Voting takes place today in the UK general election. If all the polling is to be believed, we will see a new government by tomorrow. Now is the time to keep pushing digital inclusion up the agenda. As policies and priorities for government are set, digital inclusion must be considered and included across the board. It is vital right now that voices be heard pushing for a strategy to address digital inclusion in a much more joined-up and meaningful way than we have seen hitherto.
With an ever-increasing move to digital, a lack of digital access impacts people negatively in more and more ways. Digital exclusion perpetuates and deepens poverty, makes access to services and healthcare more difficult, prevents easy communication, impacting people’s mental health…. the list goes on. There has been plenty of research done to show how spending to improve digital inclusion makes sound financial sense. People in poverty, with poor access to healthcare inevitably cost more to the taxpayer than those who have had the opportunities that digital inclusion brings to help them access employment and services, and have the chance to thrive. A skilled workforce helps our economy to prosper.
All facets of digital inclusion need to be addressed – access to digital devices, data/connectivity and skills to engage effectively with digital. At Sustainable Tech 4 Good, our focus is working with business to get devices into the hands of people who need them most, and we are very grateful to all our business partners who make our work possible. There is a lot that can be done by the private sector, but government needs to set an agenda and put frameworks in place to enable digital inclusion to spread out to the benefit of all.
Let’s make our voices heard to ensure that digital inclusion is a top priority for the incoming government.
https://techresort.org/digital-inclusion-and-the-general-election/
Team – SustainableTech4Good.co.uk