Oldham Council secures £266k to tackle digital exclusion

Oldham Council has secured £266,084 to tackle digital exclusion across the borough through a new programme called GOW Digital. The funding from the Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund will help hundreds of residents who struggle with basic digital skills-from applying for jobs online to accessing healthcare services.

The programme will create two Digital Inclusion Hubs at Get Oldham Working offices and launch a Mobile Digital Hub that will visit community venues across the borough. The mobile unit will travel to places like Access Oldham, SAWN, Millennium Centre, Fatima Women's Association, and Werneth and Freehold Community Development.

Over 400 residents will receive free laptops after completing digital skills training, while 30 people will be trained as Digital Champions to help others in their communities. Each Champion will get a tablet and volunteer to support neighbours with computer-based sessions and community delivery.

Councillor Abdul Jabbar, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance, Corporate Services and Sustainability, said the programme is about more than just handing out devices. 'Not having access to digital services has a day-to-day impact-from health and education to work and managing finances,' he explained. 'GOW Digital is about building confidence, independence and opportunity.

The initiative aligns with national efforts to improve digital inclusion and supports the Essential Digital Skills framework. Residents can contact the Get Oldham Working team by email at [email protected] or call 0161 770 4674 to find out about workshops and drop-in sessions at the new Digital Café.