Good Things roundtable with Baroness Hilary Armstrong

One of the challenges facing the UK today, is how people in positions of power often don’t have lived experience of the issues that their policy-making is designed to address. Often, the role of charities is to bring the issue to life, and this month we did just that at Skills Enterprise, a digital inclusion hub in London. We were joined for a roundtable discussion with Baroness Hilary Armstrong, chair of the Digital Inclusion Action Committee alongside colleagues in the Department for Science Innovation and Technology (DSIT).

Bringing together decision makers, and those holding the Government to account, with leaders from the National Digital Inclusion Network, volunteers and people with experience of digital inclusion, our roundtable focused on the four key pillars of the Government’s Digital Inclusion Action Plan.

Digital skills support

Along with our strategic partners: Virgin Media O2, Vodafone, Nominet and Accenture, we squeezed into a room filled with computers to meet those learning digital skills via our Learn My Way learning platform. The group told Baroness Armstrong why they came to Skills Enterprise - many to learn English, and to seek employment, or retrain - and recognised that they needed digital skills, and access. The group spoke of finding community at Skills Enterprise and continuing to attend sessions long after they’d completed Learn My Way, to help others on their journey of digital discovery.

Digital exclusion

After seeing how digital inclusion is delivered in local communities, we kicked off the roundtable discussion with the big question: What does digital exclusion mean to you?

A sentiment across the tables seemed to be that:

“Digital exclusion is a label that we put on people, those that are often don’t think of themselves as being excluded - the context is important.”

The group described digital exclusion as a dynamic spectrum, “from a skills point of view, we are all excluded at some point.” For many of the people supported by digital inclusion hubs, they recognised a barrier to inclusion that was a driver to push them to seek support. As summed up by the group: “If you stand still, you’re left behind. Digital exclusion means you can’t take advantage of everything that you could do in 2025.”

Skills, confidence and empowerment

The discussion turned to skills, confidence and empowerment. For people supported at Skills Enterprise, learning the English language was a driver - and Learn My Way was the tool that gave people the confidence to search for jobs online. With its short topics, people enjoy the quick validations and opportunity to try different things - as it’s not a long structured course. As one hub said: “It makes people think ‘well if I can do that, what else can I do?!’”

“Confidence needs motivation - one size does not fit all,” said one digital inclusion hub as we discussed someone they had supported who is a fantastic cook - and was motivated to share recipes online.

Hubs operate in communities across the UK, supporting local people with changing needs: Many are now hosting specific sessions to help people to use the NHS App. “They gain confidence when they learn alongside a trusted person who can share their own experiences of learning how to use the app.”

However community organisations are often stretched, responding to the broad needs of their communities and supporting other services to help people become digitally included. One hub spoke of getting referrals via social prescribers within the NHS, and from the police too - as well as supporting those in the local Job Centre triaging to understand their digital inclusion needs and then supporting people to apply for funds to ensure they can access a device.

Data and device poverty

One key pillar of the Digital Inclusion Action Plan is tackling data and device poverty. Digital inclusion hubs spoke to Baroness Armstrong about the reality people are facing:

“A broadband package is cut when affordability becomes a challenge. People in financial crisis have a greater need to access support services online, but can’t afford to get online.”

One hub spoke about how they’re supporting people in vulnerable housing situations to keep up with communications from the Home Office about their applications for support. Digital inclusion hubs were seen by those in the room as necessary spaces where individuals can use the Wifi and access vital services when they’re unable to do so at home. 

Solutions were discussed, such as working with local schemes that take individual donations of devices and one hub spoke about the great potential of DWP Job Centres and NHS Primary Care becoming digital inclusion hubs - meeting people where they’re at and ensuring they receive timely support.

One hub said:

“We have the National Databank and get some devices from the National Device Bank. The need is bigger than what we can get - so we beg and borrow where we can. The real shift is the ownership of your own device - about confidence. If we engage with a device that is someone else’s we engage with it in a different way. To get to a place of being safe, feeling safe, building confidence - you need your own access.”

Digital inclusion

The roundtable discussion closed to a conversation about digital inclusion:

“Digital inclusion is leading more fulfilling lives.”

The group discussed all of the things that digitally included people can do, and the wider benefits of being able to access digital: seeking and accessing services, finding community and social support, ease of access to essential services. They discussed how without digital, life is so much harder.

But digital inclusion needs to include critical thinking: media and digital literacy. Some of the organisations at the roundtable offered digital awareness sessions, where they encouraged a ‘social contract’ to not just forward information, without checking it for themselves.

Baked in, not bolted on

The group recognised the necessity of being online and spoke to DSIT representatives about how digital inclusion should be a common thread behind all Government services: “People’s social circumstances, dictate their digital exclusion and Government departments shouldn’t place this into a departmental silo.”

One hub added:

“There should be a holistic approach to digital inclusion. Hubs need the support of all Government departments to fund and signpost people to them. Hubs should not have to spend time going out promoting but focus on delivery outreach.”

Baroness Hilary Armstrong said:

“It’s so important to make sure citizens in this country can access what they need, when they need to. We have a huge job to do to make sure people have those opportunities - that does mean devices, access and support.

“I can’t promise this will happen quickly or be easy. We will work with you and we want to hear from you. The journey doesn’t end as the technology doesn’t stand still. You’re all part of that journey and I want to walk that journey with you.”