In support of National Inclusion Week, Housing 21’s Digital Inclusion Lead, Jess Ettridge, talks about why digital inclusion is important, what Housing 21 is doing to remove barriers and examples of proactive initiatives that are being rolled out to residents living in Housing 21 schemes.  

Digital inclusion at Housing 21: empowering residents, one connection at a time

At Housing 21, digital inclusion isn’t just a buzzword, it’s a commitment we’ve made to our residents who want to engage with the digital world. As a leading provider of safe, quality, and affordable housing for older people, we understand that independence and engagement are crucial to the services we provide. In today’s tech-driven society, these values are increasingly linked to access to digital technology. 

Without internet access or digital tools, many of our residents risk missing out on vital aspects of life, such as staying connected with family and friends, accessing healthcare services, managing finances, and participating in social activities. That’s why digital inclusion is at the heart of what we do.

Understanding the importance of digital inclusion

Being digitally excluded creates significant social and economic divides that can adversely affect people’s wellbeing and overall quality of life. At Housing 21, we are dedicated to tackling these issues head-on. Our mission goes beyond just providing devices and internet access with funding… we’re also focused on offering resources that help our residents who want to be included in the digital world. We’re here to help them build their digital confidence and skills.  

Our goal? To empower our residents and make technology feel accessible rather than intimidating. We work closely with Housing 21’s Resident Digital Inclusivity Group to realise our goals. This is why we are excited to announce that Housing 21 has achieved signatory status with the Digital Poverty Alliance’s Digital Inclusion Charter. This milestone reflects our commitment to residents and their digital needs, reinforces our commitment to national standards, and aligns with the vision of achieving digital inclusivity by 2030. By signing the charter, we have committed to: 

How we are already meeting our commitments

Housing 21 is part of the Good Things Foundation’s National Digital Inclusion Network, which plays a crucial role in helping residents access SIM data and devices through funded programmes and device banks. In 2023 alone, the Foundation supplied Housing 21 with 21 laptops, tablets, and Mi-Fi devices, as well as access to unlimited free SIM data. Additionally, the network provides invaluable digital skills resources, enabling our residents to enhance their digital literacy- if they want to. 

Thanks to a £6,000 grant from the Good Things Foundation, we’ll be launching a device gifting programme in October 2025, providing Mi-Fi devices and smart tablets to residents facing financial challenges.

We’ve initiated significant conversations about digital exclusion to help both residents and employees understand its impact on daily life and wellbeing. We recognise the importance of the Minimum Digital Living Standard (MDLS), and to support this initiative, we are implementing Wi-Fi in communal areas across all our Retirement Living schemes. This will ensure that residents can easily access the internet in communal lounges, at no cost, similar to the services provided in our Extra Care schemes.

In Greater Manchester, we’ve partnered with Xyrius to offer digital skills training as part of community learning programmes. This initiative connects learning organisations with older adults across the county, helping build their confidence and digital skills. Additionally, we’ve collaborated with Jangala and VMO2 to distribute GetBox devices, enabling residents to connect online.

Our employees have access to fantastic resources linking to charities, tools, and learning platforms like Learn My Way and Barclays Digital Wings to help residents and employees bolster their digital confidence. 

We’ve also launched a Smart TV pilot project to enhance connectivity and engagement. This initiative includes digital noticeboards and Microsoft Teams for video calls.  

Thanks to a £54,000 grant from Westminster, we’ve funded advanced Smart TV features, Teams room connectivity in one of our Extra Care schemes in London, along with game consoles and smart tablets for fun and social activities.

What’s next for us?