It doesn’t always make headlines, but it affects everything—access to jobs, healthcare, education, money management, and basic day-to-day living. It locks people out of opportunity and independence. It deepens poverty and isolation.

So when Baroness Hilary Armstrong, Chair of the Government’s Digital Inclusion Action Committee, visited our charity, it wasn’t just an honour—it was a turning point. For once, the voices of those furthest from the digital world were not only heard, but were at the centre of national policymaking.

As part of her UK-wide evidence-gathering mission, Baroness Armstrong was accompanied by representatives from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and several sector leaders. They visited our centre to see digital inclusion not as a policy term—but as a lived experience.

She walked through our Digital Hub, where we work daily with older people learning to manage their finances online, migrant women using AI to build confidence and digital literacy, and jobseekers navigating online applications and virtual interviews—many for the first time.

She also took part in a powerful roundtable discussion, listening directly to our users and frontline staff share their experiences of exclusion:
- No access to affordable devices or Wi-Fi.
- A lack of culturally appropriate and accessible support.
- Fear of online scams.
- A sense of being "left behind" by a world moving too fast.
- These are not just personal struggles. They are systemic barriers—and they’re growing.

💡 Why This Visit Matters

For Skills Enterprise, a grassroots charity rooted in digital inclusion, this visit was much more than symbolic. It was a clear recognition that solutions to digital exclusion must be community-led.

We’re not a tech giant or a corporate funder. We are a local charity working with real people, every single day, delivering hands-on support and wraparound care in a safe and trusted space. That’s what makes our model work—and what the national strategy urgently needs more of.

🔍 What Causes Digital Exclusion?

Digital exclusion doesn’t happen in isolation. It’s often driven by:
- Low income and poverty – families forced to choose between data and dinner.
- Language barriers – especially for refugees and migrant communities.
- Low confidence or fear of making mistakes online.
- Age and disability – especially when design and support aren’t inclusive.
- Lack of trusted local support to ask for help.

We see these realities every day—and we act on them. That’s what Baroness Armstrong saw: digital inclusion in action.

🧭 What Happens Next?

Although a few weeks have passed since the visit, the impact continues. The evidence collected at Skills Enterprise is now helping to shape the Government’s Digital Inclusion Action Plan. This proves what we’ve always believed: local organisations like ours must help shape national decisions.

We are proud that our charity is influencing this agenda—and proud that the Government is finally listening.

We thank Baroness Armstrong and the DSIT team for recognising that digital exclusion is not just a technology problem—it is a social justice issue.

We also extend our sincere gratitude to Good Things Foundation for facilitating this crucial visit and for their ongoing support. And a heartfelt thanks to all the funders who have stood behind Skills Enterprise—your support makes our work possible.

At Skills Enterprise, we remain committed to building a future where no one is left offline, unheard, or behind.