From our work since 2000, Citizens Online has developed a wealth of experience in digital inclusion, digital skills, leadership and transformation. We care about the digital world and the experiences people have within it – we are here to help make them positive.

Over the years our work has varied, but has always remained focused on digital inclusion. We have; produced research, developed partnerships, delivered and evaluated projects, delivered training in digital leadership and inclusion, and consulted with and produced digital inclusion strategies for organisations going through digital transformation. We operate a freephone digital skills helpline, 0808 196 5883 and deliver digital skills support through our digital inclusion projects.

Our approach

Our digital inclusion work is evidence based. We aim to change the way local service providers and funders perceive the issue of digital inclusion, from being a ‘bolt on activity’ to a way of working that is embedded in everyday practice. This builds sustainability for digital inclusion support and resilience for communities to future technological change. We advocate partnership working in areas to achieve the greatest impact. Digital exclusion is too great a problem for any single organisation to solve alone.

People with lived experience of digital exclusion inform our practice and we gather feedback through our robust evaluation and our user panel. We know that a digital champion approach is the most effective way to improve essential digital skills.

Our user panel

The Citizens Online User Panel, consists of a small, diverse group of learners who have been, or are currently digital excluded. The panel members provide a lived-experience view point on our work, as well as sector and policy developments. The user panel informs our practice and boosts our understanding of digital exclusion and digital poverty across the UK.

Our portfolio

Our projects and research include supporting diverse clients from metropolitan Boroughs to rural areas like the Scottish Highlands and Islands, North Wales and Northern Ireland. You can download a pdf of our Portfolio here

Recent clients

  • Local authorities: West Sussex, Waltham Forest, Brighton & Hove, Gwynedd, Brent, Tower Hamlets, Barking and Dagenham, Ealing, Havering, Kensington & Chelsea, Lambeth, Dorset, North Yorkshire, Surrey, Epping Forest, East Hampshire, Ashfield, Charnwood, Harrogate, Medway
  • Housing Associations: Torus, L&Q Housing, Clarion Futures, Hyde Housing, Orbit, Golding Homes, Town & Country Housing (Peabody Group)
  • Health: Public Health England, Humber and North Yorkshire ICS, North West London ICS, Centre for Ageing Better, NHS South East London CCG, NHS Sussex
  • Business: Hyperoptic, Conduent (National Highways), Triodos Bank, Maximus/Remploy, emovis
  • Government: DCMS, Department for Communities and Local Goverenment

Awards

As part of the One Digital consortium, Citizens Online won the Digital Skills Award at Connected Britain Awards 2019. Citizens Online won the 2015 Digital Leaders Award for “Best Digital Inclusion Product or Service”. Other awards for our work include:

  • Amaze 2015 for our accessibility campaign Fix the Web
  • Spring Online 2014 for our project in Nairn
  • Business in the Community: Responsible Business Award 2013. Our partner BT won this for the Gwynedd Get IT Together project that we delivered

One Digital Programme

From 2015-2020, Citizens Online was involved in the One Digital programme to evidence and improve digital inclusion across the UK. Other delivery partners were; Age UK, Clarion Futures, Digital Unite, and SCVO. AbilityNet also took part in Phase 1 of the project. The expertise gained from involvement in the programme helped us develop our approach.