Support Digital Inclusion at Framework
The Digital Inclusion team has been funded solely by the support of charities and businesses that have donated to Framework.
By supporting our Digital Inclusion Project, you are investing in the future of the people we support – helping us to provide devices, connectivity, and digital skills training that break down barriers to independent living.
From accessing healthcare and job applications to staying connected with family and managing their tenancy, digital access is now a basic building block of everyday life – and your support helps us close that gap for the people who need it most.
The need for Digital Inclusion
In the United Kingdom, digital inclusion plays a crucial part in promoting equality and opportunity. Digital skills and access essential parts of every day supporting peoples, health, education, work and social interaction.
According to Ofcom, around 6% of UK adults had no internet access at home in 2026. Good Things Foundation’s Digital Nation 2026 report found that about 8 million adults lack basic digital skills, and only 1 in 3 adults are comfortable online.
Framework supports people who have been at risk of homelessness by councils and can be people experiencing multiple disadvantages.
Imagine being homeless while experiencing these disadvantages:
- No device: many people we support have no phone, tablet or laptop of their own, or one that is broken or locked.
- No connection: data is costly, and temporary or dispersed accommodation often has no reliable wifi.
- Low confidence and skills: people may never have had the chance to learn, or lost their skills and confidence after time out of work, education or stable housing.
- Safety online: scams, phishing and online abuse are bigger risks for people who haven’t had support to spot them.
- Services moving online: many essential services now expect people to apply, report or book online first.
- Wider benefits: being digitally included supports employment, health, wellbeing, independence and a sustainable move on from homelessness.
Our goals and impact
To tackle digital exclusion amongst our service users, we set goals to address the barriers keeping people from being included:
Provide digital skill sessions
So far we have:
- Supported over 500 Digital Skill Session Attendees
- We have run hundreds of weekly Digital Skills sessions in Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire and Derbyshire
- Our Skills sessions have received 96% positive Service user Feedback
- Volunteers have given over 3000 hours to support these sessions. Giving them experience and confidence to move into full time work
Setup IT Kiosks in all our services
So far we have:
- Set up over 200 internet enabled laptops across the organisation, for service users to utilise
- These devices were used on average 5600 times per year
- These devices were used for a total of 14000 hours
Gift laptops and phones to service users
So far we have
- Gifted 176 Laptops to service users allowing them to access; health services, education, employment and find housing
- Gifted 260 phones to service users creating a vital lifeline to contact friends family, find support and access the internet
Improve Connectivity for service users
So far we have
- Distributed hundreds of donated SIM cards and data SIMs to service users
- Educated service users on social tariffs, to improve access to data while reducing costs
- Created internet spaces within services where they can access and internet enable laptop or router.
Current Projects
Supporting Young People in Derbyshire
We have just been award a new £10,000 grant from Digital Support Derbyshire, delivered through Rural Action Derbyshire. We are running digital skills sessions for 18 to 24-year-olds living in our supported accommodation.
Over one million young people in the UK aged 16 to 24 are not in education, employment or training, around 1 in 8, and the lost potential is estimated to cost the economy £125 billion a year.
Many of the young people we support in Swadlincote and Long Eaton have already been let down by the usual routes into learning and work.
We want to go further
We are asking digital-focused businesses to help us show these young people what is possible. You could host a day trip or workplace visit, run a workshop or talk, or offer work experience. Even a small contribution can show a young person a future they hadn’t considered.
Get in touch to find out how you can help.
How you can help
Whatever your size or sector, there’s a way for your business to make a difference. Every contribution helps us get more people online, build their skills and move forward.
Donate Devices
Laptops, tablets and smartphones, ideally in working order with chargers. Devices that are a few years old are still very useful to us.
Donate connectivity equipment:
Routers and mobile Wi-Fi devices to help us get people online in dispersed and temporary accommodation.
Provide SIM cards and data:
SIMs with data bundles let people use their devices straight away, whether to apply for jobs, manage benefits or stay in touch.
Financially support us
Funds go towards buying devices, connectivity and equipment for the people we support.
Offer work experience days:
Give young people a look at a digital workplace, including what the roles involve and what skills are needed.
Share your skills:
Give a talk or workshop for Framework colleagues and our wider skills-sharing sessions. Topics could include online safety, careers in tech, AI, or how digital skills are used in your industry.