What is it?

A guide to developing a digital inclusion strategy for councils that is outcomes driven and needs focused. It is action oriented and includes key steps digital inclusion practitioners can follow when developing a digital inclusion approach for their borough.

It does not cover or provide the rationale for having such a strategy in the first place. Reports from Good Things Foundation, Promising Trouble and others have extensively covered the links between digital exclusion, poor health, unemployment, poverty and other life chances outcomes.

We’ve also created a workshop pack with templates and activities you can use to run workshops or guide conversation, as part of the strategy design process.

Why did we create it?

Digital exclusion is an ongoing issue in our city which impacts the health and wellbeing of our residents as well as access to vital services like housing, social care, benefits etc. Boroughs, public as well as private sector organisations have trialled numerous initiatives in the past and learned from their experiences in delivering support during the pandemic. This document brings together the key lessons learned from these initiatives as well as LOTI’s own work.

Who should use it?

This guide is primarily designed to support borough officers tasked with developing digital inclusion strategies and programmes. It may also aid boroughs’ partners either working in or interested in digital inclusion support for the people they support.