The power of partnerships
Key to becoming a truly inclusive digital borough, is a strong partnership and collaboration between the council, local businesses, technology providers and organisations from the public, private, community and academic sectors.
This collaborative approach will enable new innovative opportunities that maximise the use of digital technologies, and the skills and capabilities of our residents and local businesses. This will allow our residents and staff to develop the right skills, and be provided with the right opportunities.
For example, we have strong collaboration partnerships with the broadband providers, Community Fibre and Hyperoptic, who are working with us to deliver better broadband, and digital skills across the Borough. We are also working with Microsoft, Hitachi and Infosys to connect our data and use technology to solve community challenges through Hackathons.
Southwark Council is also a member of Socitm, a professional network for leaders delivering innovation and modernisation of public services.
We have signed the Local Digital Declaration, a shared ambition for better local public services. We pledge to design services that best meet the needs of residents, to challenge the technology market to offer the flexible tools and services we need. To protect residents privacy and security and deliver better value for money.
Continuing and growing these partnerships across London and wider will be essential to deliver this report and associated action plans. This includes working closely with our voluntary sector, community groups, charities and academia.
LOTI and the GLA Partnership
We are working closely with LOTI and the GLA on their Digital Access for All mission.
GLA/ LOTI Digital Inclusion Innovations Programme
To deliver the GLA’s ambition for Every Londoner to have access to good connectivity, basic digital skills and the device or support they need to be online by 2025, the GLA are working in partnership with LOTI on the Digital Inclusion Innovation Programme. This is a £1.36million programme to tackle digital exclusion.
In addition to the Digital Exclusion Mapping Project, the first phase of the project also consists of the following:
- encourage and help London’s public sector organisations to upcycle their retired devices to benefit digitally excluded Londoners
- address the specific needs of digitally excluded individuals and families living in temporary accommodation
- supporting Dementia Carers and finding digitally enabled ways to support the carers of people living with dementia
Page last updated: 08 May 2024
