Community empowerment
through digital inclusion study
Matt Chilcott
Newport NEXUS Conference
June 2009
http://idl.newport.ac.uk/newportdigital

Blended research publication
• Qualitative evidence published using interactive
media content approach to compliment the research paper.
• Interviews and wider inclusion programme information
shared through video, Gaer community interactive map & eBook
approaches.

Background & Context
• Communities First funded project in the Gaer, Newport attempting to
address the social exclusion of elder citizens using digital
technology.
• Over 65s community identified to have been adversely affected by
urban renewal programme that dispersed a close knit community
from prefabricated housing into new build bungalow housing stock in
the same area.
• Mean average age of new adopters research group was 76.5 years.

Background & Context
• HM Government Delivering (2008) Digital Inclusion Action Plan
identified 17 million people aged 15 & over not using computers or
the internet. Average adult participation rates 67%, over 75 age
group participation rates at 22%.
• E-Inclusion Recycling C.I.C. online case study.
(Association of Learning Technology feature article in July 2008)

Research themes
• Effective applications of digital technology in empowering
communities.
• The social impact of addressing the digital exclusion of elder
citizens.
• The role and function of social enterprise in enabling digital
inclusion.

Findings – effective methods
• Exploration of methodology employed & how engagement barriers
addressed:
• Emphasis on addressing individuals empowerment needs and the
nurturing of positive community engagements to fulfil communication
and stimulation needs – technology utilised as an enabling tool.
• Costs barriers removed (Boeltzig & Pilling 2007)

Findings – effective methods
• Community visit to eInclusion Recycling to see their own computer
being built for them by excluded members of Newport communities.
• Domestication of technology & demystification approaches – home
instillation support and personalised development programme Boeltzig
& Pilling (2007) home access for older people and people with disabilities / normalisation of
technology - Williams & Stewart (2005), OFCOM (2006)

Findings – applications for empowerment
• Digital Literacy – tailored to empowerment needs - currency &
application – empowerment needs, communication and stimulation
Warchauer (2003), Bharat & Merkel (2004)
• Emphasis on social applications of the internet – Skype (Contrasting
findings to Oxford Internet Institute (2007) Quantitative Survey)

Findings – impact of digital engagement
• Enhancement of quality of life.
• Engagement in the digital economy – Online shopping for food,
clothing household goods, web quest hunting for niche products for
hobbies.
• New skills – Digital photography, marketing support for new social
enterprises, next goal was to ‘eBay’ as an activity. New interest in
informal learning opportunities and exploring Second Life.

Findings – impact of digital engagement
• Community call for targeted public service delivery through the
internet – social services support via Skype contact – no interest in
other opportunities like voting.
• Engagement in the community self-facilitated coffee morning &
community initiated computer club
• Skype – new community communication and self support tool. New
invigorated forms of communication with family and friends across
wider UK and overseas.

Findings – impact of digital engagement
• Active citizenship – support for families development of Gardening,
DIY and Laundry social enterprises. Mentor training to assist other
community members with computer engagement.
• Social applications of the internet and email key in joint development
of real world and online social networks.
• Supportive of Help the Aged’s (2008) Learning for Living paper –
focus on informal learning approaches to enable active citizenship
and development of IT literacy.

Findings – role of social enterprise
• Creation of social and economic change through vibrant forms of
doing business. Chell (2007)
• Social entrepreneurship as an enabler of non-formal digital
engagement approaches. Ofcom (2006)
• Working outside of traditional market forces – home instillation,
continued support post start up, tailored personalised digital literacy
support training.

Findings – role of social enterprise
• Community assets - Role of Community Recycling social enterprise
with social empowerment and digital engagement programme remit
– transferability of practice to other communities
• Responsive example to the EU (2007) Action Plan on Information
Technology and Ageing – insufficient innovative solutions to ICT
access for older users.

Research outcomes
• Digital inclusion was a by-product of fostered social inclusion.
• By-product developed a new literacy and engine for community
capacity building – active citizenship - community groups, social
enterprises formed.
• Call for future urban regeneration projects to consider more fully the
digital futures of communities and the third sector community assets
therein.

Other outcomes
• Findings are supportive of Government policy to use digital
technology as a tool for tackling social exclusion – with evidence of
the benefit of focused planning of identified social impact goals.
• Publication method - Online interactive journalism publication
method interested wide audience in the findings of the study - from
media to policy makers.
• Positive social impact - Gaer Community felt valued by the
University and ‘stars’ of a media piece.

Other outcomes
• Disseminated at the UK Digital Inclusion conference in Westminster,
June 2009.
• New evidence base – digital media case study dimension being
used across the UK for knowledge transfer and workforce
development - signposted by the Minster for Digital Inclusion & his
Westminster team, Welsh Assembly Government’s Department for
Social Justice and Local Government, DC10 Plus Network, UK
Online Centres, UK Social Enterprise Ambassador Network &
Telecentres Europe.

Community empowerment
through digital inclusion study
Matt Chilcott
Newport NEXUS Conference
June 2009