MS, Cabinet Secretary for Social
Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip: Digital exclusion continues to
be a significant issue throughout the UK. The acceleration
of transitioning services to online digital only access has meant
that it is now essential to have some level of digital skills to
be included in today's society. Any barrier to digital
connectivity, access and/or digital skills can mean someone is
disadvantaged financially, socially and in respect of their wider
well-being.
Digital Communities Wales: Digital Confidence, Health and
Well-being (DCW), the Welsh Government funded £2million per annum
flagship digital inclusion programme ends on 30 September 2025.
The DCW programme has worked with organisations from all sectors
that support digitally excluded people, providing training and
support to front line staff and volunteers to help them develop
the basic digital skills of citizens.
Since July 2019, DCW has engaged with 2,100 organisations, across
Wales, resulting in over 182,000 citizens being supported with
the motivation, confidence and basic digital skills needed to use
the internet effectively and safely.
It is important that our approach to digital inclusion flexes to
ensure it is benefiting the most digitally excluded, who are
often also those most disadvantaged and are experiencing other
significant barriers such as social and financial exclusion.
Informed by research, the independent evaluation of the DCW
programme and stakeholder engagement over the autumn, the next
phase of support for digital inclusion support in Wales has been
developed.
The approach will include a new national programme of digital
inclusion advice and support including:
- Mapping of digital inclusion provision throughout Wales
- Provision of digital inclusion advice via regional and
thematic skills advisers
- Creation and updating of digital inclusion skills resources
- Bringing public and private sector stakeholders together to
share knowledge and best practice and provide strategic
leadership – reflecting the fact that digital inclusion is not
owned by any one sector or organisation but is everyone's
business
It is important that this support is delivered on behalf of Welsh
Government by a body with the right expertise and experience, and
a Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) notice will go live on 7
April 2025, to start to engage with potential suppliers in a fair
and transparent way and enable them to prepare for the
procurement. The intention is that the tender will then go
live in June 2025 on Sell2Wales platform, and the successful
bidder will be notified in September 2025 - with a view to
commencing the new programme in October 2025.
An event celebrating the work to date on digital inclusion in
Wales and setting out the next phase of support is taking place
on 12 May 2025 in Cardiff.
