Digital Inclusion Accord

Empowering Australian Seniors through technology by supporting Computer and Technology groups and Seniors' clubs throughout Australia, in their endeavours to decrease the digital divide for Australian Seniors. ASCCA is the Peak Body representing these clubs. Affiliated Clubs encourage, empower and enthuse their Members to embrace technology in order for them to actively participate in the digital world safely, competently and confidently.

Barrier

• Affordability
• Connectivity
• Design
• Skills

Priority cohort

• People with disability,
• Aboriginal communities,
• People living in regional and remote communities,
• People living on low income, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, particularly refugees,
• Older people

Timeline

Ongoing

For more information, please contact ascca@ascca.org.au.

The Let's Talk Scams initiative provides face to face and virtual forums for seniors on preventative measures and skills to confidently and safely use digital technologies for everyday tasks. 

Barrier

• Skills

Priority cohort

• Older people

Timeline

July 2023 ongoing

For more information, please contact callen@cotawa.org.au.

The Australian Digital Inclusion Index uses data from the Australian Internet Usage Survey to measure digital inclusion across three dimensions of Access, Affordability and Digital Ability. It explores how these dimensions vary across Australia and across different social groups. It is used by decision makers across government, industry and the community sector to influence investment in improving digital inclusion and track progress.

Barrier

• Affordability
• Design
• Skills

Priority cohort

• People with disability,
• Aboriginal communities,
• People living in regional and remote communities,
• People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, particularly refugees,
• Older people

Timeline

The next ADII report will be launched in July 2023

For more information, please contact heather.rea@team.telstra.com.

The Digital inclusion skills to support workplace and community participation is a program conducted by FutureNow, the industry skills council for the technology, creative and leisure industries. The program provides:

1. research and advice about the technology sector.
2. monitoring and reporting on the impact of digital technology and potential barriers to participation across all the sixteen industry sectors that fall within FutureNow’s coverage.
3. identifying industry led and training and education strategies to address the technology barriers.
4. monitoring of two digital inclusion skill sets which address barriers to participation in learning and in employment.
   This is part of FutureNow’s ongoing work rather than a specific initiative.

Barrier

• Skills

Priority cohort

• People with disability,
• Aboriginal communities,
• People living in regional and remote communities,
• People living on low income,
• People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, particularly refugees,
• Older people

Timeline

January - December 2023 with potential to be ongoing

For more information, please contact jhobbs@futurenow.org.au.

The Internet Cafe program aims to teach new skills, help seniors navigate the internet, explore apps, learn about cyber safety and connect with family living in other parts of the world using technology. The program runs once per week and can accommodate up to 25 seniors. The learning can be done in people's preferred language, if English is a barrier. The program is partly subsidised by the Australian government through the Commonwealth Home Support Program. Eligibility assessment is required, and a fee contribution is required of participants.                                               

The Multicultural Village Hub One-on-One Tech Support program is a free, one-on-one personalised service for people over the age of 55 years. The program is run by knowledgeable and skilled volunteers who teach technology skills, how to explore the internet, assist with the set up new mobile devices, explore applications, talk cyber security, assist with communicating with loved ones overseas, use Microsoft Word etc. This program is also run once a week.

Barrier

• Design
• Skills

Priority cohort

• People with disability,
• People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds,
• Older people

Timeline

July 2023 ongoing

For more information, please contact k.quigley@umbrellacommunitycare.com.au.

The Technology Training program at Melville Libraries provides free in-person support to help community members build their digital skills and confidence. The program includes one-on-one training and group sessions. City of Melville Libraries also offer free Wi-Fi access and computer use on site. For library members aged 50 and over, digital tablets are available for free loan (either with or without internet data included) thanks to grants from Be Connected (An Australian government initiative committed to building the confidence, digital skills and online safety of older Australians).

Barrier

• Skills
• Connectivity

Priority cohort

• People living on low income,
• Older people

Timeline

Ongoing

For more information, please contact library@melville.wa.gov.au.

The Communication Disability Capacity Building Project aims to raise awareness of the barriers experienced by people who have complex communication needs (little or no verbal speech) and promote strategies to overcome these within government and the broader community.

Barrier

• Design

Priority cohort

• People with communication and/or intellectual disability

Timeline

February 2022-January 2024

For more information, please contact mary.butterworth@ddwa.org.au.

Seniors helping seniors to manage their online needs is an initiative to help older people, who don't own a computer or have computer skills, to learn to use mobile devices - phones and tablets to access the world of the internet to stay connected and to be able to participate effectively in modern society. The unique model features:

1. Seniors teaching seniors.
2. A continuous program, not time limited, which adapts to the pace and interests of the learner.
3. It encourages the learner to share what they have learned, reinforcing and encouraging their learning whilst boosting self esteem.
4. It includes support for purchasing a device, for finding affordable internet connections, for staying safe online and for mastering their own device.
5. The group has been operating continuously for 10 years and has helped around 10 similar groups get established.

Barrier

• Affordability
• Connectivity
• Skills

Priority cohort

• Older people,
• People with disability

Timeline

Ongoing

For more information, please contact switchedonseniors@gmail.com.

The Disaster Resilience Program seeks to identify and bridge gaps in disaster resilience (natural, pandemic etc) resources for asylum seeker communities. This involves:

1. improving digital platforms and creating digital resources to increase disaster resilience.
2. coordinating second hand digital devices to go to asylum seekers who would otherwise not be able to afford or access them. (This element of the project is delivered more broadly by CARAD as well).

The program is currently funded by the Office of Multicultural Interests.

Barrier

• Affordability
• Design

Priority cohort

• People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, particularly refugees

Timeline

2022-23

For more information, please contact office@carad.org.au.

The WA Digital Inclusion Project is a collaboration of leading community service organisations and digital partner NBN Co that aims to address the key barriers to digital inclusion and build the digital capability of front-line community service workers together with their clients and communities. The WACOSS led three-year project, funded by a $3.9m Lotterywest grant, will assist 100,000 people across metropolitan Perth and several regional centres across the state. The project commenced on 1 July 2022.

Barrier

• Affordability
• Connectivity
• Skills

Priority cohort

• People with disability,
• Aboriginal communities,
• People living in regional and remote communities,
• People living on low income,
• People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, particularly refugees,
• Older people

Timeline

3 years from July 2022 to 2025

For more information, please contact richard@wacoss.org.au.

This project aims to work in partnership with West Australian public libraries and Community Resource Centres (CRCs) to increase access to computers, as well as support for the development of digital literacy skills, with an emphasis on regional and remote communities.

Barrier

• Affordability
• Connectivity
• Design
• Skills

Priority cohort

• People with disability,
• Aboriginal communities,
• People living in regional and remote communities,
• People living on low income,
• People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, particularly refugees,
• Older people

Timeline

July 2023 ongoing

For more information, please contact steve.mcquade@slwa.wa.gov.au.

Initiative: Improved accessibility to digital skills and STEM training

More than 100 ICT and STEM related qualifications are included in the Lower fees, local skills initiative, with fees reduced by up to 72%. The FREE IN ‘23 initiative offers fee-free training and includes around 60 ICT and STEM related courses and skills sets. These initiatives make training more affordable for students wishing to enhance their digital skills and STEM skills.

Initiative: Expanded VET pathways in ICT qualifications and support for existing worker upskilling

Three new traineeships have been established and two existing traineeships expanded or streamlined to support attraction of more people to the VET pathways when undertaking ICT qualifications. Through the Defence Industry Existing Worker Incentive program, skills development
needs of existing employees are supported if they wish to undertake a traineeship with an ICT or Industry 4.0 focus. 

Initiative: Pre-employment digital skills training

The Career Taster Program (CTP) is a pre-employment program that assists Year 9 students to explore potential careers in various industries. CTP promotes digital skill VET pathways and future career opportunities to Year 9 students through industry led experiences. There are 34 IT and STEM focussed industry experiences and resources available through the CTP online portal. The Job Ready Programs have been developed in collaboration with industry and provide free accredited training, wrap-around support and an industry work placement, which may lead to employment, apprenticeships and traineeships or further learning. DTWD is exploring the possibility of launching a Digital Job Ready Program in 2023.

Initiative: Development of digital skill courses

Skill sets are short courses that include units of competency from full qualifications that can be utilised to meet the needs of industry or provide fast-tracked entry into a particular job role. Beneficial for individuals who require upskilling or reskilling into entry level roles in a variety of industries, skill sets are currently available for potential pathways into the ICT, Geographical Information Systems and Cyber Security sectors.

Initiative: ICT Scholarships for Individuals on the Autism Spectrum

The Autism Academy for Software Quality Assurance, the Autism Association of Western Australia and DTWD have formed a partnership to deliver a program to harness the valuable skills of people on the Autism spectrum for the ICT industry. DTWD provides up to $5,000 financial support per person to five eligible recipients undertaking Certificate IV and Diploma level qualifications in IT, programming, cyber security or software development.

Barrier

• Skills

Priority cohort

• People with disability,
• Aboriginal communities,
• People living in regional and remote communities,
• People living on low income,
• People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, 
• Older people

Timeline

2023

For more information, please contact skills.strategy@dtwd.wa.gov.au.

A collaborative annual event brought together state and local government with other key stakeholders with a mission to build awareness, policy and collaboration around digital inclusion. The event has laid ground for unique digital literacy and social inclusion programs.

Initiative: Drones – Principles to Flight; an accessible training program for people with mobility or dexterity impairment (developed and executed in collaboration with Techlearn and Western Electric Sporting Association (WESA).

Initiative: Online Safety for Seniors; an on-site training program in collaboration with Switched On Seniors, Microsoft and Terranova Security to help secure seniors online presence.

Initiative: Office 365 Training Program;  developed in collaboration with the University of Notre Dame Australia Broome Campus. The tailored training programs teach the basics of Microsoft Office programs incl. Word, Outlook, PowerPoint and Excel in addition to use of online services, general search engine, research basics and cyber security.

Initiative: Office 365 in the Workplace; developed in collaboration with UniHall (UWA.)
This free one-day training aims to equip Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth with essential job-readiness skills in current technology thus creating better professional opportunities.

Initiative: Microsoft 365 programs to the mentors in the Deadly Sista Girlz education program by the Waalitj Foundation. Deadly Sista Girlz is a culturally appropriate healthy lifestyle program which aims to improve engagement and education amongst school-aged Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls.

Initiative: Digital literacy training for incarcerated Indigenous youth at the Banksia Hill Detention Centre to secure basic digital skills that is crucial for rehabilitation, re-integration, and social inclusion when they are released. 

Initiative: Digital literacy training for female refugees from Afghanistan to enable integration, confidence and independence. In collaboration with the Red Cross Australia. 

Initiative: Training in how to use assistive robots to support ethnically diverse seniors in WA, in collaboration with Umbrella Multicultural Community Care

Barrier

• Skills

Priority cohort

• People with disability,
• Aboriginal communities,
• People living in regional and remote communities,
• People living on low income,
• People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, particularly refugees,
• Older people

Timeline

Ongoing from the first event in 2015 to current date

For more information, please contact nilesh.makwana@illuminancesolutions.com.au.

 PWdWA strongly advocates for the right of inclusive access for all Western Australians living with disability. PWdWA is WA's leading membership-based, non-legal disability advocacy organisation providing free individual and systemic advocacy to Western Australians with disability.

Barrier

• Affordability
• Connectivity
• Design
• Skills

Priority cohort

• People with disability

Timeline

N/A

For more information, please contact vanessa@pwdwa.org.

WA Digital Inclusion Project is a WACOSS led project in which the Australian Inclusion Group are partners. We are partnered with WACOSS in their Digital Inclusion Project initiative. 

Barrier

• Affordability
• Connectivity
• Design
• Skills

Priority cohort

• People with disability,
• Aboriginal communities,
• People living in regional and remote communities,
• People living on low income,
• People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, particularly refugees,
• Older people

Timeline

12 months

For more information, please contact oliviav@inclusiongroup.org.au.

The Be Connected Program is targeted at supporting people over 50 to gain essential digital skills and aims to build capacity in community organisations through digital mentor training and resources, grants and program support.

Barrier

• Affordability
• Connectivity
• Design
• Skills

Priority cohort

• People with disability,
• Aboriginal communities,
• People living in regional and remote communities,
• People living on low income,
• People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, particularly refugees,
• Older people

Timeline

Ongoing

For more information, please contact connect@goodthingsfoundation.org

Digitally accessible and inclusive services for people with disability -  The ACROD Parking Program and the Companion Card program, operated by National Disability Services (NDS) in WA, are undergoing digital transformation and NDS are looking to make sure that best practice is followed in the dimension of digital inclusion and access. NDS is Australia's peak body for non-government disability service organisations, provides services to over 100,000 people with disability and represents over 1000 non-government service providers. NDS is looking to use its voice to amplify the importance of digital inclusion in the disability sector.

Barrier

• Design
• Skills

Priority cohort

• People with disability,
• Older people

Timeline

N/A

For more information, please contact eugene.glazman@nds.org.au

Being digitally connected is becoming more important as government and community service providers are increasingly moving online. This initiative will enhance financial counsellors’ digital skills and train them to help people navigate options and manage ongoing access to affordable digital services plans. It is aligned with WACOSS initiative 7.

The Access and Affordability Pilot will provide affordable devices and subsidised internet plans to 500 social housing residents, as well as digital skills training and support over a 12-month period. WACOSS will work with FCAWA to support residents to accommodate ongoing internet access within their household budget. The initiative aligns with WACOSS initiatives 5 & 6.

Barrier

• Affordability

Priority cohort

• People on low income

Timeline

18 months to Q3 2024

For more information, please contact kmiller.projects@fcawa.org

The WiFi for All initiative enables people in remote and isolated communities to have access to the benefits of technology and online services. The initiative is supported by Kali-tech,  a not-for-profit organisation focussed on connecting people throughout Australia by designing and building communications. Kalitech is a not-for-profit organisation focussed on connecting people throughout Australia by designing and building communications solutions in collaboration with other organisations that enables people in remote and isolated communities to have access to the benefits of technology.

Barrier

• Affordability
• Connectivity

Priority cohort

• People with disability,
• Aboriginal communities,
• People living in regional and remote communities,
• People living on low income,
• Older people

Timeline

October 2022 - Ongoing

For more information, please contact info@kalitech.com.au

This initiative aims to facilitate the sharing of historical information data sets about Country, People and Culture held by Government Agencies with Prescribed Body Corporate Aboriginal Organisations. There are currently 12 Prescribed Body Corporate Aboriginal Organisations who have access to the data sets across Australia including eleven from Western Australia. The Initiative is open to all uses of The Keeping Place.

Barrier

• Design

Priority cohort

• Aboriginal communities,

Timeline

12 months - Ongoing

For more information, please contact ceo@thekeepingplace.com

This initiative aims to share a free Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) scanner tool to allow organisations to scan their domain/s. The tool will provide an instant rating and identify areas that require remediation to become compliant with WCAG. 

Barrier

• Design
• Affordability
• Skills

Priority cohort

• People with disability,
• People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds

Timeline

July 2023- Ongoing

For more information, please contact graeme@reciteme.com

This initiative aims to promote digital accessibility through free webinars and workshops. This includes the use of free tools, and resources to share such as tip sheets for making accessible documents and testing for web accessibility.

Barrier

• Skills

Priority cohort

• People with disability,
• People living in regional and remote communities,
• People living on low income,
• Older people

Timeline

Ongoing

For more information, please contact amace@abledocs.com

This initiative aims to ensure older people in the WA community are kept safe from scams, fraud and financial abuse. The initiative is supported by Bankwest, as part of the CBA Group, who continue to employ more people in WA into tech roles and then identify opportunities for sharing this as a centre for excellence across all sectors of WA.

Barrier

• Skills
• Design

Priority cohort

• People at risk of domestic and financial abuse,
• People with disability,
• Aboriginal communities,
• People living in regional  and remote communities, 
• People from culturally and  linguistically diverse backgrounds,
• Older people

Timeline

Ongoing

For more information, please contact robert.cory@bankwest.com.au

This initiative aims to encourage WA members and Council of the  Australian Information Industries Association (AIIA ) to get involved in digital inclusion initiatives and support the Accord.

Barrier

• Affordability
• Connectivity
• Design
• Skills

Priority cohort

• People with disability,
• Aboriginal communities,
• People living in regional  and remote communities,
• People living on low income,
• People from culturally and  linguistically diverse backgrounds
• Older people

Timeline

2023-24

For more information, please contact sharon@sharonbrownassocs.com.au

The aim of the Access & Affordability initiative – a key pillar of the WA Digital Inclusion Project- is to deliver devices, connectivity and digital coaching to a range of digitally excluded individuals including residents of community housing and First Nations communities. The program is supported by WorkVentures, a partner with WACOSS in the WA Digital Inclusion Project.

Barrier

• Affordability
• Connectivity
• Skills

Priority cohort

• People living on low income,

Timeline

2023-24 (2 years)

For more information, please contact caroline.mcdaid@workventures.com.au

Youngster.co is a certified social enterprise that aims to bridge the gap between younger and older generations by creating job and volunteering opportunities for school students. We believe that young people have a lot to offer. By giving them opportunities to assist older adults with technology, we can create a mutually beneficial relationship that benefits both groups and strengthens our communities. 

Once the youngsters are 18 years old, have participated in our session groups or are experienced and vetted, we offer them jobs to assist seniors at home.

Currently operated by Youngster.co across 30+ locations with over 1000 tech-savvy youngsters onboarded nationally.

Barrier

• Skills

Priority cohort

• Older people

Timeline

Ongoing

For more information, please contact admin@youngster.co

Microsoft’s self-paced online resources enable the WA community to build their digital literacy. These resources are complemented by a virtual Microsoft Digital Skills Training series called “Soundbyte” that cover basic topics like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more. These live sessions motivate community members to actively participate in real-time discussions, acquire valuable insights, and ask questions on the spot – enhancing their learning journey. The virtual format enables a broader outreach across the WA community.

Barrier

• Skills

Priority cohort

• Older people
• People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, particularly refugees
• People living in regional and remote communities
• People living on low income
• People with disability

Timeline

Ongoing

For more information, please contact cathy.johar@adeccgroup.com

Website   https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/digital-skills/?msockid=38971690f561626f3e30052cf4006314

Many Linkwest member Neighbourhood and Community Resource Centres engage their communities through digital literacy programs and with provision of computer and internet access. Centres offer a safe and trusted place in which to learn and seek support, often engaging with the most isolated and vulnerable members of their communities. 

Barrier

• Affordability
• Connectivity
• Skills

Priority cohort

• Older people
• People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, particularly refugees
• People living in regional and remote communities
• People living on low income
• People with disability

Timeline

Ongoing

For more information, please contact  jane.harwood@linkwest.asn.au

Website  https://linkwest.asn.au/

See Me Please, an Australian born social enterprise start-up, is a marketplace comprising individuals who have no vision, low vision, are hard of hearing, neurodivergent, older than 70, non-English speaking, and physically disabled.

Our team works collaboratively to provide organisations with valuable feedback on the accessibility and useability of their services, bridging the gap between service providers and the diverse communities they serve.

The core of our service offering is amplifying the voices of people you’re solving for by making it easy to engage diverse, disabled, older user testing insights and feedback.  In doing so, we not only improve digital accessibility and service design but also cultivate empathy and understanding within organisations contributing to a more inclusive culture. But the most beautiful part is creating meaningful open employment opportunities for people who face real barriers to finding employment and accessing services. Every project we provide user-testing insights on counts towards our goal of creating 300 jobs for people who have faced long term unemployment.

Barrier

• Design

Priority cohort

• Older people
• People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, particularly refugees
• People living in regional and remote communities
• People with disability

Timeline

Ongoing

For more information, please contact katie@seemeplease.com 

Website www.seemeplease.com