Digital participation and inclusion are central to North Ayrshire Council’s ability to fully engage with our citizens and it is our responsibility to ensure that no one is left behind or excluded from this opportunity.
There are four themes of activity which we and our partners in the third sector are currently addressing to reduce the risk of exclusion.
Public access to technology and online resources, and the increasing pressures as a result of the changes being introduced through welfare reform, are being monitored carefully.
We have renewed all our public access library computers - our main public computer access points - and since then, we have seen a dramatic and sustained increase in computer bookings.
Around 15,500 additional bookings were recorded and the Welfare Reform Working Group is currently undertaking a mapping exercise of existing computer access points for public use in council buildings and at partner organisations and communities to ensure free, supported and convenient access. This includes exploring where the public can get access during weekends, after 5pm and during holiday periods.
The provision of access alone is not enough and we have introduced job clubs in some of our libraries to help people who are less able to travel to the Job Centre Plus office. The Community Learning and Development Team have had a great response to these clubs and - where a job club runs a weekly drop-in session - there are now fewer calls on library staff to provide assistance with digital skills.
North Ayrshire still faces challenges with broadband speeds and connectivity. We are working with the Scottish Government and partners to improve local infrastructure. A new fibre broadband scheme includes the island of Cumbrae. Many of our libraries already provide free public WI-FI and we are currently investigating this for Irvine town centre.
The fourth area of concern is how we change service delivery and make more services available remotely. This benefits the customer because it’s convenient and cheaper for them but means that we have to develop new and better ways of communicating with them.
Our new council website has recently been awarded a
4-star Socitm rating. We also have our award-winning
Report It App and the
popular Library App which gives access to innovative free music streaming, e-books and digital magazines. Our
careNA website – which provides information and contact details for care providers who deliver services, activities and support across North Ayrshire – recently won a COSLA Gold Award.
Key to all of this is a partnership approach. Work with our local Third Sector Interface has engaged our communities in our Digital Commonwealth project and individuals and groups are being supported to develop a current and heritage archive on the record-breaking
North Ayrshire’s Yesterd@ys Flickr site.
Involving people through areas of interest continues to be one of our most successful routes to digital inclusion.
Last modified on 22 January 2020
