Missed Connections: Simple Steps to Reach Across the Digital Divides

[ UUID ] 0c961650-aca2-4f4e-9bfa-20d54ec8ef59

[ Session Name ] Missed Connections: Simple Steps to Reach Across the Digital Divides [ Primary Space ] Digital Inclusion [ Secondary Space ] Web Literacy

[ Submitter's Name ] Leana Mayzlina [ Submitter's Affiliated Organisation ] NTEN

[ Other Facilitator 1's Name ] Drew Pizzolato

What will happen in your session?

We’ll help attendees take a look at the ways they seek to engage individuals in their work, and will jointly identify where some barriers may exist to involve folks with limited digital access and skills. Whether you’re selling a product on Etsy, building a social change campaign, or writing code for a website, you might be perpetuating digitally exclusive practices without a second thought. Together, we’ll discuss some strategies to make our work and hobbies more digitally inclusive. Sometimes it’s as simple as creating a paper survey or developing a video tutorial, and by brainstorming together, we’ll come away with some clear ideas and strategies to implement to include communities with limited digital access and skills.

What is the goal or outcome of your session?

With over 3 billion people in the world lacking internet access and an even more staggering number lacking digital skills, we want to challenge participants to think about the digital barriers that are currently in place in their places of work and play. Our goal is to help attendees walk away with some concrete strategies for helping bridge these digital gaps, whether that means changing HR policy to allow paper job applications at their workplace or teaching their grandparents to use FaceTime to feel more connected. We’ll encourage participants to dream big and act small, coming away with simple clear steps they can take to connect with communities marginalized by the digital divide.

If your session requires additional materials or electronic equipment, please outline your needs.

Post it notes and pens would be great, but not critical.

Time needed

60 mins