Spotlight: Digital Poverty

Due to socio-economic barriers, some people may not have access to the internet, laptops, or other equipment that would help them easily access online events. They also might not have the skills to be able to use the equipment or access the internet.

Short-term solutions such as lending equipment (and offering tech support) can be useful (but ensure you know who has what and why they need it), however it’s not necessarily a long-term solution. Team Inklusion recommends that organisations in the publishing industry team up with each other, as well as organisations such as NGOs and charities, to tackle this problem and give people digital access.

In this modern world, digital access is not a luxury, but a necessity; as well as accessing culture it’s how we do banking, apply for benefits and access various services. It’s important we don’t leave people behind. Having digital access helps establish communities beyond geographical location, and for many disabled people who can’t leave their house or local area, it’s how we forge our own community, keeping us from being isolated.