16 October 2024

Empowering rural communities: bridging the gap in the digital divide

Evie Tait

Content Creator Apprentice

Evie Tait

Content Creator Apprentice

Highlighting the divide

With the growing shift toward online services, everyday tasks such as shopping, booking doctor appointments, and completing homework can now be done with just a click, writes Evie Tait, Content Creator Apprentice. This morning, for example, I began by browsing social media, checked the bus tracker app, and then logged in to work. Much of my daily routine relies on reliable broadband connectivity, highlighting how challenging life would be without it. It’s no surprise, then, that the digital divide remains a significant issue.

... yet rural communities continue to face barriers to making the most of digital

While many of us benefit from these technologies, a considerable portion of the UK population still faces challenges in accessing the internet and digital devices. This is especially true in rural areas, where rates of digital exclusion are significantly higher than in urban areas. For individuals and communities, digital poverty creates barriers to education, employment, and essential services. It also limits productivity and businesses' ability to grow and thrive.

Since joining the NICRE team, I’ve gained valuable insight into the realities of digital poverty in rural communities through conversations with people about their lived experiences, attending conferences, and learning from other organisations. Some of the most striking facts and figures I’ve come across include:

Working together to champion rural digital inclusion in Northumberland

The Rural Digital Inclusion project aims to build digital skills, confidence and engagement across rural communities in Northumberland. It is supported by Commsworld to work alongside the installation of full-fibre broadband across the county. My role on the project is to work across the three project partner organisations, NICRE, Community Action Northumberland (CAN) and iNorthumberland to develop content that engages people with the project and the wider work of the three organisations.

As part of the Good Things Foundation’s "Get Online Week" (14-20 October), we will launch a call for volunteer Digital Champions who can support people in their community to make the most of digital tools and technologies. Digital Champions don’t need to have extensive technical expertise or advanced digital skills. What matters most is their willingness to dedicate time, energy, and patience to help others learn.

My role in the project

My primary focus in this project, and the reason for my role, is to highlight the challenges faced as a result of digital poverty and to engage communities, businesses and service providers to find solutions that work for their area. I will create a variety of media across multiple platforms to reach different audiences. We want to demonstrate the difference that being able to get online can make to people's lives, and share ideas and examples about how we can help everyone make the most of digital tools and technologies. These stories will be shared through various media channels to raise awareness and inspire action.

If you have a story about digital inclusion that you would be happy to share, please get in touch:

evie.tait@newcastle.ac.uk.

Related items

Loading...