A social media surgery in Yardley helps develop digital skills
This was first published on the fairbrum blog:
“There are still 7 million people in the UK who have never been online and 11 million who don’t have the skills to get any benefit from the internet.
The main determinant of digital exclusion is age, but other significant factors – often combined with low income – include disability, learning difficulties, ethnic origin, location, culture and language.
There is a clear correlation between digital and social exclusion. This means that those already at a disadvantage are the least likely to be making use of the internet and are, in turn, further disadvantaged by not using it.
Digital inequality matters because people without the right combination of access, skills, motivation and knowledge are missing out on important areas of the digital world.
The Welfare Reform Multi-Agency Committee has identified digital inclusion as one of its priorities and as part of Birmingham’s Digital Inclusion Strategy and GO ON Digital Champion programme, work has begun to map free internet access provided by voluntary, community and public sector organisations across the city, so that people either without access to technology or without the skills to use digital technology can be signposted to the help they need to get online.
Please help us populate this digital map by getting in touch with Fairbrum here on our blog or by email to fairbrum@birmingham.gov.uk if you or an organisation you know provides free internet access and/or help and advice to get online.”
Birmingham Smart City 
