We want your help to ensure that BCS plays a major role for its members and the wider community to address digital inclusion.
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Synopsis
We are a group of like-minded members who wish to help address the massive issues surrounding digital poverty and digital exclusion. This Digital Divide has only grown over the course of the pandemic despite significant exposure and investment. One in ten families has no access to internet-enabled devices other than mobile phones, 20% of children do not have a suitable device for their home schooling. There is also the elderly who have not been exposed to the digital world or those who have no means to do so.
They are effectively being left behind. This is not good enough.
The BCS whose purpose is making IT good for society, has made addressing the digital divide one of its strategic priorities.
This SG hopes to engage the resources and influence of the wider BCS community by championing digital inclusion for all - through access to skills and technology, and by working with other stakeholders to ensure that BCS plays a major role for its members and the wider community it serves.
We now have an opportunity. The Digital Poverty Alliance wants to end digital poverty by 2030. What can BCS and its members do to help make this a reality?
Already a BCS member? Join the Digital Divide SG
About the speaker
Freddie Quek – BCS Digital Divide SG Chair
Freddie is chief technology officer at Times Higher Education. He is a Fellow of the BCS, Chair of the Digital Divide specialist group, and a judge for the UK IT Industry Awards. His team has received two UK IT Industry Awards and was recognised in 2021 as one of the UK’s top 100 tech leaders by Computing and top 20 by CIO UK. He started the #joiningthedots initiative to address digital inclusion and has become a special adviser and Community Board member of the Digital Poverty Alliance.
Freddie has been a BCS member for over 30 years with a broad industry experience in helping organisations to use digital technologies for business solutions, and is encouraging the IT profession to take a step towards our personal social responsibility to use our expertise in this domain to address digital poverty in line with BCS's purpose of making IT good for society.
Our events are for adults aged 16 years and over.
BCS is a membership organisation. If you enjoy this event, please consider joining BCS. You’ll be very welcome. You’ll receive access to many exclusive career development tools, an introduction to a thriving professional community and also help us make IT good for society. Join BCS today.
This event is brought to you by: BCS Digital Divide specialist group
