You can find links to useful research, reading and resources for digital inclusion projects here.
Our research
Through our research, we have developed a broad understanding of the many issues surrounding digital inclusion, and in-depth analysis of how this issue should be tackled and how progress can be measured. Some of our most published reports include:
- COVID-19 and the digital divide: Supporting digital inclusion and skills during the pandemic and beyond (research report produced for the Centre for Ageing Better, 2021)
- The Case for a Systemic Approach to Digital Skills (pdf, 2014) – which covers our perspective on the relevance of digital inclusion to employability skills
- Digital Accessibility: a brief landscaping (pdf, 2015) – summarising the state of play regarding digital accessibility, looking at trends in demographics and technology; the policy and standards landscape; and the case for digital accessibility for businesses and other organisations
- Get IT Together: a longitudinal study (pdf, 2014) – research evaluating the impact of digital skills over the longer term, including employment outcomes.
Webinars
Scroll down for recordings from webinars focused on providing remote digital skills support during the novel coronavirus pandemic. Please subscribe to the Citizens Online YouTube channel to be alerted when we add a new video.
July 2021 Research launch – Digital Skills to Connect
We shared findings from research we’ve conducted into the impact of the pandemic on internet use by people aged 50-70 and the digital support organisations have provided.
We launched the Digital Skills to Connect report and discussed our findings in conversation with the Centre for Ageing Better, Age UK, and Ageless Thanet. You can read the report in full. A recording of the event is available below, including questions.
January 2021 Starting a Digital Champion project
We shared what we have learned around role description, marketing channels and what has worked – and hasn’t worked – for us. The 45 minute recording includes questions and discussion.
December 2020 Running tablet loan schemes 101
Watch our 50-minute video call covering aspects from planning and set up, to helping learners get the most from new devices. The recording includes questions and discussion.
October 2020 One Digital – what did we learn?
Citizens Online was a lead collaborative partner in the “One Digital” UK-wide digital inclusion programme (2015-2020). We worked in partnership with Age UK, Clarion Futures, Digital Unite and the Scottish Council of Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) on Digital Champion approaches to the problem of digital exclusion. In this webinar, we shared some of what we learned, how we approached the task of monitoring and evaluating the Effectiveness, Scalability & Sustainability of our work, and what we achieved and discovered. Read our full One Digital evaluation.
Other organisations, websites and resources
Digital Poverty Alliance
Citizens Online are a member of the Digital Poverty Alliance, to build collective action around digital poverty.
One Digital
One Digital was a UK-wide digital inclusion programme developed by a collaborative partnership between Age UK, Citizens Online, Clarion Futures (part of Clarion Housing Group), Digital Unite and Scottish Council of Voluntary Organisations (SCVO). The One Digital website contains useful resources on the project which ran between 2015 – 2020, including a Knowledge Hub useful for any organisations starting digital inclusion projects.
Learn My Way
Good Things Foundation produced Learn My Way, offering free courses for anyone to build digital skills and get connected.
Digital Unite
Digital Unite support Digital Champions by providing online training and networks including the Digital Champions Network.