The Digital Inclusion team of the Welsh Government is working on a minimum digital living standard for the country’s population.
The project is aimed at supporting digital inclusion efforts by providing a standard definition of what it means to be digitally included.
Work has been commissioned from the Universities of Liverpool and Loughborough, digital inclusion charity Good Things Foundation, and the Cwmpas development agency.
The standard takes account of a basket of digital goods including types of devices, broadband speed and/or mobile data and basic digital skills.
Winning support
A first phase has been completed to win the support of a range of stakeholders and understand the needs of households with children.
The next phase will explore the definition of a minimum digital living standard with groups of people most at risk of digital exclusion. These include older and disabled people, ethnic minority communities and social housing residents.
A blogpost on the project outlines the definition of the standard as: “A minimum digital standard of living includes, but is more than, having accessible internet, adequate equipment and appropriate training and support. It’s about being able to communicate, connect and engage with opportunities and with confidence.”
