Digital Inclusion

Digital Inclusion

Supporting People to Discover the Benefits of Being Online
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What is Digital Inclusion?

Although we are living in an increasingly digital world, not everyone has the choice and opportunity to use the internet in their everyday life. People accessing social care support – including older people, people with physical and cognitive disabilities, and those living with long-term mental health conditions – are significantly more likely to be digitally excluded. This digital exclusion supercharges existing inequalities these groups face with serious consequences for social connection, health and wellbeing, and socioeconomic opportunity.

two individuals, one using a wheelchair, are looking at a laptop together. The setting appears to be a home or office, with a landscape painting in the background.
Two individuals, one using a wheelchair, are looking at a laptop together. The setting appears to be a home or office, with a landscape painting in the background.
Person sitting at a table with an iPad displaying a video call screen, in a room with a framed picture and a lamp.
Person holding a tablet in front of their face

Digital Inclusion is the process of working with people and communities to ensure they can get online in a way that works for them. This can involve supporting someone to understand the personal benefit of getting online, helping them to find a device and connectivity option that is right for them, and assisting them to build the digital skills and confidence they need to meet their needs and achieve their goals online.

Digital Inclusion at Carr Gomm

In February 2021, we launched our Digital Inclusion Development Project (DIDP) to learn more about the digital needs of people we support and our frontline staff to ensure everyone has the choice and opportunity to get online in a safe and meaningful way. During a two-year research phase, Shannon McNee (Digital Inclusion Development Manager) utilised action research methodologies to work alongside frontline services to design and deliver their own bespoke approaches to providing digital inclusion support. A total of 18 services took part in this research, reaching over 100 people we support. Each service approached digital inclusion in their own creative way, including:

    • Upskilling people we support to take their hobbies and interests to the next level, like learning how to DJ
    • Supporting people to continue their education and career development online
    • Supporting people to host online social events, like sing-alongs and cooking nights
    • Designing digitally enhanced support plans to ensure people have an active voice in the support they receive

Throughout this process, we have seen the significant impact that being digitally connected can have on the lives of people we support through increased opportunities for connection, choice, and control.

Now, DIDP is focused on rolling out digital inclusion across our community by focusing on four key pillars:

 

  • Supporting Staff Digital Skills & Confidence
  • Digital as a Tool
  • Access to Devices and Connectivity
  • Co-designing Safe, Impactful Online Spaces

Our Pillars

Supporting Staff Digital Skills & Confidence
Without digitally skilled and confident Support Practitioners, many people we support would not have the opportunity to get online. In 2024, we launched our Digital Skills & Inclusion Hub to support frontline staff to strengthen their own digital skills and feel confident supporting people to get online.
Digital as a Tool
Our research has highlighted that the existing, trusted support relationship is the ideal context for digitally excluded people to find their digital motivation and develop their skills and confidence. We support frontline staff to see digital devices and the internet as tools in their practice  – rather than sitting separately from the core support they provide. Through using their skills and experience in good, outcomes focused conversations, Support Practitioners can creatively develop ways that digital can be used as a means of supporting someone to meet their needs and achieve their dreams and goals.
Access to Devices and Connectivity
If cost is a barrier to a person we support becoming digitally included, frontline staff can submit a request for a suitable device and 12 months of unlimited connectivity through our staff innovation programme, Futures.
Co-designing Safe, Impactful Online Spaces
We are currently working with people we support, frontline staff, and software developers to create Open Minds; our new safe online space for people we support to connect with others, look after their wellbeing, and learn new things.
Two elderly individuals sitting closely on a sofa, looking at a tablet together. The room is decorated with books and traditional ornaments, including a display of blue and white ceramic plates.

 

 

Digital access is no longer a ‘nice-to-have’ or luxury utility.

Digital inclusion is a fundamental human right.

Two weeks ago, it was my very first time getting in touch to speak to my psychologist online […] I thought, ‘I’ve been shown how to do this about ten times, I should know how to do it’…and I done it. I felt brilliant. I got onto the call, I was like ‘YES! I done it!’ […] It was a BIG achievement for me. It will give me a wee bit of control over my own life. That’s what it’s all about, control. You can do stuff for yourself, stuff you don’t need other people to do, if you can help it.

Person We Support

Midlothian

“So many people we support would not have the choice and opportunity to get online if it wasn’t for person-centred support to build their digital confidence. Some people will always require this support. Crucially, frontline Support Practitioners are already in the lives of thousands of people each day who face digital exclusion; and so embedding digital inclusion alongside the support we already provide is an amazing opportunity to reach those who are most at risk.”
Shannon McNee

Digital Inclusion Development Manager

“The four people we support now have their own email addresses. It brings me out in shivers. That’s something we take for granted in this day and age. One of the ladies we support, I used to email her mum every Monday but now whoever is supporting her can do that alongside her. Her mum will send pictures of the dog or her nieces and nephews – it’s amazing!”

Service Manager

Service Manager, Forth Valley

Digital Inclusion Support Stories

Highlights from across our community, showing digital inclusion in action.

 
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Learn more about our ongoing digital inclusion journey  on our blog.

Coming Home: Rian’s Inspiring Story

Coming Home: Rian’s Inspiring Story

by | Apr 4, 2024 | ,

Coming Home: Rian's Story   Rian is a young man from Edinburgh who has Autism and has always been described by doctors as ‘complex’. Before being supported by Carr Gomm, Rian’s social workers and psychiatrist predicted that the best Rian could hope for was a life...

Carr Gomm
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