Being online centres on access, affordability and ability
Being able to access and navigate the online world impacts many South Australians – but is most acutely felt by those in our regions.
Known as digital inclusion, this is a serious problem in a world that is seeing many critical services and supports move online.
According to the Australian Digital Inclusion Index, regional SA is well behind Adelaide and the rest of Australia when measuring access, affordability and ability in navigating the online world.
For its Keys to the Digital World project (funded by the Local Government Association of South Australia, and auDA) SACOSS consulted with digitally-excluded community members, libraries, and community centres from across South Australia to determine the extent of the problem and what might be done to solve it.
The Keys to the Digital World project report is here and was launched at the Port Pirie Library in December 2023. There is also Keys to the Digital World: Snapshot and Keys to the Digital World: Success Stories
It found that libraries and community centres were increasingly having to step in to help people with online difficulties in the absence of face-to-face services such as banks and telecommunications services. Current levels of resourcing for digital inclusion work are simply not adequate to meet community needs.
There is an urgent need for a substantial, ongoing investment from the state government, to better support community members with limited digital access or skill to build their capacity to engage with the digital world.

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