Celebrating the National Year of Digital Inclusion

The National Year of Digital Inclusion has been a fantastic year aimed to help people to realise their online potential, raise awareness of digital inclusion at all levels of society and celebrate the benefits of digital literacy and digital inclusion through events across Australia.

With thanks to you, we’ve achieved some amazing things like:

• 350 network partnerships with organisations across Australia.
• 2000 face-to-face digital learning events run with support from our Network Partners, aimed to take learning out of the classroom and into the community.
• Over 70 online Learning Guides to help people get active and feel confident online.
• 14 Go Digi champions helped to spread the word about the National Year of Digital Inclusion.
• 27 million people were reached through the media keeping digital inclusion on the national agenda.

With the support of Australia Post and our Network Partners we’ve hosted events in all major capitals, and have helped over 300 000 people realise their online potential. Now that’s something to be proud of!

To end this fantastic year, at the Go Digi National Year of Digital Inclusion Awards we reflected on the highlights of the year and celebrated the achievements of the individuals and organisations who have helped their communities build digital skills.

The awards reception showcased some of the inspiring contributions made by network partners, mentors and learners. The Learner Award went to Jono Bredin, who has lived with cerebral palsy from birth. This year, Jono took the huge step of moving out of the family home and has started a public speaking business and produces a brilliant website showcasing his life.

Jono said, “Without the technology, I think I wouldn’t be the independent person I am today.”

In her closing address at the Awards reception, Go Digi Champion, Nan Bosler said “The achievements, the involvement, the gaining of new skills is not over. What has been accomplished during this year will continue to provide benefits to help more of those Australians who do not yet embrace the internet, to take a leap across the digital divide, reach out and grasp the potential that is digital inclusion.”

Some highlights from the year...

• VIDEO: Digital inclusion takes off in Maldon: Go Digi Network Partner, Maldon Neighbourhood Centre has taken digital learning out of the classroom and into the community in the National Year of Digital Inclusion with events like 'Appy Hour'. In this video locals share what digital learning means to them.
• Learning Guides to build digital skills: Go Digi offers over 70 free Learning Guides to help people build their digital skills. These range from online basics like "How to create your own email address" to guides for more advanced computer users like "How to find your ancestors online". These are fantastic resources to help realise your online potential - so get sharing with your friends, family and colleagues!
• Tech to improve lives: Jono Bredin, National Year of Digital Inclusion winner in the Learner category, shares his story of how technology can help to improve the lives of people living with a disability. You can also find out more about Jono on his blog Calling the brain's bluff.

For more highlights, visit our blog where we share stories from Network Partners and activities around Australia.

The NYDI is an integral component of Go Digi, a four year national partnership of Infoxchange and Australia Post aimed at improving the digital literacy of over 300,000 Australians.