Liverpool City Region Combined Authority has announced a big giveaway of devices and connectivity under a new digital inclusion initiative.
It said that more than 4,500 people across the city-region will receive free Android tablets, six months of free data and online skills training under a partnership with Lloyds Bank and Vodafone.
The authority is facilitating the scheme, which is part of the five-year Digital Inclusion Initiative involving local authorities, the community and voluntary sector and industry partners.
People will be referred on to the initial pilot from the Department of Work and Pensions’ Restart Scheme and the Ways to Work programme run by the six local authorities, with in-person digital inclusion group training sessions, delivered by Lloyds Digital Trainers.
Over the next year, 4,750 tablets, training and mobile internet access will be provided to people who are digitally excluded across the city region.
Too many excluded
Mayor of Liverpool City Region Steve Rotheram said: “The last few years have accelerated the move towards a more digital world and proved how important connectivity and technology will be in all our lives. However, there are still too many people in our area who are excluded for a variety of reasons – and struggle to navigate through the digital world.
“It’s our duty to properly connect our residents up with this 21st century necessity and schemes like this will help us to directly target those who are most in need of our support. We’re creating what I hope will be a better connected future that everyone in our region can benefit from – it’s proper levelling up in action.”
The authority is also involved in other digital inclusion activities including LCR Connect, a joint venture to deliver a gigabit capable fibre network across the area.
