In October 2008, the Department for Communities and Local Government published Delivering Digital Inclusion: An Action Plan for Consultation. NIACE's conference aimed to provide information about the digital inclusion strategy and bring people together to discuss some of the issues. It was attended by 109 people and feedback shows that most of them found the event useful and interesting. The day opened with an address from Wayne David MP, recently appointed Minster for Digital Inclusion. He outlined the importance of overcoming exclusion for adults and young people alike. He took several questions from the floor relating to publicising the consultation on the action plan, identifying which groups of people are most excluded, funding for adult education and how to ensure that staff have skills and time to improve their technology skills. He urged us all to work together to bring about change.

We had two further keynote addresses – from Chris Batt OBE, Consultant (retired) Chief Executive, Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) and Dr Rebecca Eynon, Research Fellow, Oxford Internet Institute (OII) and Lecturer, Department of Education at University of Oxford. See their presentations here:
chris batt.pdf rebecca eynon.pdf

There were six workshops:
1) Community Reporters Scheme
Gary Copitch, Director, Manchester Community Information Network (MCIN) gary copitch.pdf
2) The work of a small learning centre in an area of social deprivation
Kathy Degerdon, ICT Manager, Swarthmore Education Centre, Leeds
3) Through Assistive Technology To Employment – The TATE Project
Sal McKeown, Project Partner sal mckeown.pdf
4) Reflecting on the first year of the functional skills pilot
Terry Smith, Advisor, Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA)
terry smith.pdf
5) An approach to digital inclusion
Mike Attwell, Regional Director, East Midlands, Workers’ Educational Association (WEA) michael rogers.pdf
6) Homeshoring Call Centre Pilot and DC10plus Network
Peter Goodwin, Director, Accelerate Nottingham
peter goodwin.pdf