The Digital Inclusion Alliance Aotearoa (DIAA) has six digital inclusion programmes: Stepping UP, Skinny Jump, Better Digital Futures for Seniors, DORA, Digital Banking, and Digital Wellbeing for All. All of these programmes are delivered in partnership with local organisations nationwide, principally libraries.
The Alliance’s largest digital inclusion programme is Stepping UP, free community-based training that builds your digital skills and knowledge in small easy steps, in subjects that interest you for your life or work.
Stepping UP (also known as Digital Steps) was established in 2009 with support from Microsoft’s Unlimited Potential programme. From 2012 to 2018, the programme was supported by the Ministry of Education and the Lottery Grants Board for Computers in Homes families and their local communities, as an opportunity to continue their digital learning journeys. From August 2018, DIAA took over responsibility for managing and expanding the reach of the programme in collaboration with public libraries and community centres. Each self-paced module takes two hours, in a relaxed and sociable space, with a friendly tutor there to help. Learners can choose from 38 modules, available in over 210 delivery partners (libraries, REAPs and community centres) nationwide.
Further information on programme outcomes and impact is available in our reports below:
2020-2021 Delivery Report
2019-2020 Delivery Report
2018-2019 Delivery Report
2017-2018 Delivery Report
You can read more on the Stepping UP website at www.steppingup.nz
Skinny Jump is a programme designed to help more New Zealanders gain access to affordable broadband at home; providing heavily subsidised connectivity to thousands of households at risk of being digitally excluded due to cost. Jump is a flexible pre-paid service, offering 35GB of data for just $5, a quarter of the price of the cheapest commercial services available.
Because it uses Skinny’s 4G wireless network there’s no fibre or landline connection and no installation cost. No credit references or credit checks needed.
DIAA has partnered exclusively with the Spark Foundation to deliver Skinny Jump through its delivery partner network. During a Jump set-up, you’ll activate your free modem, create your pre-pay Skinny account, complete an online agreement and then take the modem home – all ready to use! Workshops or 1-1 sessions are available from over 220 libraries, community centres and other partners nationwide.
Skinny Jump is closely associated with Stepping UP, with many Stepping UP partners running Skinny Jump set up sessions and sharing the same coordination and support staff.
You can read more at steppingup.nz/get-jump
The Better Digital Futures for Seniors programme supports seniors (people aged 65+) seeking help in going online. Participants choose one of four Digital Pathways, each with four 2 hour classes, helping seniors build their digital skills and confidence in using digital technologies.
Research by Victoria University of Wellington revealed that seniors typically fall into one of seven categories, ranging from ‘highly digitally skilled and engaged’, to those who simply see no reason to ‘go digital’. Better Digital Futures has been developed with this in mind. Each pathway targets groups of seniors at different stages of their digital journeys.
Read more about Better Digital Futures
DORA is a 33-year old school bus from Central Otago that was converted into a high tech digital learning centre for the Stepping UP training programme in 2012. From 1 August 2018, responsibility for managing DORA transferred to DIAA.
Up to 15 people can go on board at any one time for computer and internet training. DORA comes equipped with 10 laptops as well as satellite, 4G and 3G internet connections. The roof is packed with solar panels to supply power for the bus and when the sun isn’t shining, there is a petrol-driven generator to keep everything working. DORA also becomes a mobile wifi hotspot when her 12-metre mast is extended.
DORA is a completely self-contained digital classroom that can travel anywhere in New Zealand to provide computer and internet training for local communities.
Where it is difficult for people to get to training centres DORA is the perfect solution – if people can’t get to training sessions, we are now able to take the training to them and park up in their street.
You can read more on the Stepping UP website at steppingup.nz/dora
Digital Banking classes help adults to gain knowledge and confidence with online banking, explore alternatives to paying by cheque, and learn how to recognise and avoid online scams. No personal financial information is required to participate. We have partnered with Kiwibank and TSB to deliver this programme.
You can view the Digital Banking course on our registration platform.
Digital Wellbeing for All is designed to build the capacity of librarians to provide digital literacy training for their communities with a special focus on internet safety.
Participating librarians engage in a 24-week online professional development programme and help at least 30 people in their local community engage in selected Digital Step modules. There are no costs for participants – these are covered by the National Library for NZLPP-funded library staff and by InternetNZ for others.
The Webinar topics are:
