DigiShift 65: Digital Inclusion and the Cost of Living Crisis

The cost-of-living crisis has left almost eight million people in the UK struggling to afford their bills. More than two million UK households are in debt on their energy bills and nearly six million households are struggling to afford essential telecoms services such as mobile, broadband, and landline services. With strained access to digital tools, people are increasingly struggling to do essential day-to-day activities like working from home and accessing healthcare online. Charities tackling digital exclusion during the cost-of-living crisis need to both ensure that services are accessible to all while also working to address the problem of digital exclusion.

This special Digishift will explore how the third sector can make this happen, drawing on the experience of our guest speakers and the many charities joining us for the session.

Claudia Baldacchino is Communications & Digital Manager at People Know How. Since 2018 she has built the charity’s communications and digital strategies and digital infrastructure and is passionate about the possibilities of using digital to achieve social impact. She also leads the charity’s digital transformation and campaigning and lobbying work, including their current campaign to end data poverty in Scotland, Connectivity Now.

Aaron Slater is Digital Participation Project Manager at SCVO. Aaron has been at the centre of much of Scotland's leading approaches to digital inclusion, including Connecting Scotland and the thriving Digital Champions community.

This Digishift is for anyone that creates, delivers or supports third sector policy or frontline services.