The Carnegie UK Trust, in its report, Digital Participation and Social Justice in Scotland, (2016) describes digital participation as a ‘critical social justice issue of the 21st century’.
Those most likely to be digitally excluded are older people and those on low incomes, i.e. those that need access to many online services such as Universal Credit, online banking, etc. in order to improve the quality of their lives. In Australia I visited a DigiVan project which was a mobile office helping those experiencing digital inclusion to fill in online forms, charge mobile phones, offer data top-ups and access relevant services that could help.
Recommendation
A feasibility study to look at the viability and need for a similar project in Northern Ireland. Such an initiative could support vulnerable and marginalised people to access online services that can help them in a time of crisis. Such an initiative could also support older people to get online by visiting them in sheltered housing schemes.