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Volunteers are called up to be digital champions
THE UK GOVERNMENT is looking to narrow the digital divide with the assistance of some 100,000 volunteers.
Race Online 2012 launched today with the support of Prime Minister David Cameron and the backing of UK digital champion Martha Lane Fox. Announced this morning, the scheme will see the volunteers amassed and then sent out to spread their message and encourage more widespread use of online digital resources.
These volunteers will be backed up by low cost PC products, including some recycled ones from Microsoft, and will have a particular focus on bringing low income families up to internet speed.
"Today there are nine million adults in the UK who have never used the internet - and nearly half of them are among our most disadvantaged people," said Cameron.
"We need to go further. And often it is the impact of volunteers that can make the biggest difference. So today I am delighted to welcome the announcement of 100,000 new local Digital Champion volunteers - the UK's biggest ever cross-sector volunteer force and a make a massive plea to those of you who aren't yet involved, to sign up now."
Microsoft's involvement has seen it work with refurbishers, including Remploy, to provide low cost hardware, while volunteers have been pulled from firms including Mecca Bingo, John Lewis, the UK Post Office, Age UK and British Telecom.
"By bringing together an extraordinary mix of cross-sector partners we aim to eliminate the three major barriers that we know prevent people from getting online - access, motivation and skills," added Lane Fox.
"Today we are beginning to address all of these by creating a massive local digital champion network aimed at giving people advice, support and assistance on a local level and by kick starting a low cost recycled marketplace." µ
Tags: Internet
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Saw this on the news this morning and I thought the angle was all wrong assuming people are missing out from not having the internet. People like my gran don't want the internet, they don't want a mobile phone either. I could cobble together a computer from spares and show her how to use it but she's got no need for a computer.
The claims pumped out from the idiot's lantern this morning that people would save money by using the internet are very dodgy. People like my gran don't have cars to insure, she can switch energy supplier over the phone and would have to pay for the internet so I don't know how she could save money.
I agree if people want the net there should be help and accessible computers, but the thought that everybody MUST have the internet? A million people aren't online and 900,000 of those don't want to be online and manage just fine without.