Ministerial Debate on e-Inclusion Policy

The social cost of e-Exclusion

Helen Milner

Managing Director, UK online centres

hmilner@ufi.com

• UK online centres– over 6000 centres– Largest publicly-

funded digital inclusion initiative in UK

– two thirds users socially excluded

– over 3m users (+11m library ICT sessions)

• www.myguide.gov.uk

– a software interface to internet

– designed for those who can’t or won’t use the internet

– designed and proto-typed with users

– 87% user satisfaction

e-Inclusion changes people’s lives

Technology use increases with wealth

2/3 of non-users are economically inactive

62% of people without a qualification are non-users, compared to 6% with a degree

75% of socially excluded people are not online

Digital and social exclusion are linked

Social and digital exclusion (in the total UK population)

24% 56%

15% 5%

Non-internet user Internet user

Socially included

Socially excluded

e-Inclusion journey

From digital and social inclusion

Through learning To confident e-citizen

• Outreach• Marketing• Inspiration• Personal• Support

• Basic computing and internet skills• Access to online information• Simple e-government• Literacy tasters and assessments

• Advanced internet skills• Online transactions• Advice and guidance • Further learning• Steps towards employment•Jobs

The big picture

• macro economics

The economic calculator to measure the value of digital inclusion (over a three year period 2008-11)

GDP boost

per new

digital citizen

Number of new

digital citizens

Total boost to GDP over CSR

Model 1: eGEP (Gov3/UK online centres)

£229 7,000,000 £1,603,000,000

Model 2: Citizen focused(FreshMinds/UK online centres)

£288 7,000,000 £2,016,000,000

Model 3: ICT Industry (Gov3/UK online centres)

£237 7,000,000 £1,659,000,000

Model 4: Service transformation(UK online centres)

£304 7,000,000

£2,128,927,500

Average (although is compound) £265 £1,851,731,875

It doesn’t …… most decisions are made at a departmental level

How does this help?

Government usually works in departments

Education Health Employment

20 social impact demonstrator projects (£2.1m)

1 Project in East London targeting families in poverty with no access to the internet

Free recycled computer and six months internet in the home, with home support and training sessions

Education

Single mother with two daughters aged 12 and 8

Couldn’t afford a computer, keen to know what children are learning about

Now uses internet for: homework, job search, health, writing to MP (member of parliament)

“It’s great Rhianna isn’t being left behind or left out now, but there are still kids in her class that don’t have computers at home. Rhianna invites them round to our house to use ours!”

A mother’s story: East London

Vision of home access to a computer device and the internet for all school aged children

Partnership of Government, industry and parents

Value to citizen: £120,000, achievement at age 16

Value to citizen: £82,475, achievement at age 18

Cost saving to Government: £26,300 saving per persistent truant now attending school

Home Access Taskforce (proposed)

Social Impact Demonstrators Measurement framework

Social impact of digital inclusion

ICT proficiencyAccess Use Familiarity Confidence

Social proficiencySelf-confidence

Families and friendsCivic engagement

Social capital

Cognitive proficiencyLiteracy

NumeracyVisual literacy

Human capital

Improved life chancesIncome Employment Health Education Housing Crime Living environment

Improvements for communities: greater cohesion, greater participation (70% happy to vote online)

Improvements for citizens: self esteem, confidence, employment (10% found work), family, 81% benefit to life

The social value

Thank You

hmilner@ufi.com

www.ukonlinecentres.com

www.myguide.gov.uk