UK Online Centres

Press release, 19 January 2009

Around 12,000 people made the second national Get online day their excuse to get onto the internet and try something new online.  

Get online day, which is run by UK online centres, took place at the end of October as part of Family Learning Festival and targeted the one in three adults in the country who still don't use computers and the internet.  

There were more than 500 events running at UK online centres up and down England, offering techno-phobe parents, grandparents, and carers - and even aunts and uncles - the chance to find out how getting online could help them and the rest of the family in everyday life.  Whether it was a very first taste of the internet, a first email or a first online shopping trip, families of all shapes and sizes took up the Get online day challenge.  

UK online centres have just completed a survey which questioned both participating centres and visitors who came through the doors on the day.  Nearly everyone who went along to an event - 96% - enjoyed the day, with a full 99% determined to keep on using the internet in the future.  At UK online centres, 84% of event-holders said the Get online day campaign had helped them attract new customers, and 97% said they'd be signing up for a Get online day mark III.  

Get online day 2008 was backed by a whole host of sponsors - Campaign for Learning, Becta, the Department for Innovation Universities and Skills, Directgov, Ofcom and TalkTalk.  All wanted to see more people take advantage of all the benefits the internet can provide.  

Helen Milner, Managing Director of UK online centres, explains:  "The fact that a third of the population still don't, won't or can't use computers and the internet might seem incredible to some, but with technology moving so fast it's actually easy for anyone to get left behind.  This year's campaign was all about trying something new online, and I'm delighted that so many people challenged themselves and their families by doing just that."

One Get online day visitor now enjoying his new computer skills is 85 year-old Robert Booth, who went along to an event at Benchill Community Centre in Greater Manchester.  He was given a computer by his son, but decided he needed a bit of help getting to grips with it all.  Get online day came along at just the right time.  

He says:  "I knew that I needed to get the best instructions on how to use a computer properly.  Get online day seemed like the perfect introduction!  I went along and it was all very welcoming.  I met Steve, the tutor, who was very supportive and incredibly patient, and to my surprise I actually found it all very easy."

Robert was so impressed, he decided to attend regular courses to learn more about how the internet could help him keep in touch with his son, three grandchildren and two great grandchildren.  

"I was beginning to think I was falling behind with modern technology," he admits.  "Even my four-year-old great-granddaughter Sophie knew more than I did!  Now I've worked out how to email, and I've also got a Skype unit which is just amazing - you can see the people you're talking to on your computer screen, wherever they are in the world.  It's fantastic that I can talk to my family about computers and the internet and understand what they're talking about instead of just looking at them blankly.  But primarily, it's keeping my mind lively.  You're never too old to learn, and I'd encourage everybody to get involved."

Helen concludes:  "While visitors like Robert were busy proving there's a first time for everything, this was actually our second Get online day.  The campaign included incredible support from BBC presenters Jeremy Vine, Johnny Ball and Maggie Philbin, who helped spread the Get online day message, and were backed by the hard work of UK online centres going out into their communities and driving footfall to local events.  Marketing the internet to the digitally disengaged isn't an easy task, but helping families make the most of technology is certainly a worthwhile one.  Getting online really can help people connect with each other, with their communities, with new opportunities and key - and that's what Get online day was all about."

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For more information please contact Abi Stevens at astevens@ufi.com or on 0778 666 0689

Notes to editors:

• UK online centres provide millions of people with access to technology and support in using it.  They offer free or low cost access to the internet and email, deliver online courses and encourage people to progress onto further learning.  For more information please visit www.ukonlinecentres.com

Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg will both be playing their part at next week's National Digital Inclusion Conference, providing video messages to get delegates thinking and talking.  

Gordon Brown's message will be followed-up in person by Digital Britain Minister Stephen Timms MP, who will be opening the Conference on Wednesday 10 March with Champion for Digital Inclusion Martha Lane Fox.  He'll be talking about the new National Plan for Digital Participation, which was launched earlier this week, while Martha Lane Fox will be talking about her plans to collect 'digital promises' from more than 10,000 private, public and charitable sector organisations.  Meanwhile, Shadow Minister Jeremy Hunt will be there on the 11^th to present a Tory vision for a digitally inclusive Britain.  

Now in its fifth year, the NDI10 Conference will take place across two days - Wednesday 10 and Thursday 11 March, at the Vinopolis Conference Centre in London.  It aims to get cross-sector and cross-party digital inclusion partners together to discuss digital inclusion issues, and plan actions for 2010 and beyond. 

Conference founder Robin Knowles explains:  "NDI10 is all about getting the people who make digital inclusion happen in one room, working together to make even more happen, in more places, reaching more people.  It's great to get party leaders Gordon Brown and Nick Clegg involved in the discussions, and we'll be continuing the cross-party theme with our live Question Time, let by Conference chair Matthew Taylor." 

The Question Time will also take place on the 10^th.  Matthew Taylor will be asking Derek Wyatt MP (Labour), Baroness Warsi (Conservative) and Lembit Opik (Lib Dem) about their personal opinions and party-lines on digital inclusion, getting input from Ofcom's Stuart Purvis and Age UK's Tom Wright as part of the panel.  

Also speaking at the Conference reviewing 12 months of digi-inc action is Helen Milner, Managing Director for UK online centres.  She adds:  "I'm really excited about next week, and looking forward to what's set to be a really interesting couple of days.  It's wonderful to see support for digital inclusion coming from the top, and just before a general election is testament to the fact this is now central to the wider agendas of economic growth, social justice and the improvement of government services.  Digital inclusion is suddenly super-relevant, and the Conference is our chance to hear how each party plans to respond to the challenge of digital exclusion, and to have our say on how priorities and plans should be shaped for the future." 

Delegates will get to have their say from the floor in Q&As during the main plenary sessions, and will be working in four workstream groups to come up with their own digital inclusion promises.  The Digital government for all workstream is being led by Directgov, and will feature input from New Media Age, Microsoft and DC10 Plus.  Digital Skills for all is led by UK online centres with contributions from BT, Ofcom, Becta, NIACE, School of Everything and many more, while Health and Well Being is chaired by NHS Choices, with partners AbilityNet, StartHere and Capita.  The final workstream is led by the Peabody Trust, and is all about Social Housing Plus, taking inspiration from Nottingham City Council, Solihull Community Housing and Citizens Online amongst others.  The promises from each workstream will be given to Martha Lane Fox to feed into Race Online's wider work.  

Alongside the keynote speakers and workstream sessions, NDI10 will also have an interactive exhibition, with an open soap box as another opportunity for delegates to feeback thoughts or talk about their own projects.  

For more information on the Conference, or to follow on the live webstream next week, please visit www.nationaldigitalinclusionconference.co.uk and follow Twitter hashtag #NDI10.  You can also join the debate early on the Conference Ning - http://net.digitalengagement.org/ 

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For more information, or for a free press pass, please contact Abi Stevens at astevens@ufi.com, or on 0778 666 0689.  

Notes to editors: 

• Press release published 4 March 2010
• For more information on the Conference, or to follow on the live webstream next week, please visit www.nationaldigitalinclusionconference.co.uk, follow Twitter hashtag #NDI10 and join the digital engagement Ning http://net.digitalengagement.org/. 
• The National Digital Inclusion Conference (NDI10) is now in its fifth year, and run by Civic Agenda, with key partners UK online centres, and supporters including Becta, BIS, BT, Business Link, Citizens Online, CLG, CTT, Digital 2020, Intel, Microsoft, NHS Choices, Nominet Trust, Ofcom, Peabody Trust, Race Online 2012, Regenerate IT, StartHere and Youthnet.  Civic Agenda is a specialist conference development and organisation agency delivering public and social focussed conferences across the UK. Civic Agenda works with a range of partner organisations and draws on the expertise of sister organisations Civic Regeneration, Regenerate IT and Market Squared to support conferences that explore key areas of social, economic and community policy for an audience of the public, private and voluntary sector. For more information please visit www.civicagenda.co.uk or call 0207 378 0422.
• UK online centres provide millions of people with access to technology and support in using it.  They offer free or low cost access to the internet and email, deliver online courses and encourage people to progress onto further learning.  For more information please visit www.ukonlinecentres.com.  UK online centres are managed by Ufi, the organisation also behind learndirect.

Tickets for the fifth National Digital Inclusion Conference - NDI10 - are nearly sold out, and those interested in taking part are being urged to get in quick, or follow the Conference from the comfort of their own computer via the live webstream and twitter hashtag #NDI10. 

 The Conference takes place at Vinopolis in London Bridge on 10 and 11 March, and this year's theme is all about Passing IT on.  With the RSA's  Matthew Taylor back as Chair, speakers including Martha Lane Fox, Stephen Timms MP and Matt Brittin from Google, plus a cross-party Question Time and interactive exhibition space, NDI10 is shaping-up and filling-up fast. 

 Conference founder Robin Knowles of Civic Agenda says:  "We're delighted to have had such a great response to the Conference, and we're keen to capture the input of delegates beyond the 500 physical places.  Keynote speeches will be live on www.nationaldigitalinclusionconference.co.uk, and we're encouraging delegates to tweet their thoughts, and share wider opinions on the http://net.digitalengagement.org/ Ning site - before, after and during the Conference itself."

 Helen Milner of Conference partner UK online centres adds:  "Post Digital Britain and pre-election, this is the perfect time for an in-depth 'NDIagnostic' looking at where digital inclusion is today, where we need to be, and what we've got to do as a sector to get there over the coming months and years.  The more voices adding to the debate - in person or online - the more connections and progress we can make at the conference."

 As well as hearing from keynote speakers in the public and third sector, corporate organisations will also be playing their part, and telling delegates how they plan to help Pass IT on in 2010, and how they'd like to work with third sector and government partners. 

 To see if you can get one of the final NDI10 places available, or to find out more about the four workstreams - Digital Skills for all, Digital government for all, Health and Well-being, and Social housing plus, please visit www.nationaldigitalinclusionconference.co.uk, or call 0207 378 0422. 

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For more information on this press release please contact Abi Stevens at astevens@ufi.com or on 0778 666 0689

Press release, published 23 February 2010

Notes to editors:

• Twitter hashtag:  #NDI10
• Ning http://net.digitalengagement.org/

• The 2010 National Digital Inclusion Conference is being shaped by Civic with a steering group including UK online centres, DC10Plus, Citizens Online, StartHere, Intel, YouthNet, NHS Choices, The Peabody Trust, Nominet and representatives from the Departments for Business, Innovation and Skills and Communities and Local Government. 

• Civic Agenda is a specialist conference development and organisation agency delivering public and social focussed conferences across the UK. Civic Agenda works with a range of partner organisations and draws on the expertise of sister organisations Civic Regeneration, Regenerate IT and Market Squared to support conferences that explore key areas of social, economic and community policy for an audience of the public, private and voluntary sector. For more information please visit www.civicagenda.co.uk or call 0207 378 0422.

• UK online centres provide millions of people with access to technology and support in using it.  They offer free or low cost access to the internet and email, deliver online courses and encourage people to progress onto further learning.  For more information please visit www.ukonlinecentres.com.  UK online centres are managed by Ufi, the organisation also behind learndirect.