase public awareness of the need to close the digital divide. We have set ourselves the goal of making high-speed fibre broadband accessible to everyone in the UK, regardless of where they live. But we recognise that giving people access to connectivity is only ever going to be a part of the overall solution. As well as the infrastructure, we need to ensure that everyone also has access to digital technology and has the requisite skills needed to access essential online services. Altnets will continue to campaign to give more people the tools and knowledge to not be left behind in the digital age.
Together, we can create a future where everyone has the opportunity to access and understand the benefits of the digital world. Continued promotion of digital inclusion, and community outreach are all steps in the right direction.
For more information on the Good Things Foundation and what Get Online Week is all about, visit their website here.
[1] https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/170/communications-and-digital-committee/news/196028/the-government-has-no-credible-strategy-to-tackle-digital-exclusion/#:~:text=Already%2090%25%20of%20jobs%20are,inclusion%20is%20a%20moving%20target.
