Ending digital inequality in Greater Manchester through the power of collaboration  

By Martin McFadyen, Head of Public Sector, Virgin Media O2 Business. October 2023. 

Closing the digital skills gap has never been so crucial in our current economic climate. One in three people in the UK have said that a lack of digital skills has held back their earning potential and 13 to 19 million people aged over 16 are estimated to be in digital poverty – that’s almost a quarter of the population.  

Whatever your location, age or situation, everyone has a right to digital access and the myriad of benefits it brings.  

In Greater Manchester, 806,500 people face some form of digital exclusion. We’ve been working closely with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) to help build digital skills and confidence so that no one is excluded in our society.

In 2021, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, announced the Digital Inclusion Action Network which set out to equip all under-25s,over-75s and disabled people with the skills, connectivity and technology to get online. Inspired by this pledge to tackle digital inequality in the community, our digital skills programme – Connect More – was born.

The Connect More programme – which we launched in October 2022 alongside GMCA and Wythenshawe Community Housing Group– was formed to support those who lack digital skills and confidence, so they are not left behind as the nation embraces digital transformation at pace. And it’s fantastic to see the lasting positive impact it’s already made in just 12months.

The collaboration between GMCA, local partners and 85 of our own employee volunteers, has resulted in over 280 hours being spent in local communities across Greater Manchester helping over 250 people gain digital skills and confidence.  

It's been a great year of learnings which has helped us to refine and improve the programme in action. For example, we found that some Virgin Media O2 Business employees underestimated their own digital skills, making them hesitant to volunteer as they did not think they were ‘tech-savvy’ enough to provide valuable support to others.  

But soon after engaging in voluntary sessions like the digital drop-ins at Manchester Central Library or at Wythenshawe Community Housing Group, Connect More volunteers quickly realised how much they take for granted the basic skills they do have, and how impactful passing on these skills can be, not to mention the importance of soft skills like listening when supporting others with digital skills.

Of course, access to good connectivity and devices is central to delivering on these ambitions. But the Connect More programme is so much more than just embracing technology. It’s also about investing in people through a range of bold social value initiatives that directly engage with local communities on the issues that matter most, like solving digital inequality. Or improving digital literacy, which can reduce mortality rates among the elderly and has the potential to save up to 24,000 lives a year.  

After a successful pilot in Greater Manchester, we’re delighted that one year on we’ve been able to expand the Connect More programme to several more regions across the UK including Reading, London, Falkirk and Coventry. This is testament to the fantastic work achieved by GMCA and local volunteers in the Greater Manchester community.  

Greater Manchester is well on its way to deliver its bold ambition to become a leading digital-city region, where everyone – no matter who they are and where they come from – can access the online world easily and with confidence. As one in five UK adults are experiencing severe digital poverty today, every one of us has a significant role to play in getting people online. And we are proud to be part of bringing this ambition to life.