21st Century Challenges

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Martha Lane Fox will be speaking at the Digital Divide event at the Royal Geographical Society, 1 December 2009. Book tickets now

The Digital Inclusion Task Force is headed up by Martha Lane Fox who accepted the role of Champion for the new Digital Inclusion Task Force in June 2009. Working with a team of experts from a range of related organisations, their aim is to create better education, health, governmental and social opportunities for the most socially excluded people in the UK.

Who is part of the Digital Inclusion Task Force?

The Task Force includes the following experts in digital and social policy from the public, private and third sector who will help create Martha Lane Fox’s strategy for Digital Inclusion.

Anna Bradley As chair of Ofcom’s independent Communications Consumer Panel, Anna champions consumers’ interests in today’s fast-changing communication sector. She has also worked at the Financial Services Authority and the National Consumer Council.  

Kevin Carey Kevin runs ATcare, a charity that consults on questions of access to digital inclusion, and is chairman of one of the UK’s biggest charities, the Royal National Institute of the Blind. He’s a keen advocate of how technology can advance social justice, including for those with disabilities.

Phil Coppard Phil, as chief executive of Barnsley Council, is behind one of the government’s flagship digital inclusion projects: training South Yorkshire citizens to work as digital outreach trainers to raise skillsets within their own community.   

Professor Jonathan Drori A former head of commissioning for BBC Online and head of digital media for BBC Education, Jonathan now runs the Changing Media consultancy, which advises government on digital content and inclusion.

Emma Gilthorpe Emma, as the director of  industry policy and regulation for BT, is responsible for framing the UK’s largest communications service provider’s public policy positions, including infrastructure investment (more relevant?).

Seetha Kumar As the BBC’s controller of Online, Seetha’s responsibilities include shaping the broadcaster’s strategy towards the roll-out of high-definition TV (something more relevant here?).

Catherine Marshall Catherine is chair of the Lighthouse Project, which runs five community centres in the Midlands: giving her first-hand experience of how technology can be used to tackle social problems.

Helen Milner Managing director of UK Online, which runs 6,000 centres to supply millions of people with access to computers and the internet on the behalf of the government. Helen has worked in the e-learning industry for more than 20 years.

Tristan Wilkinson As director for public sector in the UK for Intel, the world’s largest computer chip maker, Tristan is in charge of Intel’s expansion in education, healthcare and market. He has worked with governments across EMEA to develop digital inclusion initiatives, including the launch of the UK's Home Computing Initiative.

Tom Wright As chief executive of Age Concern and Help the Aged, Tom represents the needs and concerns of the largest proportion of digitally excluded people in the UK.

  Watch interview with Martha Lane Fox discussing her role as Digital Inclusion Champion (BBC)

Aims of the Digital Inclusion Task Force

Challenge the public sector, the private sector and industry, and the third sector to work together to help disadvantaged people benefit from new technologies of every type.

Raise the awareness of digital inclusion to the level of good public health. To reach out to individuals who are currently unaware of the opportunities available to help them embrace their lives and improve their life chances through technology

Key Challenges

• Make people aware of the importance of digital inclusion and its direct relevance to improving the quality of lives and life chances for all citizens:
• Reduce the number of people who lack skills, resources, or motivation to engage with digital technology – particularly older and socially excluded people, jobseekers, and deprived communities
• Ensure every child and young person gains ICT and digital participation skills by embedding the use of technology into school and community education curricula
• Build more responsive public services by using digital media – to support the design, delivery and personalisation of local government, central government and third sector services appropriate for the needs of the disadvantaged groups and communities
• Analyse the opportunities and risks for digitally excluded groups and communities arising from the increasingly digitally driven society and recommend actions
• Work with European targets and enable consistent international comparisons

Who will the Task Force help?

The government’s Digital Inclusion Task Force are aiming to target and benefit the 17 million people in the UK currently excluded from the benefits of digital technology. Particular focus is to be given to the estimated 13% of the general UK population (6 million people) who are both socially and digitally excluded.

10% most economically deprived – research by the government shows that there is a high correlation with social housing and lack of internet access.

Older people – to help address poverty, social isolation, health and enable them to live more independent lives in their community. Older groups are most likely to benefit from the take up of new technologies but many do not. Age Concern and Help the Aged and other third sector charities are involved in the Digital Inclusion Task Force

Socially excluded and minority groups – There are smaller groups for whom the sources of exclusion are multiple and serious – including factors like disability, learning difficulties, ethnic origin, location, culture or language. Both government and third sector networks are to be harnessed to deliver meaningful support to these groups. Other groups include offenders, people with mental health issues, those who are unemployed, early school leavers and those with literacy and numeracy skills needs.