This week, the NDIA community worked together to define the concept of “Digital Inclusion Ecosystem.”
A Digital Inclusion Ecosystem is a combination of programs and policies that meet a geographic community’s unique and diverse needs. Coordinating entities work together in an ecosystem to address all aspects of the digital divide, including affordable broadband, devices, and skills.
Indicators of a strong Digital Inclusion Ecosystem:
- Existence of programs and policies addressing all aspects of the digital divide
- Affordable and subsidized broadband service options that meet the community’s needs
- Affordable and subsidized device ownership programs that meet the community’s needs
- Multilingual digital literacy and digital skill trainings that meet the community’s needs
- Hardware and software technical support
- Digital navigation services to guide residents to the above services
- Collaboration: Entities providing local digital inclusion services, policymakers, advocates, social service providers and community leaders co-create solutions in partnership with the community.
Special thanks to all those who collaborated through NDIA’s listserv (sign up here!), including NDIA’s staff and community members Amy Sheon, Leslie Scott, Robert McLaughlin, Amy Sample Ward, Andrew Buss, Heidi Ziemer, Meg Kaufer, Heather Petro, Bruce Frankel, Rebecca Kauma, Tom Cytron-Hysom, Alison Ascher Webber, Debra Socia, Glenn McKnight, and Priyanka Sharma.