We recently hosted a workshop for organisations in Stockport who are interested in the digital skills agenda – supporting people to get online and improve their skills so that every citizen is fully able to participate, through digital means, in the connections, networks, services, activities and information they need.

The workshop was held on Wednesday 21 June 2017 in the Hat Works Museum. Over 40 people attended representing the council, local businesses, public sector, community and voluntary sector organisations, schools and colleges. There was a huge amount of energy and enthusiasm in the room despite it being not only the hottest day of the year, but the hottest day for 40 years!

The workshop explored the idea of setting up a Digital Inclusion Alliance so that we can pool our collective resources and make a real difference to improving people’s digital skills and providing access to information and communication technology.

The key aims of a Digital Inclusion Alliance would be:

• To ensure all citizens are able to benefit from digital channels and resources
• To draw on the assets across Stockport, including commercial, education, community and voluntary organisations
• To motivate and encourage citizens to choose digital channels and resources
• To develop a digitally able workforce
• To develop digital capabilities for small businesses and the voluntary sector

Some of the key benefits identified are that through collaborating we can reduce duplication, give more focus to what we do, have a bigger impact by reaching more people.

Participants have gone away to consider how we might take this further and to develop some ideas for the group to explore in a follow up conversation next month.

If you would like to be part of this conversation please email janet.wood@stockport.gov.uk and lee.emery@stockport.gov.uk.

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