Digital Challenge
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Following the landmark launch of the UK ICT Strategy, which took place in Manchester at the third EU Ministerial e-Government Conference (23rd-25th November 2005), the Digital Challenge has already become a reality. It was launched at the end of last year by the Minister for Local E-Government, Jim Fitzpatrick and is increasingly attracting a high level of interest from local authorities and other public sector bodies.
The Digital Challenge provides a unique opportunity to create a world class exemplar of a digitally inclusive community. By using the very best Information Communication Technologies to transform the face of services, you can better meet the needs of local communities - including the most disadvantaged. Providing streamlined access to local government services through a variety of channels will make a real, measurable difference to people's lives.
We believe that the Digital Challenge invites initiatives that develop an innovative, inclusive digital vision for an area, region or city by identifying, integrating and expanding the use of digital technology to combat exclusion and deprivation.
We also think that the way to meet this emerging challenge is to place even greater emphasis on the user communities themselves and the integration of ICT into daily life.
This holds true whether we are referring to a learning community, a business community, or a local community like Eastserve in East Manchester (www.eastserve.com). Indeed, the Eastserve experience is indicative of how making ICT an integral part of the community not only drives take-up, but also brings concrete social, educational, and economic benefits to disadvantaged areas.
The vision of 21st Century Communities is to provide ICT services and strategies that transform the way we live, learn, and work - contributing to the development of all sorts of sustainable and sustaining communities. We would welcome the opportunity to discuss how we might be able to help you develop a Digital Challenge bid by using our 21st Century Communities Framework, or more generally how our approach to take-up and community development could be applied in your area.
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