Internet Access - A Basic Human Right? by Jacquie Cox
The following is the research of Jacquie, a citizen social scientist living in Gospel Oak in the London Borough of Camden.
Whilst internet access isn’t, in the UK at least, an official ‘human right’, many organisations and councils, including Camden, currently describe it as one.
In the ‘We Make Camden’ vision, having digital skills – ‘including the ability to use the internet and access to a computer or another digital device’ – is described as ‘vital to get by’.
In her words, Jacquie says describing it as a human right can sound dramatic, but as a local resident she does see it becoming increasingly essential.
The speed at which the online world is moving is startling, particularly to those in the borough being left out....
Jacquie Cox Citizen Social Scientist
“I’ve been living in Gospel Oak, Camden, for over 25 years. It’s a great place to live, with a great community. For me, it’s the first time in my life, I’ve ever felt part of a community.
I’ve done lots of things in Gospel Oak. I worked with local people as a community project officer. This job looked at what was most important in the area, what people wanted to do, and doing as much as we could. I’ve worked in a local chemist, and the local foodbank. I volunteer in green spaces.
I am now working on a project looking at how to make it possible for more people to find out about and use Camden’s new Community Wealth Fund. I’ve been looking at how / if people use the internet.
The Borough of Camden within Greater London
The Ward of Gospel Oak within Camden
What did local people say about belonging to the local community?
Every single person I spoke to said they felt part of the local community. It made no difference whether they worked here, volunteered here or lived here.
How brilliant is that!
I feel passionately that I am part of the local community. Why? Because I live here, so do my children and family. I’m very involved in the local community.
Mary, local resident
I feel part of the community, it’s very diverse. I get on well with my neighbours. I used the local amenities and made friends when I was at school. I use the mosque, local shops, community centre and football pitches
Stan, local resident
But what about the local online community?
It was a different story when I asked people if they felt part of the online (Camden) community.
Here, most local residents, who do go online, said no, or not really. They got most information they need from local groups and by word of mouth. Or, they only went online for things that were important to them personally, like school groups.
I was really surprised at how few people used social media – people said things like: no need, no time, it gets nasty.
I don’t feel part of the online (Camden) community. I am partly involved in some local groups, but have moved away from some because of negative comments on it.
Mary, local resident
Gospel Oak also has three of the poorest areas, called ‘Lower Super Output Areas’ (LSOAs) in Camden.
For example:
In my chosen patch, you are up to two and a half times more likely to leave school with no qualifications, than you are in Camden overall.
One Camden LSOA is in the 12% most deprived in England. Another is in the 8% most deprived in England for income deprivation affecting children. (Camden statistics 2023)
Why is this important? This is important because research shows that in areas like this, people are a lot more likely to have problems with internet access.
There is a ‘Digital Exclusion Risk Index’ (DERI). This shows how you are more likely to have internet access problems if you live in areas which are already in difficulty.
Digital Exclusion Risk Index | Trust for London
Map of the area I looked at.
I completed formal interviews, informal interviews, and a photo elicitation interview. The people I talked to either lived, worked, volunteered, or were involved in the area through their children.
Helpful phone numbers given to people during the pandemic.
Why is this important now?
During the pandemic, it turned out that people were having real issues because they weren’t online.
They couldn’t get money out if they had post office accounts, when the post office closed. People couldn’t top up electricity or power or anything like that. They also couldn’t top up phones either, as they had top up cards. There were people walking on the streets trying to find out what was going on.
When things are tough local people come together to help each other. The community came together, to help with the food bank and food deliveries from the local Community Centre (QCCA). People, groups (like SHVHF, a local arts for youth project) and the Council all helped getting laptops for local families with children.
The Council put emergency information in the local free paper – The Camden New Journal – and sent out letters. Local people were allowed to put information posters on empty walls.
One local person got the phone numbers of energy suppliers and made a poster.
Information needed to be on paper.
There’s a great mix of people, services cafés and shops – mainly independent. Some of the businesses are cash only, and the cafés are very community minded and supportive.
There are market traders there who are only carrying on their businesses because of the local community and other local businesses.
They have said they are not making any money, and are near breaking point, but stay for the people and connections.
Some of these are cash only. Yes, there are problems, like anywhere, but mainly it’s people helping people.
What I Found Out
From the interviews and chats, there were three main themes that came out about difficulties online.
Data and devices
Feeling supported?
Connecting with the community
Data and devices
The first thing I have to say about not having access to devices is that I know what this is like.
When I lost my last job because of funding cuts, I was stuck. I didn’t have a laptop or a smartphone. My laptop was a work one. How then could I look for a job or apply for one?
I was lucky.
I got in touch with the local Gospel Oak Job Hub. I got a Chromebook through Good Work Camden; and the job hub sent me information on local work.
And, here I am.
What else could I have done? Used the local Queen’s Crescent library. Lots of people I spoke to do this. What came up here was the library needs to be open in the evenings and at weekends.
Other things that came up in the interviews were:
Not having enough data. One person helping people with advice and guidance told me that most people they helped didn’t have laptops. They also said there were people, for example refugees, who had mobile phones and could use them very well. Language could be an issue, but could be managed to an extent with Google translate. BUT, they didn’t have enough data. This was also true for other people:
I have a smart phone and a top up card. Nothing else, it’s all too expensive’. I will get messages on my phone and then have to go the library to deal with those things. I need free data and a ‘memory stick.’Before, I had a 6 month free data chip from the library – great.
Lester, local resident
Shockingly, Universal Credit has to be applied for online.
People also get ‘time-based tasks’, which can’t be completed on the phone. If you don’t see the text, or can’t get to the library on time, you can lose your benefits.
In summary, here’s what an officer from the Gospel Oak Job Hub said:
Regarding equipment, we get lots of requests for laptops and so on. We apply to the Digital Inclusion Project, through Good Work Camden. We also have access to the Residents’ Support Fund.
People need good quality access, reasonable prices and a laptop.
Officer at Gospel Oak Job Hub
Data and devices
Feeling supported?
Connecting with the community
Feeling supported
I suppose the first thing that came up here was the language and jargon used on the internet.
This came up when starting to chat about local people’s online experience.
Digital exclusion / digital inclusion / digital poverty / online user.
What do they mean? What’s the difference?
For me I think what matters is that:
Everyone who wants to should be able to go online, using the internet for whatever they need.
People should be able to do this wherever they are.
People should be able to do this at any time.
There were quite a few people, who felt they could do everything they wanted. This was not necessarily because they were experts, but because they didn’t want to do any more.
Other issues that came up were language, dyslexia, sight issues, online systems, security and training.
I can understand the online system issues. The amount of times I’ve come across an instruction that I don’t understand. You only have a certain amount of time to do it, so desperately press a button you think might work. Oops, where am I, what happened there, how do I get back to where I was?
Oh well, let’s start again, and again…….
Local people mentioned not being able to connect things together; navigating online (council) services, how technical site filters are, not being able to fill forms.
Online security worries were no surprise.
Here local people who were online talked about shopping and banking. One smart idea was to have a card you only use for shopping. That way, if things went wrong, you’d know what had happened.
No online banking for me. I don’t trust it. You can’t know if it’s safe.
Fred, local resident
In general, most people didn’t want to have any personal information put online. They were not sure how it would be used or by whom.
The link below is to a really good online booklet about online safety. Ask someone to download it for you.
Digital inclusion courses booklet from Camden Adult Community Learning. Get one from your library. There are face-to-face courses.
When people talked about training and what they could or could not do, a lot of things came up.
With smart phones, people talked about having smart phones but only using them for phone calls. Some people couldn’t access or read texts. They couldn’t download apps. Others had online accounts because it was cheaper, but couldn’t use the account.
There was also a general fear of laptops. At the Job Centre, a young person had gone to access their Universal Credit account. The staff member had taken them to a computer and walked away. The young person couldn’t access their account without help.
Then we chatted about training, for internet use or work / business or anything else. Most people had no idea there was so much free training around. Why not? Because it’s mostly advertised online. If they wanted to find out, people said they’d go to the library.
A very interesting point that came up here was that almost everybody said they didn’t want online training. They wanted face to face training and, if possible, one to one. They also wanted it local, because travel was expensive and difficult.
Lots of people are digitally embarrassed. They see the process but can’t reproduce it. You can read a process, but not be able to do it. You can read a recipe for bread, BUT not have skills to do it. You need to be shown.
W.W., local resident
So, where do local people go for help and support? In general, people get help from local people, neighbours, family and friends.
I sometimes get help from other people I trust – it doesn’t matter whether they are neighbours or local groups members, the main thing is I have to trust the people.
Mister, local resident
They also get help from local estate workers and local groups.
I try to develop independence by setting ‘learning tasks’ e.g. with Google translate. I’ll show people Google translate and use it and then get them to use it in front of me, so I can use it back at them.
Iris, local resident
Data and devices
Feeling supported?
Connecting with the community
Connecting with the community
Camden Council has a lot of activities, such as local or Camden wide consultations and Community Assemblies.
These can be about all sorts of issues – for example, should Camden High Street be pedestrianised, with no cars allowed? What is it like to live in a high rise? The climate crisis. Health and care.
These are used to work out Camden policies, and look at new ideas.
During my interviews it became clear that many people didn’t know about any of this.
I don’t know about them. I have not been approached. If I was approached, I would probably do them – face to face.
Mister, local resident
Why don’t people know about these things?
Most of these are only advertised online. If you are not active online, you have no chance.
If you have limited data, you are unlikely to find these things by accident. And if you have plenty of data, you’d have to know they were there and where to find them.
I did one on a local issue – Talacre, where you were asked what changes there should be. Otherwise, I don’t know about them. I might do them if I knew about them and they had an effect on me’
Sofi, local resident
The general feeling here was that surveys and assemblies should be announced. There should be better training and information in the community. Also, they should be advertised in libraries, on posters, in the local paper, in local activity centres and Tenant Resident Associations for example. Information should be shared in the different council teams, so they could go to estate events, fun days. Council officers could go to local community events, group activities or have a local ‘come and chat’.
I’m always shocked when I discover online surveys. Aren’t they delivered to local groups? Aren’t they distributed to all people in an organisation? The library doesn’t seem to have them either.
Iris, local resident
They should have someone out on the market every week, telling local people what’s going on.
DX, local resident
So What Needs to Happen?
Use research to make sure areas needing more support are given it.
Accept that things still need to be promoted on paper if you want a fairer society.
Go to areas, groups, community events to talk to people – don’t rely on the internet.
Find out what the ‘online’ situation is where you work, live or volunteer. Include it as standard when doing research.
Fight for online information to be in the census.
Find a way – financial or other – of encouraging people to do as much as they possibly can to help people have online access and training.
Set up / fund local businesses or social enterprises to support people.
Accept that some people will not go online and make sure that they are able to get equal access to public and council services.
Hold face to face training on how to be as safe as possible online.
Get free access to devices and data to those who need or want it.
Make sure you make it possible for local people to ‘have their say’.
Make sure people who know the area are asked about their needs before plans are created.
What’s been going on in Camden and elsewhere:
To show the importance of having the necessary online access, a few quotes and links:
Call to action two: In 2025, growth in Camden should be strong and inclusive – everyone should be able to access the work that is right for them.
A survey showed Manchester is the most digitally inclusive city in the UK. Every library is a databank where you can ask for a SIM card.
In today’s world it is essential that communities are connected to a range of services which more often than not exist online. If people are left digitally isolated we run the risk of deepening the impact of poverty by failing to provide a lifeline out of it.
Councillor
John Hacking, Executive Member for Skills, Employment and Leisure, Manchester Council
End Digital Poverty Day 2024 (digitalpovertyalliance.org)
Yes, there’s a national day to end digital poverty!
On 12 September, join us for the second annual End Digital Poverty Day, an event proudly initiated and hosted by the Digital Poverty Alliance (DPA). Established in September 2023, this day has quickly become a pivotal part of our mission to end digital poverty across the UK.
Digital 2024: Global Overview Report — DataReportal – Global Digital Insights
This site will tell you what’s happening all over the world.
Highlighting some local schemes:
To show the importance of having the necessary online access, a few quotes and links:
Camden Council:
There is a ‘digital support bus’. If you are a group or person who wants help with online issues, or your device, you can ask for this bus to come to your area You will need to email or ask someone to email: digital.inclusion@camden.gov.uk.
Queen’s Crescent library
The library is a ‘digital hub’. Speak to library staff if you need digital help. They can help you to look for help with getting data, getting guides and so on.
They also have some courses and can help you find the nearest suitable one. Some of these are face to face Ask for the leaflet: ‘Camden Adult Community Learning’ (ACL) Digital Inclusion Courses. They may also be able to help you find a ‘digital champion’ – a volunteer who can help you with your problems.
There are lots and lots of links to training, skills, safety, accessibility guides, and guides in other languages. If it is difficult to find what you are looking for, or you don’t have access, don’t give up, ask someone, or go to your library. These are all on the council website, so here’s the link.
www.camden.gov.uk
/improve-your-digital-skills
Age UK:
I know this is for older residents. I have included it here because they can help with a lot of things:They may be able to lend you a device. They have drop in sessions at Kentish Town Library. These can be one to one and face to face, or in groups. They have home visits if you have mobility issues.
They have a phone number as well as an email address - 020 3488 6884
digitalinclusion@ageukcityoflondon.org.uk
Some reports you may find interesting:
I read lots, but I think these three have a lot of interesting things in. They are not always easy to read, but have summary pages.
‘Digital Inclusion in London A review of how digital exclusion is being tackled across London’
- This report does what is says in the title. It is from LOTI (London Office of Technology and Innovation)
‘Digital Poverty in the UK: A socioeconomic assessment of the implications of digital poverty in the UK.’
- This article has a lot of really shocking facts. It also looks at the financial and health benefits of dealing with digital poverty.
‘Approximately 13-19 million people over the age of 16 are experiencing some form of digital poverty’‘
The economic impact of digital inclusion in the UK’
- This report looks at how much it would cost to get people digitally included, compared with how much money would be saved by the government, NHS and so on.
Hope for the future:
‘At London Tech Week earlier this month, Peter Kyle, the Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, articulated the UK Labour Party’s commitment to enhancing digital skills and confidence across the nation. His speech highlighted a significant pledge: a Labour Government would collaborate with charities like Good Things Foundation to re-purpose old Government tech for digital inclusion.’
Article - ‘A visit from Secretary of State for DSIT Peter Kyle’ - 19/06/24 - goodthingsfoundation.org
Change for the better has to happen. My sister didn’t see it in her lifetime, nor my brother, not my mother, so it’s time.
Mister, local resident.
We are here for the residents’, we never turn the tap off, we never turn people away.
Staff member, The Gospel Oak Job Hub
HOPE
CAMDEN COUNCIL CITIZEN
SCIENTISTS-IN-RESIDENCE 2023-2024
Following many successful collaborations, including the Good Life Euston and Euston Young Voices projects, Camden Council have teamed up with the Institute for Global prosperity at University College London to deliver an innovative ‘Citizen Science-in-Residence’ programme for the year 2023-2024. This zine is one of the outputs from this programme.
Seven local residents were employed by Camden Council to conduct research informed by their own lived experience for the benefit of developing new council policy ideas and initiatives. As part of their residency at the council, the cohort completed a bespoke 12-month training programme with the UCL Citizen Science Academy.
Five of the citizen scientists-in-residence were connected with the development of the council’s new Community Wealth Fund Initiative and the remaining two conducted research to help inform the Tenant Engagement Programme. Through practical training and supported fieldwork using qualitative research methods, the work done by the citizen scientists-in-residence is part of a wider goal to promote citizen-led policy making and connect residents with local government.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
To Camden Council: Thanks for giving local residents the chance to speak their truths and be heard. Thanks for giving the Citizen Scientists the chance to research such important areas. Thanks for acknowledging that it is essential to listen to local people. Thanks to the Digital Inclusion Team, especially Rouba and Anes.
To UCL: Thanks to everyone who helped in this project and shared their experience. Thanks for training us in how to be Citizen Scientists, especially Joseph Cook.
To our Citizen Scientists’ group: Thanks to all members of our ‘magnificent seven’ family.
Most of all, to all local residents, groups and businesses: Thank you so much for taking the time to share your life experiences.
The UCL Citizen Science Academy would also like to thank all those at Camden Council that provided support for this project, including those in the Participation and Community Wealth Fund teams. Additionally, we are grateful for the input from a variety of local organisations who have hosted us throughout the year, including Luminary Bakery, Google, Training Link and Somers Town Community Association.
