Learn by doing: What we have learned about delivering Place-Based Digital Inclusion 

For those of us working in place-based settings, the true appeal lies in crafting tailor-made solutions for specific communities. These approaches allow us to meet unique local needs, often with minimal financial support. Unlike many third-sector initiatives that begin with grant applications, place-based methods empower communities to act first, building solutions from the ground up allowing communities to develop solutions before seeking funding. Often, such efforts culminate in consortium bids, which are more attractive to grant providers than individual initiatives. 

Over the past year, delivering place-based digital inclusion workshops, one thing is clear, digital exclusion is not just about devices, Wi-Fi, or digital skills. In every location, digital challenges intersect with broader social issues like rural isolation, cultural challenges, and the underlining causes of poverty. Communities who have undertaken our place-based sessions have identified surprising barriers including:  

• Transport: Lack of affordable and reliable options to access digital hubs. 

• Childcare: Limited availability prevents parents from engaging in learning. 

• Language Barriers: Particularly for New Scots whose first language isn’t English. 

• Food Insecurity: Hunger inhibits focus and engagement. 

These insights show that addressing digital inclusion requires a holistic approach, tackling both digital and social inequalities. 

Tapping Into Community Assets 

Communities already possess valuable assets that can help address the challenges above. Whether it is knowledgeable individuals, accessible public spaces, shared devices, or networks. The key lies in connecting these assets to meet local needs effectively. Feedback from participants found that external facilitation in a multi partnership setting with competing agendas and roles, having that external facilitation provided a sense of clarity to help identify, challenge and support communities to repurpose resources for sustainable change. 

As a facilitator of these workshops, I use John McKnight’s Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) framework to guide this process. This approach empowers organisations to look beyond deficits and focus on strengths. By emphasising what communities already have, they can create solutions that reflect local needs and aspirations. ABCD fosters resilience, innovation, and sustainable progress—a powerful shift from traditional, top-down methods. 

From Theory to Practice: ABCD in Action 

This year, we have facilitated place based digital inclusion sessions across Scotland, from Grantown-on-Spey to Dumfries and Galloway from Dundee to North Ayrshire including North Lanarkshire. You will hear more about the outcomes and challenges of these locations at a special launch event at the Gathering next year, but here’s two examples of community lead solutions.  

• Repurposing Spaces: Libraries, community centres, and informal hubs become digital learning spaces, offering practical resources and a sense of connection, the journey of the Grantown on Spey digital hub showcases what a community can do with a repurposed space in the highlands.  

• Forming New Partnerships: Schools, private sector businesses, and faith-based groups pool their diverse expertise as unlikely allies, united by a shared commitment to their community, this multi partnership of female lead organisations that’s Empowering women in the digital world across Dundee.  

The more you know the more you learn 

Every community presents its own unique challenges and opportunities for digital inclusion. To create lasting change, we have learned this involves two key steps: 

1. Identifying Hidden Barriers: Digital exclusion does not exist in a vacuum. It is rooted in issues like language barriers, transport challenges, and cultural differences. Addressing these broader issues is essential for meaningful progress within the digital space.  

2. Promoting Social Connectivity: Digital inclusion is not just about technology; it is about people. Place-based approaches create spaces for connection, collaboration, and community-driven solutions. While short-term place-based interventions yield quick wins, their sustainability depends on long-term, community-driven solutions. 

Overcoming Challenges for Sustainable Change 

Long term, Place Based Digital inclusion is no easy task. It is not a one-size-fits-all solution, and challenges like sustaining momentum can complicate efforts. Key personnel and funding sources inevitably shift over time. What we have learned to ensure continuity is that community partners must build solutions grounded in their assets, this way you can navigate disruptions and maintain progress amid external and internal changes. 

The Heart of Digital Inclusion 

At its core, digital inclusion is more than access to technology—it is about creating opportunities for everyone to connect, collaborate, and thrive. By focusing on place-based, asset-driven approaches, we can ensure that solutions are not only practical but also deeply resonant with the communities they serve in ways that are sustainable, empowering, and transformational.