Centre for Information Management

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26 September 2017

Digital Participation and Wellbeing: A Networking Event

Presented By Presented By Louise Cooke, Sharon Wagg and Boyka Simeonova
  • 10:00 - 16:00
  • Room B114, Brockington (Building 70), Loughborough University LE11 3TU
  • Ticket Information

    Registration:

    This is a free event, but please register via email to: Ruth Cufflin r.cufflin@lboro.ac.uk

    Parking:

    There is a car park in front of the building, but allow plenty of time as it fills quickly. On entering campus, collect a parking permit from the security gate and they will direct you to parking.

    Directions:

    How to find us

About this event

Alice Mathers, Good Things Foundation Alice Mathers, Good Things Foundation

The 'digital by default' strategy being pursued in the current Government Transformation Strategy envisages all citizen-government transactions taking place online. This offers considerable potential benefit to both government and the citizen in terms of cost-savings, accessibility, democratic participation, environmental sustainability, self-empowerment and self-efficacy.

However, according to recent figures, almost 6 million Britons have never used the internet and 25% of disabled people have never been online, leaving a proportion of citizens disempowered rather than empowered by the digital agenda. Moreover, a recent House of Commons report suggests that full digital engagement could add £63 billion to the UK economy so there is a strong economic as well as moral argument for closing the digital gap.

How can this digital divide be closed and what role can we play through our research? What impact will doing so have on citizens' well-being and democratic participation?

This event aims to bring together researchers from across the University and beyond who are interested in pursuing research in the domains of digital participation and its impacts on social inclusion and well-being. The aim of the network would be to initiate the co-creation of funding applications as well as to facilitate idea generation, discussion and better co-ordination and awareness of knowledge and expertise in the domain of digital and social inclusion and well-being. Anyone with an interest in any related area is welcome to come and join in.

Although primarily a networking event, with an opportunity for those present to let others know about their own research, we are also really pleased to be hosting a presentation from Dr Alice Mathers, Head of Innovation and Research at the Good Things Foundation, who will talk a bit about their own work in digital and social inclusion and about any opportunities for collaboration.

Programme Schedule

10.00

Refreshments

10.30

Welcome and Introduction to the event

Louise Cooke

10.45

Participants’ presentations (10 minutes each)

12.30

Lunch

13.30

Keynote talk - Alice Mathers, Good Things Foundation

14.15

Agenda setting: Brain storming workshop

15.15

Closing Words – Louise Cooke

15.30

Close

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