BaNES Digital Divide Collective

We want the South-West to be a leading area in the UK for #techforgood, a story of technology which is one that empowers, includes and bridges the gap.We are committed to harnessing the transformative power of technology to address pressing societal challenges.  From addressing digital poverty, mental health & well-being and environmental impacts, to ethical implications of emerging technologies, accessibility and digital skills.

Tech4Good South West

Next open meetup for anyone interested in looking at ways to address digital poverty and inclusion in Bath.

Mayden offices

A number of organisations in Bath have come together to collectively look at addressing digital poverty in Bath, with a working title of the &quot;Bath Digital Divide Collective&quot;.We designed a number of events during the Bath Digital Festival in July this year to understand and raise awareness of digital poverty in Bath. Several events focused on addressing the digital divide in Bath, from mapping the challenge to prototyping solutions and advocating for action. Find out more at <a href="https://techforgoodsw.org.uk/digital-divide" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">https://techforgoodsw.org.uk/digital-divide</a>. We have since been focused on how we might <ul><li>fund a role to lead digital inclusion work on behalf of the collective, an create a digital inclusion network in BaNES</li><li>support frontline digital inclusion staff based in charities across the city</li><li>b﻿ring together more community safe spaces </li></ul>This is an open invite to anyone interested in any aspect of digital poverty and inclusion in Bath and North East Somerset.

<h3>Digital Poverty</h3>You’re far less likely to have access to the online world if you’re living on a low income. In fact, the lower your income the less likely it is. That means – increasingly so – not having access to the fundamentals of life. From social security, to healthcare, education and training, to finding work and applying for jobs – critical services are more and more online.So digital inclusion is no longer something that’s ‘nice to have’ – it’s an essential. And being cut off from digital isn’t just an inconvenience – it compounds and exacerbates poverty. That’s no longer something we can ignore if we’re interested in a just society. (<a href="https://digitalpovertyalliance.org/about-us/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Digital Poverty Alliance</a> (DPA)).In May 2023 the DPA launched the <a href="https://digitalpovertyalliance.org/uk-national-delivery-plan-2023/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">National Delivery Plan</a>, which “outlines an initial roadmap for ending digital poverty by 2030”.Mission Six of that plan is “Increase local capacity to provide joined-up digital inclusion support to individuals and communities”; while we now have a national plan that aims to fix this issue in our society, it is on us locally in the tech sector to step up and play a part in acting on and delivering the outcomes of that plan.<h3>T﻿he situation in Bath</h3>Bath is included in the affectionately coined “Silicon Gorge” (Wikipedia, 2019) which describes our region’s high density of technology expertise and innovation. Bath and North East Somerset Council (BANES) is ranked in the 2019 Indices of Deprivation as one of the 20% most affluent areas in the country (BANES, 2022). However this average measure disguises the fact that Whiteway and Twerton West are among the 10% most deprived areas in England. In Twerton, 35% of children live in poverty (BANES, 2019) and the cost of living crisis is expected to result in 4,000 more people in BANES entering poverty in 2023 (BANES, 2022). 52% of people surveyed in BANES complained about their broadband connection (BANES, 2022). As employment requires more digital skills, and access to key services moves towards digitisation, these statistics indicate a significant likelihood of persistent exclusion for many of Bath’s citizens.

BaNES Digital Divide Collective

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BaNES Digital Divide Collective

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