Get Online Week – National digital skills campaign has bigger Welsh presence than ever

Get Online Week 2019 takes place from 14-20 October. Delivered by national charity Good Things Foundation, the campaign will see thousands of local events help people who are lacking digital skills make more out of the internet – including across Wales!

11.9 million people in the UK don’t have the essential digital skills they need to make the most of the internet, meaning almost 30% of the UK population is missing out on the benefits of the internet that many take for granted*.

Wales has seen good progress in recent years but 11% of people in the nation are still not online**, and they are most likely to be older people, people with limiting long-term illnesses or disabilities, and people out of work. These are people who have most to gain from the internet, making Get Online Week all the more important.

Fortunately, Get Online Week – now in its 13th year – is reaching more Welsh communities than ever, thanks to investment from Digital Communities Wales: Digital Confidence, Health and Well-being, a Welsh Government project delivered by the Wales Co-operative Centre.

Lara Ramsay, Director of Inclusive Communities, Wales Co-operative Centre said: “As a Welsh Government funded project, it’s great that ‘Digital Communities Wales: Digital Confidence, Health and Well-being’ is now one of the official supporters of Get Online Week. Through our work we support organisations to help more people enjoy the benefits of digital technology in our communities. There are many benefits for those who are helped to get online, such as managing their health and well-being, applying for jobs, learning new skills, saving money, and keeping in touch with friends and family.”

Thanks to this support, many grass-roots organisations in Wales will be running their own Get Online Week events, in English and Welsh. Job Centres, libraries, community centres, local authorities and day care centres are amongst those taking part in the campaign. Get Online Week is delivered by Good Things Foundation, a national charity working towards a world where everyone benefits from digital.

Helen Milner, Chief Executive at Good Things Foundation says: “We’re so proud that Get Online Week has helped more than half a million people in the UK find the help they need to more online since 2007. However, there’s still more we can do.

“Millions of people are still missing out on all the benefits the internet can bring. That’s why Get Online Week is mobilising grassroots events in hundreds of communities across the UK and raising the profile of digital exclusion as an issue of national importance. Technology is only becoming more essential to everyday life so it’s essential we all work to bridge the digital divide.”

If you’d like help to get more out of life online – or want to help someone else do so – you can find your nearest Get Online Week event at www.getonlineweek.com. Alternatively, you can call 0800 100 900 and ask for help with digital skills.

* Lloyds Bank UK Consumer Digital Index.
** National Survey for Wales 2018/19.