Discuss best practices, lived experiences, current programmes and understand how everyone can help close the digital divide.
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Synopsis
BCS believes that every child and adult deserves access to a world class computing and digital literacy education. The digital divide is a modern measure of inequality which underpins the work that BCS does with the Digital Poverty Alliance to help end digital poverty by 2030.
This session brings corporate organisations and IT teams across the industry together to demonstrate what is working well across programmes run by BCS and DPA to reduce the digital divide gap.
The Digital Poverty Alliance is a leading advocate for transformative change in addressing digital exclusion. Through innovative and impactful programmes, the organisation works to break down barriers to digital access, ensuring that individuals and communities are provided with the essential skills, technology, and connectivity needed to thrive in a digital-first society
We will hear from the DPA on behalf of its beneficiaries , and gain some understanding as to what hasn’t worked well in our current efforts to close the digital divide.
We will hear from BCS members who have been driving initiatives in their communities and identify best practices that can be shared elsewhere.
We will also hear from corporate organisations and IT teams about what help they can offer and what help they need to get involved.
About the speakers
Jennifer Neely, Development Manager of the Digital Poverty Alliance
Jennifer Neely is the Development Manager at the Digital Poverty Alliance (DPA), dedicated to building lasting partnerships that support the DPA's mission of ending digital exclusion. With a strong background in the charitable sector, Jennifer is focused on creating opportunities for collaboration among businesses, organisations, and the community to drive sustainable solutions and help achieve the DPA’s vision of a more digitally inclusive UK.
Fiona Dawson, Director at Mayden, BCS Member in the Community in Bath
Fiona Dawson is Director at Mayden. She is passionate about what technology can do to support healthcare and advocates for the health informatics profession, both as a BCS Fellow and FEDIP Leading Practitioner. She holds a degree in Applied Computing from the University of Bath and a Masters in Healthcare Data from Cambridge University. Fiona has lived in Bath all her adult life after falling in love with the city as a student. She is passionate about addressing the digital divide and is involved with bringing together groups of like-minded individuals as Director of the Bath Bridge CIC. Recent projects have supported improved digital access for refugees and digital skills for young people in the city. She is a Digital Poverty Alliance ambassador and also supports the One Healthtech Bristol Hub, promoting diversity and inclusion in the vibrant healthtech community in the local area.
Anna Somaiya, Founder and CEO of Anna Consultancy and DiversITy-talent
Anna is Founder and CEO of Anna Consultancy LLC and DiversITy-talent and Chair Trustee of Alternative Angels. She is an award-winning leader for DE&I and digital innovation with 32 years of experience in digital transformation and cybersecurity. Previously she held roles as CIO, CTO, and CISO, and has worked for the Big 4, leading major technology transformations and championing inclusivity and innovation across various sectors.
Rubi Kaur, Chief Enterprise Architect at Lloyds Banking Group and Inclusion Officer of the BCS Digital Divide Specialist Group
Rubi Kaur is the Chief Enterprise Architect at Lloyds Banking Group with over 25 years of technical lead experience from previous roles at Vodafone, BT, O2 and the UK Government. She has led award winning teams to win the Business Green IT Team of the year and the UK Government Finance Award for Sustainability. She is an active fellow and former Trustee of the British Computer Society, Chartered Institute of IT and the Inclusion Officer the BCS Digital Divide Specialist Group. Her passion is to help architect progressive, fair, inclusive, ethical and responsible digital technology for everyone so that we leave no one behind in the digital age. For the last 4 years she has featured in the Computer Weekly list of most Influential Women in technology.
Our events are for adults aged 16 years and over.
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Please note: if you have any accessibility needs, please let us know via groups@bcs.uk and we’ll work with you to make suitable arrangements.
For overseas delegates who wish to attend the event, please note that BCS does not issue invitation letters.
This event is brought to you by: Digital Divide specialist group
