Digital Inclusion

Digital inclusion refers to the concept of ensuring that all individuals and communities have access to and can effectively use digital technologies, such as the internet and digital devices, to participate in the digital world. It aims to bridge the digital divide and provide equal opportunities for everyone to benefit from the advantages and opportunities offered by digital technologies.

Digital inclusion ideals include:

• Connectivity: It involves providing affordable and reliable internet access to all individuals, regardless of their socioeconomic background or geographic location. This includes addressing issues of infrastructure, broadband availability, and affordability to ensure widespread access to the internet.
• Digital Skills and Literacy: Digital inclusion also emphasizes the importance of equipping individuals with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively navigate and utilize digital technologies. This involves promoting digital literacy, providing training programs, and empowering people to use digital tools for various purposes, such as communication, accessing information, and online services.
• Accessibility: Ensuring digital inclusion requires addressing barriers that may prevent certain individuals, such as those with disabilities, from accessing and using digital technologies. This includes implementing accessible design principles, providing assistive technologies, and ensuring compatibility with a wide range of devices and platforms.
• Content and Services: Digital inclusion involves promoting the creation and availability of relevant and culturally appropriate digital content and services. This ensures that individuals can find information, engage in online activities, and access digital resources that meet their needs and interests.
• Digital Citizenship and Safety: Digital inclusion also emphasizes the importance of promoting responsible and safe use of digital technologies. This involves educating individuals about online privacy, cybersecurity, digital rights, and ethical behavior in the digital space.

By promoting digital inclusion, societies can unlock the potential of technology to drive economic growth, enhance educational opportunities, improve access to healthcare and government services, and foster social inclusion. It recognizes that digital technologies have become essential tools for communication, information sharing, learning, and participation in modern society, and aims to ensure that no one is left behind in the digital era.

Digital inclusion charter

Many groups and organizations are adopting digital inclusion charters, which help guide the goals and steps that are involved in digital inclusion.

for example, the Digital Inclusion Charter by Digital Communities for organisations in Wales, has these charter pledges:

1. We ensure that all our staff and volunteers have an opportunity to develop basic digital skills, and that they take advantage of this opportunity.
2. We ensure that digital inclusion principles are embedded into our day-to-day activities and we support the role digital tools have in managing health and wellbeing.
3. We encourage and support our staff and volunteers to help other people to get online and have the confidence to develop basic digital skills, and help other organisations to embrace digital tools.
4. We commit support and resources for digital inclusion activities and initiatives in Wales in whatever ways we can, to ensure every citizen can engage digitally (if they choose).
5. We share best practice and activity around digital inclusion with the Digital Communities Wales – Digital Confidence, Health and Well-being programme so that our activities are co-ordinated for maximum impact and measured consistently.
6. We look to build local partnerships amongst organisations which want to share ideas and co-ordinate activities with others in their area.

Digital inclusion with BoldContacts

BoldContacts makes it easier for people to use their own iPhones and iPads to connect with friends, family, and carers, via phone calls and video calls.

We created BoldContacts because we saw that the existing digital solutions didn't work well for people who have vision/cognitive/motor impairments, such as eyesight issues, dementia issues, or tremor issues.

• These impairments make it harder, or impossible, for some people to use their phones and tablets to view their contacts and connect with them.
• People with severe impairments lose their ability to use their default contacts app, because the fonts are too small to read, the buttons are too small to tap, and the user interface is too confusing to understand.

We developed BoldContacts with big bold fonts, big bold buttons, and a simple user interface.

• The big bold simple interface helps enable more people to use their iPhones and iPads, and make more connections with people.
• This kind of digital inclusion is especially good because it can also help with caregiving, telemedicine, exercise, and community.