preston.coop Open in urlscan Pro
149.255.57.71  Public Scan

Form analysis
2 forms found in the DOM

GET /search/node

<form action="/search/node" method="get" id="search-block-form" accept-charset="UTF-8" class="search-form search-block-form">
  <div class="js-form-item form-item js-form-type-search form-item-keys js-form-item-keys form-no-label">
    <label for="edit-keys" class="form-item__label visually-hidden">Search</label>
    <input title="Enter the terms you wish to search for." placeholder="Search by keyword or phrase." data-drupal-selector="edit-keys" type="search" id="edit-keys" name="keys" value="" size="15" maxlength="128"
      class="form-search form-element form-element--type-search form-element--api-search">
  </div>
  <div data-drupal-selector="edit-actions" class="form-actions js-form-wrapper form-wrapper" id="edit-actions"><button class="button--primary search-form__submit button js-form-submit form-submit" data-drupal-selector="edit-submit" type="submit"
      id="edit-submit" value="Search">
      <span class="icon--search"></span>
      <span class="visually-hidden">Search</span>
    </button>
  </div>
</form>

GET /search/node

<form action="/search/node" method="get" id="search-block-form--2" accept-charset="UTF-8" class="search-form search-block-form">
  <div class="js-form-item form-item js-form-type-search form-item-keys js-form-item-keys form-no-label">
    <label for="edit-keys--2" class="form-item__label visually-hidden">Search</label>
    <input title="Enter the terms you wish to search for." placeholder="Search by keyword or phrase." data-drupal-selector="edit-keys" type="search" id="edit-keys--2" name="keys" value="" size="15" maxlength="128"
      class="form-search form-element form-element--type-search form-element--api-search">
  </div>
  <div data-drupal-selector="edit-actions" class="form-actions js-form-wrapper form-wrapper" id="edit-actions--2"><button class="button--primary search-form__submit button js-form-submit form-submit" data-drupal-selector="edit-submit" type="submit"
      id="edit-submit--2" value="Search">
      <span class="icon--search"></span>
      <span class="visually-hidden">Search</span>
    </button>
  </div>
</form>

Text Content

Skip to main content
preston.coop

Menu
Search
Search


MAIN NAVIGATION

 * Home

Search
Search
User account menu
 * Log in


PRESTON DIGITAL COOPERATIVE

In late 2023 a team coordinated by the Community Broadband Network was
commissioned by Preston City Council to assess the level of digital exclusion in
Preston and make recommendations about what can be done here to address these
challenges, and build digital inclusion in Preston.

We looked at three key aspects:

 * digital skills

 * access to suitable devices

 * access to suitable connectivity

We learned that Preston is like many other places around the country. While
there are parts of Preston that are really well served in terms of connectivity,
with several providers rolling out new ultrafast fibre networks, there are also
parts of the city where people are struggling to access a decent connection.
This is due to multiple factors, including a lack of provision, the challenge of
affordability in the face of the cost of living crisis, and low levels of skill
and confidence.

While it sometimes feels like the world is awash with smartphones and computers,
our findings are that there are significant sections of the population in
Preston who are facing difficulties accessing decent devices, again for a range
of reasons – not always simply about cost.

Equally when it comes to skills and the confidence to use digital tools, we
found some impressive work going on across a wide range of organisations to
enable people to get things done. Clearly more needs to be done, however, and
everywhere the story seems to be the same – that demand is growing and there are
still many barriers to overcome.

This is the background to setting up a new, community-based, mutual organisation
– the Preston Digital Cooperative – to tackle these challenges and provide new
ways for everyone to access digital connectivity and services.


TACKLING DIGITAL EXCLUSION – PROMOTING DIGITAL INCLUSION

The move to digital services that has been gathering pace over the past decade
has turned into a headlong rush, particularly as a consequence of the pandemic.
Accompanied by the increasing loss of many alternative and traditional
communication channels, people need to use digital methods to get things done,
or often face negative consequences. The impact of this shift for large sections
of our communities – where rapid adoption of digital tools and methods is simply
not easily workable for many – demands that action be taken. This is digital
exclusion in practice. It is recognised as a significant and growing challenge
everywhere, and it will only get worse unless we do something about it by
finding new and imaginative ways to promote digital inclusion and better access
to digital services for all.


SETTING UP NEW WAYS OF DIGITAL ACCESS AND CONNECTIVITY

The approach that we have recommended, as a result of our work and consultations
to date, and one that has thus far been enthusiastically supported, is to
establish a new Preston-wide cooperative, bringing interested organisations
together around the table, so that we can work together to address the
challenges of digital exclusion in the city through effective collaboration and
partnership, taking a holistic approach. This organisation has the working title
of the Preston Digital Cooperative (PDC), and as the name suggests, creates an
inclusive democratic space where all voices can be heard, strategies and
solutions can be co-designed, and challenges and successes shared.


WHAT PRESTON DIGITAL COOPERATIVE AIMS TO ACHIEVE

The vision that is driving this forward is of a Preston where no-one is left
behind for want of a decent connection, a suitable device, or the knowledge,
skills and confidence to make good use of that device and connectivity in order
to achieve the things they need and want to do.

“Digital-first” does not need to be the only approach, nor should it mean
digital-only. There will always be an important role for non-digital ways of
getting things done, supported by open and easy to use digital services. This
multi-channel approach needs to be nurtured and made integral to any
digital-first approach.

Making this vision real is the primary objective of the proposed cooperative.


WHY A COOPERATIVE?

This is a key recommendation in our report, which has been supported by Preston
City Council and other local organisations with which we have consulted, for a
number of compelling reasons:

 * It’s a great fit with the community wealth building approach that the City
   Council has championed, and which has already delivered numerous benefits to
   Preston;
 * It gives involved organisations across the City a seat at the table and an
   equal voice in the debate, whilst at the same time creating an autonomous
   organisation with freedom of movement that can get things done without a lot
   of bureaucracy getting in the way;
 * By participating in and supporting the cooperative, no single organisation is
   bearing an unduly heavy responsibility and so risk and reward is shared
   across all of the membership;
 * By bringing a diverse range of interests together to cooperate, we create the
   potential for greater innovation, deeper collaboration, and synergy: together
   we are greater than the sum of the parts.


WHO CAN BE INVOLVED?

It is of course up the members of the cooperative to define the criteria for
membership, but our initial thinking suggests that membership should be open to
any organisation working in the City that has an interest in making digital
inclusion a success story for the people of Preston. 


HOW WILL IT WORK IN PRACTICE?

There’s a great deal of work to be done. We’ve secured some funding from the UK
Shared Prosperity Fund to support the establishment and work of the cooperative
over the first year or so of its operations. We have resources to support the
targeted creation of some new connectivity in the city, and we have funding to
support skills development. It will be down to the members to discuss and agree
exactly how best these resources will be deployed, so we’re keen to get those
working groups and conversations happening as soon as we can. We already have
some ideas about how the cooperative could improve access to devices, and here
too it will be for the cooperative's members to agree the best approach.

We’ll also be actively engaging with nationally recognised organisations in the
field, like the Good Things Foundation and the Digital Poverty Alliance, to help
accelerate our work. And of course we will be seeking to get behind and engage
with all of those organisations already delivering great work across Preston.
Our priorities right now are to get members recruited, get the delivery plan
developed and agreed, and engage with the members and others across and beyond
Preston so that together we can start making an impact.


RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF MEMBERSHIP

Each member organisation will purchase a share in the cooperative, and will be
expected to contribute some time and energy to support the development and
success of the cooperative and promote good practice. We anticipate that
everyone that does get involved will take away a lot more in terms of the
learning and connections gained than they will put in.


HOW YOUR ORGANISATION CAN GET INVOLVED

The first and most important action you can take is to apply for membership.

We'll shortly provide an online application form, but in the interim please get
in touch by sending email to hello@preston.coop


QUESTIONS?

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch. You can reach us via
email at hello@preston.coop

 

This briefing has been prepared by the team at CBN, which has been commissioned
by Preston City Council to support the development of the Preston Digital
Cooperative.

RSS feed
Powered by Drupal