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• 635

  22/10/2008, 6:18 PM :: Posted by Peter Stean (Posts 9)

  What should be the brief of the Digital Champion role?

  We want your input on the establishment of a Digital Inclusion Champion, particularly in terms of the appropriate role and responsibilities that they should take on to ensure that digital inclusion remains at the top of the agenda. We also invite suggestions of which individual or organisation you believe should be appointed to the role, bearing in mind the fact that we have identified that they need to be independent and also in a commanding position to provide strategic leadership on this agenda.

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• 828 in reply to 635

  04/12/2008, 4:47 PM :: Posted by jeff001 (Posts 1)

  Re: What should be the brief of the Digital Champion role?

  We provide an on-line sign language interpretation service for front line public sector staff and services where deaf people could walk in off the street and be connected to a sign language interpreter via a live video link. As we are a social enterprise that is led by deaf and sign language users we are very much aware of the access barriers and therefore keep the costs down to a bare minimum and the service costs around £5k per annum for up to ten interpreting sessions per month. However some local and health authorities have decided not to proceed and after engaging an independent researcher to find out the reasons and barriers we were staggered to find that the public sector authority's own internal IT is charging them up to £25k per annum to provide the broadband connection that is required for the video link.  Something must be wrong here when the costs of the IT are amplified resulting in the social exclusion of disabled people - normally this should cost around £3k to provide the basics.....

  It is difficult for us to find someone in a position of authority who is prepared to 'knock some heads together' or step in and challenge the excessive costings.  So this is one role that a Digital Champion should have - if excessive charges are imposed that makes a service unfeasible and therefore excludes those already marginalised then there should be some 'trouble-shooting' powers for the DC to utilise in these circumstances or come up with a more feasible solution.

  Thanks...

   

  Jeff
  

   

  Filed under: Digital Inclusion Disabled people front line services IT charges excessive exclusion

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• 837 in reply to 635

  10/12/2008, 10:50 AM :: Posted by chris elliott (Posts 1)

  Re: What should be the brief of the Digital Champion role?

  In my view should be someone who understands thoroughly social inclusion but who also has enough influence/gravitas to get organisations working in a co-ordinated fashion. In particular they should be able to influence organisations who design technology for use by the masses (i.e for their profit) in a way that does not create further divides whilst at the same time ensuring public bodies use their capacity intelligently to meet the needs of their own communities. 

  They should ensure that best practice can be easily taken up and transplanted elsewhere and monitor the real difference being made to people's lives.  

   

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• 856 in reply to 635

  18/01/2009, 11:04 PM :: Posted by Brian Eisenberg (Posts 2)

  Re: What should be the brief of the Digital Champion role?

  This person should work with all sectors of the spectrum equally and even-handedly and above all should encourage 'partnerships' to work together on the numerous issues in the social/digital isoltion arena.

  What we do not wnat to see is someone who re-hashes, yet agian, the same old calls for research and publication of numbers proving the problems.

  Key goals should be set and these should include:

  • improving broadband reach/availability
  • tackling the very trickly problem of 'reaching the hard-to-reach'
  • build awareness amonst the private sector where this problem is generally not well understood or recognised.
  • encourage wide particpation by the public to play a role in helping. Everyone can do their bit
  • ensure skills development programs exist at all levels and that on-going support is readily available to encourage those struggling with using the technology to persevere. 'Falling at the first hurdle' once peronal support disappears is the single-most significant reason Older and Isolated People don't adopt, and adapt to, IT Technology.

   

   

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