Tackling Technology Together: Promoting the Digital Activist Inclusion Network

[Background] [Agenda] [Event Information] [Application Conditions] [Application Form]

Background

This year has seen the publication of the Digital Britain White Paper, the appointment of a Digital Inclusion Champion and the launch of the Digital Participation Strategy in the UK. The Digital Activist Inclusion Network (DAIN) is an exciting innovative transnational project which aims to develop, test and deliver approaches to challenge the digital divide, ultimately helping to widen participation in employment and learning.

DAIN will operate in eight areas across the East Midlands. The project will deliver 200 community-based Information & Communication Technology courses per year and will recruit, train and support at least 100 volunteers from the local target communities who will be known as Digital Activists. The role of the Digital Activist will be to engage and encourage people experiencing digital exclusion to get involved in using digital technology.

This conference will explore practical approaches to challenging digital exclusion. The objectives of the event are to:

• offer a forum for debate and discussion of strategies and ideas for using technology to engage new ICT learners
• provide a national and European picture of policy and current good practice
• enable exchange of information between current digital inclusion projects and other community-based groups and organisations
• identify ways in which new technologies can be used to overcome exclusion

Participants will gain an understanding of:

• current thinking on digital inclusion and ways to tackle it
• the role of volunteers and other community members in engaging new learners

The event will be of particular interest to:

• volunteers and those who are considering taking up this role
• local and regional community and voluntary sector organisations
• learning providers
• those engaged in production of new media, e.g. film makers, podcasters; and
• service providers promoting online services

The programme offers a variety of opportunities for discussion and debate in workshops and plenary sessions including presentations from national and international  speakers with acknowledged expertise in this field. The event will be opened by a representative from the Office of the Champion for Digital Inclusion.

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Agenda

09:30 Arrival and registration (tea/coffee available)

10:00 Welcome and introduction to the day
Regional Director, East Midlands Workers' Educational Association (WEA)

10:10 Race Online 2012 – the national digital participation strategy
Annie Dare, Head of Research, Office of the Champion for Digital Inclusion

10:30 Digital Activists Inclusion Network - Video presentation
Andria Birch, Project Manager, WEA

10:45 Round table discussions

11:15 Tea/coffee break

11:30 Workshops
A full workshop programme will be presented on the day and will include:

How to set up and run a learning circle, WEA
Some hands-on experience with digital images and audio, NIACE
Community Reporters – a digital inclusion project, People’s Voice Media
Approaches to achieving digital inclusion, NIACE

12:30 Lunch

13:15 Pervasive technology
Chris Yapp, Executive Technology Strategy Consultant

13:45 Round table discussions

14:15 Social networking for building communities
Dr. Joe Cullen, Principal Associate of the Tavistock Institute

14:45 Workshops
Repeat of above, plus additional workshop:
Sense-making and collaboration for Digital Activists, Tavistock Institute

15:45 How can the DAIN project benefit the East Midlands – concluding discussion

16:00 Close of conference (tea/coffee available)

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Event Information

Arrival and registration is at 9:30am for a 10:00am start. The event will end at 4:00pm

Attendance is free (includes lunch, tea/coffee)

Places will be allocated in order of receipt of completed application forms

Priority will be given to applications from people from the East Midlands

Completed and signed application forms must be faxed or posted to NIACE by the closing date. Reservations by telephone cannot be accepted

Application forms are individually acknowledged by e-mail. Joining instructions, including map and directions, will be e-mailed one week before the event

Participants should be prepared to take their own notes as there will not be handouts for all sessions

We will prepare easy read and accessible versions of resources and materials so that all delegates are fully included and aware beforehand of what is planned

If you have not received an e-mail confirming your attendance and joining instructions 4 working days before the event please contact:

Gurjit Kaur
Tel: 0116 204 2833
Fax: 0116 254 8368
Minicom: 0116 255 6049
E-mail: gurjit.kaur@niace.org.uk

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Application Conditions

Event: Thursday 10 December 2009

Substitutions are to be advised 5 working days prior to the event

A 10 working days notice period is required for provision of electronic note-takers, sign language interpreters and transcription to Braille

NIACE reserves the right to reject applicants who are not from the target audience list

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Application Form