Although phones, tablets and laptops feel ubiquitous in many homes, the North East continues to lag behind other regions in surveys of internet use and digital skills. The pandemic has accelerated a move to online access for services such as healthcare, housing and banking, and coupled with the move to remote learning, this has made the digital divide more acute.
While there has been a big push to provide hardware such as laptops to those most in need, digital exclusion is still an issue for many young families, where a lack of skills can make access to services and learning more difficult, and even leave people vulnerable to disinformation and fraud.
The Foundation of Light is the official charity of Sunderland AFC. Established in 2001 by former Sunderland AFC chairman Sir Bob Murray CBE, the organisation’s mission is simple: to use the power of football to tackle the North East's biggest societal challenges, helping the region's communities to live happier and healthier lives.
Details of the Digital Skills program are being developed by the Foundation delivery team, with the team from Shout contributing expertise. We are excited to see how we can impact the lives of families in the region, helping everyone to develop into responsible and happy digital citizens.
The first deliverable for the partnership has been new websites for the Foundation of Light and the Beacon of Light - the Foundation's multi use community hub building, complete with unique rooftop football pitch. The new sites are supported by an easy to use content management system, meaning the team can efficiently manage their own content and present the work of the organisation in a compelling way.
Nicole Atkin, Chief Commercial Officer at Shout, commented:
We're proud to be working with the team at the Foundation of Light, both in developing their online presence but also creating a longer term partnership to elevate digital skills for families in the region. We have long admired the work the Foundation is doing with and for North East communities, and we're looking forward to contributing to that effort
Nicole Atkin
Chief Commercial Officer - Shout
Lesley Spuhler, CEO of Foundation of Light added:
We pride ourselves on going the extra mile for people within our community and this is a fantastic opportunity to help families within the region to develop their digital skills. We really appreciate the support Shout Digital have provided thus far and will continue to do so in the coming months.
Lesley Spuhler
CEO - Foundation of Light
