In the article from the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), titled “Error 404: Digital Inclusion Still Not Found”, they highlight how there’s been little progress in addressing digital exclusion in Scotland.
They highlight how in August 2024 Audit Scotland issued a stark warning: Scotland’s leadership on digital inclusion had faltered, momentum had stalled, and thousands risked being left behind without urgent action.
This underscores the persistent challenge of digital exclusion in Scotland, despite advancements in digital adoption. Approximately 700,000 people in the country still lack internet access, facing barriers such as affordability, limited digital skills, or a lack of motivation to engage online.
These obstacles deepen inequalities in an increasingly digital-first society, where access to essential services, education, employment opportunities, and social connections increasingly depends on being online. This digital divide particularly impacts rural communities and marginalized groups, leaving them at a significant disadvantage.
Actioning The Digital Inclusion Charter
The SCVO emphasizes the critical need to address this issue through concerted efforts and highlights its own initiatives to promote digital inclusion. Programs like the Digital Inclusion Charter and place-based projects in communities such as Dundee and Glasgow focus on providing devices, improving connectivity, and delivering skills training to bridge the gap.
However, the article stresses that achieving meaningful digital inclusion requires more than isolated efforts—it demands collective action. Organizations must embed inclusive practices into their service design, ensure senior leadership prioritizes digital equity, and foster partnerships to create sustainable, long-term solutions.
To tackle the challenges of digital exclusion effectively, the article advocates for practical steps like conducting workforce digital skills audits and prioritizing user-focused research to better understand the needs of excluded groups. It also encourages leveraging existing resources to build robust solutions rather than relying on temporary fixes.
By framing digital inclusion as a shared responsibility, the SCVO calls for a collaborative approach to ensure that everyone in Scotland can fully participate in the digital world, breaking down barriers and creating a more equitable society.
Roadmap
SCVO’s Digital Inclusion Roadmap for Scotland, launched in November 2023, provides a strategic framework to reduce digital exclusion. It outlines five core challenges—access to suitable devices, affordable connectivity, skills and confidence, inclusive design, and motivation—and three enablers: leadership, partnership, and resources.
The roadmap calls for cross-sector collaboration to make small, impactful changes, emphasizing that digital inclusion is essential for modern life and should be embedded in public service delivery. It aims to create a Scotland where everyone has the choice to engage online, addressing inequalities exacerbated by the increasing digitization of services.
