Addressing the Digital Divide

What is the ‘Digital Divide’ and why is it important? 

Context for Communities: Addressing the Digital Divide

The Problem• In less than 10 years, the world wide web has revolutionised

information provision and commerce. 

• In a few minutes it is possible to search and find information on

almost any subject, access documents stored at the other side of the world, book a holiday, use financial services or order food from the supermarket for delivery to your home. 

Context for Communities: Addressing the Digital Divide

The Problem• This is very useful for those who can access it.  Those who

cannot, because of lack of money, education, PCs, and credit cards will become increasingly excluded from the rest of society. 

• Those who have home Internet access are predominately in the more affluent sections of society. For example, professional households are over three times more likely to have Internet access than those of unskilled manual workers.

Context for Communities: Addressing the Digital Divide

The Problem• It has been estimated that some 13 million people in Britain

today have little or no IT skills, and that soon 90 per cent of jobs in the UK will require direct interaction with IT.

• Those who live in areas of multiple deprivation are most likely not to have either IT skills nor Internet access.  Others likely not to have access include elderly people and members of ethnic minority communities.

Context for Communities: Addressing the Digital Divide

The Problem• As well as being excluded from many jobs, those without IT

skills and access to the Internet will find themselves increasingly excluded from many other services as more and more businesses and services go online. 

• Already deprived communities are finding that their local branches are being closed down as the banks increasingly concentrate on online services which can cost a tenth of the cost of traditional services to operate.

Context for Communities: Addressing the Digital Divide

The Problem• Supermarkets are moving to ever bigger, and cheaper, out-of-

town sites and launching online delivery services.  This is leading to the closure of smaller, less profitable, stores and the sidelining of local communities. 

• Those who do not have transport or Internet access are having to rely on small local shops (if any have survived the competition of the supermarkets), which often have higher prices, less choice and poorer quality of fresh goods. 

Context for Communities: Addressing the Digital Divide

The Problem• The move towards Internet access through television sets and

mobile phones will increase access, but the cost is still likely to be beyond the reach of many and also purchases online can usually only be made by credit card, which many people are unable to obtain because of lack of income.

Context for Communities: Addressing the Digital Divide

BECTA Survey

A BECTA survey found that:• people in class D/E are less likely to have ever used a computer

or the Internet • 25 per cent have access to a computer at home compared with

44 per cent of all adults • 2 per cent have access to the Internet at home compared with

14 per cent of all adults • 9 per cent used the Internet in the last 12

months, compared to 43 per cent in the AB group.

Context for Communities: Addressing the Digital Divide

BECTA Survey

BECTA noted that:• many people in these categories are unemployed and therefore

do not receive the practical ICT training that many obtain through work

• some may have had unpleasant educational experiences and are not attracted to anything that resembles formal training or that takes place in a formal environment.

Context for Communities: Addressing the Digital Divide

BECTA Survey

BECTA noted that:• there is a higher proportion of people with disabilities or long

term health problems • some deprived areas have high proportions of black and ethnic

minority groups. These may require special language facilities if English is not their first language

• women are generally less likely than men to be interested in ICT. This may be exacerbated by cultural background.

Context for Communities: Addressing the Digital Divide

Addressing the Digital Divide

The Internet can be of particular benefit to people with disabilities and people who live in rural communities, but only if they can afford to access them.

Context for Communities: Addressing the Digital Divide

Closing the Digital Divide

BECTA noted that:• special arrangements to provide childcare, home outreach and

women-only groups may be necessary • children with no access to computers and the Internet at home

or in the community may find it difficult to keep up at school • most keyboards are based on English letters and cannot be

used if the language uses other characters.

Context for Communities: Addressing the Digital Divide

Closing the Digital DivideBECTA noted that:• many computer programs use English instructions • much of the information on the Internet is in English • computer literacy can be important for adults

re-entering the labour market.

Context for Communities: Addressing the Digital Divide

The ProblemIn this section, we will look at how some community groups are working to address the problem of the ‘digital divide’ and how the methods they have developed can be applied to other community groups.