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AI , Digital Inclusion

Beyond Being Online: Rethinking Digital Inclusion for a Changing Society

IFB Gaming | Research and Insights

Beyond Being Online: Rethinking Digital Inclusion for a Changing Society

Having an internet connection does not necessarily mean having the confidence, capability or opportunity to participate fully in a digital society. It is time to look beyond access and ask what meaningful digital inclusion should achieve.

Digital Inclusion · Digital Participation · AI Literacy

Digital technology increasingly shapes how people learn, work, communicate, manage their finances, access healthcare and engage with public services. For many, these activities have become part of everyday life. Yet the ability to connect to the internet is not the same as having the confidence or capability to navigate everything that happens online.

A person may own a smartphone, use messaging applications every day and regularly access social media, while still finding it difficult to complete an online application, understand a digital financial service, manage a healthcare account or assess whether information generated by artificial intelligence can be trusted.

This distinction matters. If digital inclusion is measured primarily through access, device ownership or attendance at training sessions, important parts of people’s experiences can remain unseen.

Being online is a starting point. Meaningful participation is the objective.

1. The limitations of being online

For many years, conversations about the digital divide have understandably focused on whether people have access to the internet and suitable devices. These remain fundamental issues. Without reliable connectivity, an appropriate device and affordable access, many digital opportunities are simply out of reach.

However, access alone does not explain the full extent of digital exclusion. The quality of a person’s connection, the condition and suitability of their device, the cost of staying connected, the accessibility of services and the support available when something goes wrong all influence what people can do.

The distinction is reflected in the UK digital inclusion landscape. Good Things Foundation’s Digital Nation 2026 reports that 34 million adults are online with some form of digital barrier or vulnerability. It also reports that only one in three adults are comfortably online.

The wider picture

34m UK adults online with some digital barriers or vulnerabilities
1 in 3 Adults described as comfortably online
72% Adults lacking confidence using AI in daily life

Source: Good Things Foundation, Digital Nation 2026. Figures are drawn from the Foundation’s published evidence and should be read in the context of its stated definitions and methodology.

These figures challenge the assumption that digital exclusion is principally an issue for people who are completely offline. A substantial number of people are already connected but continue to experience barriers that limit the benefits they can gain from technology.

The policy challenge, therefore, is not simply to bring more people online. It is also to understand what happens after they connect.

2. Digital inclusion is a spectrum, not a binary state

Digital capability is rarely uniform across every part of a person’s life. Someone may be confident communicating with family online but less confident using digital banking. Another person may be comfortable searching for information but struggle to identify misleading content or protect their personal information.

A person may also have the necessary skills but lack a suitable device, affordable data or an accessible service. In other circumstances, the technology itself may create barriers through poor design, complex authentication processes or inaccessible interfaces.

This is why describing people simply as digitally included or digitally excluded can obscure important differences in their circumstances.

The UK Government’s Digital Inclusion Action Plan: One Year On recognises that digital inclusion involves access, skills, support and confidence, alongside the need for inclusive services and continued non-digital routes.

This broader understanding is important because people do not experience digital technology in isolated categories. Their ability to participate is shaped by the relationship between personal circumstances, technology, services and the support available around them.

For practitioners and policymakers, this raises a more useful question:

Rather than asking only whether someone is online, what can they do independently, where do they encounter difficulty, what support makes a difference and what opportunities remain beyond their reach?

3. The next digital divide is also about capability and confidence

Digital exclusion is not caused by a single barrier. It is often the result of several challenges interacting with one another.

  • Affordability: People may struggle with the ongoing costs of broadband, mobile data, devices and repairs.
  • Capability: Access to technology does not automatically provide the skills needed to complete unfamiliar or more complex tasks.
  • Confidence: Fear of making mistakes, losing money, compromising personal information or being misled can discourage people from using services.
  • Accessibility: Digital services may not adequately accommodate different disabilities, communication needs or ways of interacting with technology.
  • Support: People may need trusted assistance when learning something new, resolving a problem or dealing with a change in a digital service.
  • Relevance: People are more likely to engage when technology connects with something meaningful in their lives, rather than being presented as an abstract requirement.

These barriers can reinforce one another. A person who cannot afford reliable data may have fewer opportunities to practise. Someone who struggles with an inaccessible service may become less confident about using other services. A person who has learned a skill in one setting may not have the opportunity to apply it independently elsewhere.

Effective digital inclusion must therefore consider the conditions in which people use technology, not simply the skills they have been taught.

4. AI changes the conversation, but does not replace the fundamentals

Artificial intelligence is becoming part of the digital environment in which people study, work, communicate and access information. Its growing presence creates new opportunities, but also introduces new questions about confidence, privacy, reliability, safety and informed decision-making.

AI literacy should not be reduced to knowing which tools exist or how to write an effective prompt. People need opportunities to understand what these systems do, where their limitations lie, how their outputs should be evaluated and when human judgement remains essential.

They should also be able to make informed choices about whether and when to use AI. Digital inclusion should expand people’s agency, not create another expectation that everyone must adopt every new technology.

This is particularly important for people who are still developing foundational digital skills. Introducing AI without addressing connectivity, basic capability, accessibility and online safety risks creating another layer of inequality.

AI literacy should strengthen digital inclusion, not displace it.

People need the foundations to access and navigate the digital world, alongside the knowledge and confidence to understand emerging technologies and make decisions about their use.

The opportunity is to make AI learning practical, accessible and relevant to everyday life. This includes exploring how AI can support learning, communication, creativity and problem-solving, while developing the critical judgement needed to question its outputs.

5. From measuring activity to understanding progress

If digital inclusion is a journey rather than a single state, our approach to measuring it must reflect that complexity.

Counting devices distributed, sessions delivered or people attending workshops can provide useful information about activity and reach. These measures help organisations understand what they have delivered. However, they do not necessarily show what changed for the people involved.

A more meaningful approach asks what people can now do, whether they can apply their learning in different circumstances, whether they feel more confident making decisions and whether they can access opportunities that were previously difficult to navigate.

It should also recognise that progress is not always linear. People may develop confidence in one area while continuing to need support in another. Their circumstances may change, services may be redesigned and new technologies may introduce unfamiliar challenges.

Measurement should make these realities visible rather than forcing individual experiences into a simple success-or-failure category.

What should meaningful measurement consider?

  • Access: Does the person have suitable devices and reliable, affordable connectivity?
  • Capability: Can they complete relevant tasks and apply their skills in practical situations?
  • Confidence: Do they feel able to make informed decisions and approach unfamiliar digital activities?
  • Independence: Can they complete tasks without requiring the same level of assistance?
  • Transfer: Can they apply what they have learned in different settings and circumstances?
  • Participation: Has their ability to learn, communicate, access services or contribute to their community improved?
  • Continuity: What support remains necessary, and how can progress be sustained over time?

This approach does not diminish the importance of delivery data. Instead, it connects delivery to outcomes and helps organisations understand the difference between providing support and enabling lasting change.

6. From Devices to Impact: connecting support with outcomes

At IFB Gaming, we believe digital inclusion needs to be understood through the relationship between access, capability, confidence and participation. The objective is not simply to help people use technology. It is to support their ability to apply it meaningfully in their lives.

Our From Devices to Impact Digital Inclusion Toolkit reflects this principle. It encourages a broader view of digital inclusion, connecting foundational access and skills with practical application, emerging technologies and the opportunities people can pursue.

The IFB Stage Index extends this thinking by focusing on people’s changing needs, their progress through different stages of digital inclusion and the support or referrals that may be appropriate along the way.

These approaches are intended to support a more rounded understanding of digital inclusion. They are not a replacement for established national frameworks or sector-wide measurement initiatives. They contribute to the wider conversation about how organisations can better understand individual experiences and improve the support they provide.

From access to meaningful participation

A practical way to think about digital inclusion is to consider the connections between four dimensions:

01. Access Suitable devices, affordable connectivity and accessible services.
02. Capability The skills and understanding needed to use technology in relevant situations.
03. Confidence The ability to make informed choices, manage uncertainty and seek support.
04. Participation The opportunity to learn, contribute, connect and access wider opportunities.

These dimensions are connected rather than strictly sequential. A person may have access but need support with capability. Another may have developed strong skills but face affordability or accessibility barriers. The purpose is to understand the whole experience and respond to what is actually needed.

7. Building communities where participation is possible

Digital inclusion cannot be delivered by one organisation or sector alone. Individuals, community organisations, educators, employers, local authorities, public services, technology providers and policymakers all influence the conditions in which people participate.

Community-based support remains particularly important. Trusted local organisations can help people explore technology, build confidence, understand unfamiliar services and identify further support. They can also communicate the experiences of residents to organisations responsible for designing and delivering services.

However, the responsibility for inclusion should not rest entirely on individuals or frontline support providers. Organisations must also consider whether their systems are accessible, understandable and designed around the people expected to use them.

This requires a wider understanding of the relationship between people, technology and the systems around them.

IFB Gaming’s Seven Pillars of Future-Proofed Communities provides one way of exploring that relationship. It considers digital inclusion across interconnected areas of everyday life:

  • Digital Citizenship: Participation, responsibility and informed engagement in digital society.
  • Education: Lifelong learning, digital capability and access to knowledge.
  • Living: The role of technology in everyday life, independence and community connection.
  • Commerce: Access to financial services, economic activity and digital opportunities.
  • Healthcare: The ability to navigate digital health information and services.
  • Governance: Access to public services, information and opportunities to participate in civic life.
  • Safety and Security: The knowledge and support needed to navigate digital environments safely.

The value of this perspective is that it moves digital inclusion beyond a narrow discussion about technology. It recognises that digital capability affects how people experience services, exercise choices and participate in their communities.

8. A different question for the next chapter of digital inclusion

The next chapter of digital inclusion should not be defined solely by how many people have access to devices, how many connections are available or how many training sessions have been delivered.

These measures remain important, but they need to sit alongside a deeper understanding of people’s experiences and the opportunities available to them.

We need to understand whether people can use technology in ways that are relevant to their lives, whether they can make informed decisions, whether services work for them and whether they have the support needed to continue developing their capabilities.

We must also recognise that meaningful participation is not the same as constant technology use. People should have the knowledge and opportunity to engage with digital services where appropriate, while retaining access to human support and non-digital alternatives.

The measure of digital inclusion should not end with whether people can access technology. It should consider what that access makes possible.

For IFB Gaming, this is the direction of travel: from access towards capability, from capability towards confidence, and from confidence towards meaningful participation.

Digital inclusion is not a one-off intervention or a destination that people reach and leave behind. It is an ongoing process shaped by changing technologies, personal circumstances and the systems in which people live. Our approaches to learning, support, service design and measurement must evolve with it.

The IFB Gaming perspective

From access to systems. From systems to participation.

IFB Gaming is a London-based research and learning organisation working at the intersection of play, lifelong learning and social exclusion. We explore how inclusive approaches to technology and learning can help people develop capability, confidence and meaningful opportunities to participate.

Explore our work and join the conversation about the future of digital inclusion.

Explore the Toolkit Discover the Stage Index Visit IFB Gaming

Evidence and further reading

This article draws on published research and policy evidence to inform the discussion about digital inclusion, capability and participation.

  1. Good Things Foundation. Digital Nation 2026 . National evidence on digital exclusion, barriers, vulnerabilities and the benefits of digital inclusion.
  2. UK Government. Digital Inclusion Action Plan: One Year On . Government progress and priorities concerning access, skills, support and inclusive digital services.
  3. Good Things Foundation. Only 1 in 3 UK adults are comfortably online as new data exposes hidden barriers facing 34 million people .
  4. UK Government. A Safe, Informed Digital Nation . Policy considerations concerning media literacy and informed participation in digital society.

About IFB Gaming
IFB Gaming is a London-based research and learning organisation exploring the intersection of play, lifelong learning and social exclusion. Its work considers how digital inclusion, accessible learning and community participation can contribute to more inclusive futures.

© IFB Gaming. All rights reserved.

AI , Artificial Intelligence , Budget 2026 , Digital Government , Digital Inclusion

The 2026 Budget: What Does It Mean for Digital Inclusion?

IFB Gaming | Digital Inclusion and Public Policy

The 2026 Budget: What Does It Mean for Digital Inclusion?

The Government is investing in AI, technology, skills and local growth. But what does that mean for people who struggle to get online, young people looking for opportunities, and communities that need more support to participate in digital life?

Published: October 2026 · A plain-English explainer from IFB Gaming

The Chancellor’s Budget is about more than taxes and public spending. It also helps set the direction for the country’s economy, public services, technology and employment.

In the Budget published on 28 October 2026, the Government announced measures covering AI, local growth, public-service reform and employment. These areas matter to digital inclusion because people need more than an internet connection to benefit from a society that increasingly relies on digital technology.

At IFB Gaming, we see digital inclusion as the connection between access, skills, confidence and meaningful participation. The Budget creates some opportunities to advance that work, but it is important to understand what has actually been funded and what still needs to happen.

The central question: As the UK invests in new technology, how do we make sure people have the access, knowledge and support they need to benefit from it?

1. What has the Government announced?

Here are some of the key commitments in simple language and why they could matter to digital inclusion.

AI and local communities £30 million

Local AI partnerships

The Budget provides £30 million to pilot local partnerships that will help businesses adopt AI, develop people’s skills and improve public services. The initial pilots involve authorities in West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, and York and North Yorkshire.

Why it matters: AI adoption needs people who understand how to use these tools, what their limitations are and how to use them responsibly.

Public services £15 million

AI Challenge Prize

The Government is funding a competition to encourage new AI solutions for public-service challenges. Its first focus is healthcare.

Why it matters: Technology can improve services, but people must still be able to access them, understand them and get help when digital systems create barriers.

Young people Nearly 1 million

Young people outside education and work

The Budget highlights the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training, often described as NEET.

Why it matters: Digital confidence and practical technology skills can support learning and employment pathways, when connected to appropriate training and opportunities.

Skills and employment £100 million

Local apprenticeship services

The Budget provides funding for local apprenticeship services, helping strengthen the support available around apprenticeship opportunities.

Why it matters: Young people need routes from learning into real opportunities, not just access to devices or online resources.

Figures and descriptions are drawn from the UK Government’s Budget 2026 publication. They refer to different programmes and should not be added together as a single fund for digital inclusion.

2. Did the Budget provide new funding specifically for digital inclusion?

This is an important distinction. The Budget includes investment in AI, skills, technology and local growth, but it does not announce a dedicated new national funding pot specifically for digital inclusion.

Digital inclusion is about more than providing a device or getting someone connected. People may also need help using online services, developing essential digital skills, understanding AI, staying safe and building the confidence to participate independently.

These needs do not disappear when new technology is introduced. In some cases, they become more urgent.

What this means: The Budget provides relevant policy opportunities, but organisations working in digital inclusion will still need to identify specific programmes, local priorities and funding routes that can support their work.

3. What about AI literacy?

AI is increasingly being used in workplaces, public services, education and everyday life. Knowing how to access a digital tool is not the same as understanding how to use it well.

AI literacy can include learning how AI works, recognising its limitations, protecting personal information, checking information before relying on it and understanding when human judgement is needed.

The Budget’s investment in AI adoption creates a reason for organisations to consider how people will develop the skills and confidence to benefit from these changes. However, the local AI pilots are not a general grant scheme for every organisation, and they are initially focused on three areas outside London.

For digital inclusion practitioners, the wider lesson is clear: technology investment and investment in people’s ability to use that technology need to be considered together.

4. What does this mean for young people and NEETs?

Young people need opportunities to learn, build confidence, explore their interests and progress towards further education or employment.

Digital skills can be part of that journey. Depending on the young person’s interests and support needs, this might include using online services, learning about AI, exploring creative technology, developing problem-solving skills or discovering routes into digital and technology careers.

Gaming can also provide a starting point for conversations about digital creativity, online communication, accessibility, safety and participation. But gaming activities should be connected to clear learning outcomes and genuine progression opportunities if they are intended to support employment or skills development.

The Budget’s employment and apprenticeship measures may create opportunities for local partnerships. They do not mean that every community project is automatically eligible for funding, or that participation in a gaming programme counts as an apprenticeship.

5. Where does mental health and wellbeing fit?

Digital wellbeing is an important part of helping people participate confidently in modern life. For families, this can include conversations about healthy gaming habits, online interactions, accessibility, privacy and balancing digital activities with other parts of everyday life.

The Budget should not be presented as having created a dedicated new fund for youth mental health through gaming. Instead, wellbeing can be included in community learning and digital participation work where it fits the programme’s purpose and is supported by suitable expertise.

For IFB Gaming, this means helping families and practitioners understand gaming more confidently, while recognising that specialist mental health support must come from appropriately qualified services.

6. What could the Budget mean for IFB Gaming?

IFB Gaming works at the intersection of gaming, digital inclusion, learning and social participation. The Budget does not name IFB Gaming or promise funding to the organisation. Nevertheless, some of its priorities provide useful starting points for partnership conversations.

Digital Inclusion Toolkit

The Toolkit can help people and frontline organisations think about digital inclusion as a combination of access, skills, confidence and participation. It can be introduced to local partners as a practical resource for supporting digital learning.

Explore the Digital Inclusion Toolkit

IFB Stage Index

The Stage Index aims to connect people and organisations with relevant support. This could be useful in local partnership discussions about service navigation, referrals and identifying gaps in provision.

Explore the Stage Index

AI literacy and digital confidence

IFB can explore partnerships that help people understand AI, develop practical skills and use digital tools more confidently. Any proposal should set out who it will support, what participants will learn and how progress will be measured.

Explore IFB’s digital inclusion resources

Gaming guides for families

IFB’s Gaming Guide series supports conversations about gaming, accessibility, safety, wellbeing and positive participation. It gives families and community practitioners a practical resource to use alongside their wider digital inclusion work.

Explore the IFB Gaming Guide series

Empowering Futures and community delivery

IFB can explore partnerships with councils, community organisations, education providers and employment services to deliver structured learning and digital participation activities. Each proposal would need to match the partner’s objectives and funding requirements.

7. What should happen next?

Government announcements only become meaningful opportunities when they translate into programmes, partnerships and delivery on the ground. For IFB Gaming, the next step is to understand how local organisations plan to respond to the Budget and where digital inclusion can contribute.

  • Ask local authorities about upcoming digital skills, AI adoption and community learning programmes.
  • Speak with employment providers, colleges and youth organisations about existing routes into skills and work.
  • Explore whether IFB’s resources could support an established programme or partnership.
  • Identify relevant funding rounds and check eligibility before preparing an application.
  • Set clear measures for participation, learning, confidence and progression.

This approach avoids assuming that a national announcement automatically creates an accessible grant. It focuses instead on finding the right programme, partner and outcome.

Our perspective: investment in technology must include people

The 2026 Budget places attention on AI, public-service transformation, skills and economic opportunity. These are important areas, but the benefits of technological change will depend partly on whether people can access and use the tools and services being introduced.

Digital inclusion should therefore be considered alongside technology investment, not as an afterthought. Communities need appropriate access, practical learning, trusted support and opportunities to participate.

For IFB Gaming, the Budget is a reason to strengthen conversations with local authorities, community organisations, education providers and potential delivery partners. It is not a guarantee of funding. The task now is to connect our work to real needs, build partnerships and demonstrate what effective support can achieve.

Explore IFB Gaming’s work

Discover our practical resources for digital inclusion, community participation and understanding gaming.

Digital Inclusion Toolkit Stage Index Gaming Guide Series

Further reading

Read the official publications behind this explainer:

This article summarises selected Budget measures in plain English. It is not a comprehensive account of every Budget announcement or a guarantee that IFB Gaming or any other organisation is eligible for a particular funding programme. Programme details and eligibility should be checked with the relevant funding body.

Digital Inclusion , Gaming Guide Series , Video games

Christmas, Consoles and Connection: Make Gaming a Family Conversation This Festive Season

IFB Gaming | Christmas 2026 | The Gaming Guide Series

Christmas, Consoles and Connection: Make Gaming a Family Conversation This Festive Season

A new console, a favourite game or a gaming device can be an exciting Christmas gift. But one of the most valuable things a family can give a young gamer is time: time to explore their gaming world together, understand the settings and make informed decisions about how they play, connect and participate.

Explore the Gaming Guide Series Start with the Foundation Guide

A gaming gift can open the door to a bigger conversation

Christmas is a time for giving, sharing experiences and spending time together. For many families, video games and gaming devices are part of that picture. A console under the tree, a game chosen with care or a device that lets family members play together can become the beginning of a shared interest.

Yet the gift itself is only one part of the experience. A new console may need an account, privacy settings, age-appropriate game choices, spending controls and decisions about online communication. A game may also introduce a child to a new community, creative opportunities, friendships and ways to learn.

Families do not need to know everything about gaming before getting involved. They can start by being curious, asking questions and learning alongside the young person who knows the game best.

Our festive-season message: if gaming is part of your child’s world, make room for it in family life. Sit together, explore the device, ask what they enjoy and agree how gaming will fit into your household.

This is the thinking behind IFB Gaming’s annual publication series. It is designed to help families, educators and community organisations understand gaming as more than entertainment: it is also a digital environment shaped by access, safety, accessibility, relationships, learning and participation.

The IFB Gaming Guide Series: this year’s edition is out

IFB Gaming’s annual series explores one new theme each year, bringing research and practical questions together to help people understand how gaming shapes digital life.

The 2026 Annual Edition, Understanding Gaming, asks: What does a healthy gaming environment look like? It examines the environment surrounding a game, including the platform, accounts, communities, communication features and digital economies that can shape a player’s experience.

The Foundation Guide

The Gaming Guide is where the series began. It is a practical starting point for parents and guardians, covering age ratings, safety setup, accessibility, engagement, emotional wellbeing and conversations with children about the games they play.

Read the Foundation Guide

2026 Annual Edition: Understanding Gaming

This year’s edition builds on the foundation with six connected themes: the gaming environment, safety, accessibility, engagement, wellbeing and the positive contribution gaming can make.

Explore Understanding Gaming

Together, the two guides give families a useful starting point: one helps with practical decisions about gaming, while the annual edition broadens the discussion to the systems and experiences surrounding play.

Both guides are free to access. The series is designed to be useful beyond the home, including in schools, community hubs and other settings where families and young people can learn together.

Visit the IFB Gaming Guide Series page to explore the publications and see the themes planned for future editions.

Before the first game: set up the experience together

If a console, gaming computer, tablet or other gaming device is arriving as a Christmas gift, the festive period can be a good opportunity to set it up together rather than treating setup as a technical task for one adult to complete alone.

A shared setup gives parents and guardians a chance to understand how the device works, while giving children an opportunity to explain what they want to play and why it matters to them.

  • Choose games together. Check the age rating and content information before a game is played. Ask the child what interests them about it.
  • Review accounts and privacy. Understand which account is being used, what information is visible and who can contact the player.
  • Explore communication settings. Check friend requests, voice chat, text chat, blocking and reporting options where these features are available.
  • Agree on spending. Discuss in-game purchases, stored payment details and whether purchases require adult approval.
  • Explore accessibility. Look at subtitles, control options, audio and visual settings, and any features that could make gaming more comfortable or accessible.
  • Agree on family routines. Talk about gaming, sleep, other activities and how to pause or finish a session, taking the child’s views into account.

The aim is not to turn a Christmas gift into a lecture. It is to make the setup part of the shared experience, so everyone understands the choices being made and knows where to turn when questions arise.

The Foundation Guide is a practical place to start, while the 2026 Annual Edition helps families think about the wider gaming environment.

PEGI in 2026: why families should look beyond the number

One of the important topics covered in this year’s series is the 2026 update to PEGI’s age-rating criteria. From June 2026, newly submitted games are assessed under additional criteria that consider certain interactive features as well as the content traditionally associated with age ratings.

These changes include features related to paid random items, in-game purchasing mechanisms, incentives to return to a game and communication features where players cannot adequately block or report others.

This matters because a game’s experience is not shaped by images and language alone. How a game handles communication, purchases and engagement can also be relevant to a family’s decision about whether and how a child should play it.

Age suitability

Check the PEGI age rating and content descriptors. Use them to inform your decision rather than relying on a familiar game title or a friend’s recommendation.

In-game purchases

Understand whether the game offers paid random items, digital currency or limited-time offers. Agree how purchases will be handled before they arise.

Online communication

Find out whether players can communicate with strangers and which controls are available for blocking, muting and reporting other players.

Engagement features

Discuss daily rewards, streaks and other features that may encourage regular return visits. Help children understand how these mechanics work.

The new criteria apply to newly submitted games under the updated system. Families should not assume that every game already on a shelf or in a digital library has automatically received a new rating. Check the current rating and available information for the specific game.

PEGI ratings are an important starting point, but they do not replace an understanding of a particular child’s needs, the game’s features or the settings available on the platform.

The 2026 edition of the IFB Gaming Guide explains why the broader environment matters. For official information, visit PEGI’s website .

Show meaningful interest in the games your children play

Adults do not need to become expert players to show that they care. Sometimes the most useful step is to ask a child to explain their favourite game, demonstrate a level or introduce the people they enjoy playing with.

When children are invited to share their interests, families have an opportunity to understand what gaming means to them. A game may be about creativity, competition, teamwork, friendship, exploration or simply having fun.

This kind of interest also creates natural opportunities to discuss online experiences without beginning from suspicion or conflict.

Try these conversation starters over Christmas:
  • What do you enjoy most about this game?
  • Can you show me something you have learned or created?
  • Do you usually play alone, with people you know or with other players online?
  • What makes a gaming session enjoyable for you?
  • Are there any settings you would like us to understand together?
  • What would help us agree on routines that work for everyone?

Listening is as important as asking. A conversation works best when a child has room to explain their experience, ask questions and take part in decisions appropriate to their age and circumstances.

Family agreements about privacy, spending, communication and routines are more useful when everyone understands the reasons behind them. They can also be reviewed as children grow and their gaming experiences change.

Make accessibility part of the setup, not an afterthought

A gaming device is only useful if the person receiving it can participate in a way that works for them. Children have different preferences and needs, and some may benefit from accessibility features built into a console or game.

Depending on the platform and game, useful features may include subtitles, adjustable text, colour and contrast options, remappable controls, alternative input methods and audio assistance.

Exploring these features together can help families discover options they might not otherwise know exist. It also reinforces an important principle: accessibility is part of participation, not an optional extra reserved for later.

The Understanding Gaming edition explores accessibility as part of a healthy gaming environment. It encourages families to consider whether people can participate meaningfully, not simply whether a device is switched on and working.

A guide you can keep close at hand

The IFB Gaming Guide Series is designed to be useful beyond a single visit to a website. The guides can be accessed online, and the series offers an installable experience for compatible devices, making it easier to return to the material when questions arise.

That can be particularly useful during the festive period. Families can read a section together, use the guidance while setting up a new device and revisit relevant information as a child’s interests or gaming arrangements change.

The Foundation Guide also provides an option to download the full guide as a PDF. Families, schools and community organisations can explore the available formats from the relevant guide pages.

Explore the Complete Series Open the Foundation Guide Read Understanding Gaming

Follow the installation instructions displayed on the guide or series page for your device. Availability and installation steps may vary by browser and device.

Keep the joy in gaming

Conversations about gaming should not focus exclusively on restrictions and risks. Games can also offer opportunities for creativity, problem-solving, collaboration, learning and belonging.

A child might enjoy building a world, solving a difficult challenge, learning how a game works or spending time with friends. These experiences are worth understanding alongside the practical questions about privacy, age suitability, accessibility and spending.

The purpose of the IFB Gaming Guide Series is not to tell families that gaming is either wholly good or wholly bad. It is to help them understand the environment, recognise its possibilities and challenges, and make informed choices about how they participate.

This is especially relevant at Christmas, when a new game or device can become a shared family interest. The gift may be wrapped and ready, but the conversations and learning can continue long after the decorations come down.

This Christmas, give gaming your attention

If a console, game or gaming device is on your family’s Christmas list, consider making time to explore it together. Ask your child what they enjoy, review the relevant settings, check the age rating, discuss communication and spending, and discover what makes the experience meaningful to them.

The IFB Gaming Guide Series is here to help families start those conversations. Begin with the Foundation Guide for practical guidance, then explore Understanding Gaming for a wider view of the environment around play.

Both editions are part of IFB Gaming’s commitment to making gaming easier to understand, more accessible and more meaningful for families and communities.

Explore the Gaming Guide Series Start with the Foundation Guide Read the 2026 Annual Edition

Know the ratings. Understand the settings. Make gaming a conversation.

The IFB Gaming Guide Series is a free resource for families, schools and community settings. The guidance supports informed decision-making and complements, rather than replaces, age ratings, platform controls and individual family judgement.

Digital Inclusion , Empowering Futures

Winter Data Care 2026/27: An Invitation to Invest in Digital Inclusion

IFB Gaming | Winter Data Care 2026/27

Winter Data Care 2026/27: An Invitation to Invest in Digital Inclusion

Help IFB Gaming work towards supporting 50 people this winter. We are inviting local businesses, corporate partners, funders, technology providers and community organisations to contribute funding, devices, connectivity and expertise to address digital exclusion.

Support Winter Data Care Explore Ways to Get Involved

Digital inclusion is a community resilience issue

Access to the internet increasingly shapes how people use healthcare, navigate public services, pursue employment, support learning and maintain relationships. For people without a suitable device, affordable connectivity or the confidence to use digital services, everyday activities can become more difficult.

Winter can intensify these pressures. When household budgets are stretched, staying connected may become harder precisely when people need access to information, support and essential services.

Digital exclusion is not simply a question of whether someone has internet access. Devices, connectivity, digital skills, accessibility, confidence and trusted support all affect whether people can participate meaningfully in a digital society.

Our approach: digital inclusion requires more than distributing technology. It means connecting access with practical support, learning and opportunities to participate.

This is the principle behind IFB Gaming’s Winter Data Care 2026/27 programme . The initiative aims to bring together devices, connectivity, practical support and community relationships to help address barriers experienced by people at risk of digital exclusion.

Our ambition for Winter Data Care 2026/27

Our immediate objective is to mobilise practical support for people experiencing digital exclusion while building relationships with organisations that can help strengthen delivery and extend the programme’s reach.

50 people Our target for the number of people we aim to support through the combined resources available to the initiative.
£2,000 Our initial fundraising target for the campaign.

The fundraising target and intended reach serve different purposes. The £2,000 target is an initial cash fundraising goal, while the ambition to support 50 people depends on the combined contribution of funding, suitable equipment, connectivity, partner expertise and available delivery resources.

We do not assume that cash donations alone will cover every requirement or that every person will need the same form of support. Needs and appropriate interventions will vary.

Our intention is to combine resources carefully, prioritise practical needs and make clear what the available contributions enable us to deliver.

Read the Winter Data Care 2026/27 programme overview for more information about the initiative.

A proportionate model for corporate participation

Corporate participation does not always need to begin with a large sponsorship package or a lengthy formal agreement. Businesses can contribute in ways that match their resources, internal processes and community investment priorities.

For a local business, that might mean a modest financial contribution or a suitable device donation. For a larger employer, it could mean employee volunteering, connectivity support, technical expertise or a contribution through an existing corporate social responsibility programme.

For foundations and strategic funders, the conversation may focus on a defined programme of activity, a delivery budget, measurable outcomes and an appropriate evaluation approach.

Community supporters

Individuals and local businesses can contribute funding, suitable devices, connectivity or introductions to potential supporters. This route is designed to keep participation accessible and straightforward.

Corporate contributors

Businesses can explore financial contributions, employee volunteering, equipment donations, connectivity support and professional expertise through an agreed activity.

Strategic funders

Funders can discuss a more structured proposal covering programme objectives, intended beneficiaries, delivery costs, implementation arrangements, outcomes and reporting.

Delivery and community partners

Community organisations and local services can contribute trusted relationships, insight into local needs, referrals and appropriate delivery opportunities.

Our intention is to keep the process proportionate. Smaller contributions should not require the same administrative arrangements as a substantial, multi-stage corporate partnership. Where formal agreements or additional due diligence are appropriate, these can be discussed in line with the scale, risks and requirements of the proposed collaboration.

Where partners can make a difference

The initiative offers several potential routes for participation. The appropriate contribution will depend on community needs, delivery capacity and the resources each partner can offer.

1. Funding and sponsorship

Financial contributions can help meet agreed programme costs, which may include connectivity, preparing devices for use, practical support sessions, community delivery and evaluation.

Contributions can be discussed against specific activities and documented according to the resources available.

2. Technology and device donations

Suitable working laptops, tablets, smartphones and gaming devices may help widen access to technology when they meet programme requirements.

Equipment must be assessed for suitability. Appropriate account removal, data wiping and security checks should take place before any device is redistributed.

3. Connectivity support

Telecoms providers and technology partners can explore contributions such as SIM cards, data packages and other connectivity solutions for people experiencing affordability barriers.

4. Employee volunteering and expertise

Businesses may contribute staff time, digital skills, accessibility expertise, technical support or other professional knowledge.

Any activity should be agreed in advance and matched to appropriate supervision, safeguarding and delivery arrangements.

5. Community and delivery partnerships

Local organisations and trusted community venues can help identify needs, connect people with appropriate support and strengthen referral pathways.

6. Research, insight and evaluation

Research and evaluation partners can help document activities, understand the experiences of participants and identify lessons that can improve future delivery.

Indicative contribution levels and partner recognition

To make participation easier to understand, IFB Gaming proposes the following indicative contribution levels. They provide a starting point for discussion rather than a fixed sponsorship rate card.

Proposed level Indicative contribution Potential recognition or involvement
Community Supporter £100–£249 Acknowledgement on an appropriate campaign supporter page, subject to consent, publication arrangements and available website space.
Programme Contributor £250–£499 Supporter acknowledgement and a campaign progress or impact update, subject to the information available.
Corporate Partner £500–£999 Agreed supporter recognition, a summary of supported activities and discussion of a suitable employee participation opportunity where feasible.
Strategic Partner £1,000+ or equivalent in-kind support A tailored discussion covering contribution objectives, delivery arrangements, proportionate reporting and appropriate recognition.

These are proposed levels, not confirmed sponsorship packages. Recognition, employee involvement and reporting arrangements would be agreed in advance and depend on IFB Gaming’s capacity, the nature of the contribution and any relevant partner requirements.

Equivalent in-kind support may be considered outside these cash bands. Its value and relevance should be agreed transparently rather than assuming that every donated item has the same value as a cash contribution.

What could a £500 contribution support?

A £500 contribution could help meet a combination of agreed programme costs, depending on the needs identified and other resources available. For example, it might contribute towards connectivity support, preparing donated equipment, practical digital skills activities or community delivery costs.

We will not promise that a particular amount purchases a fixed number of devices or guarantees support for a specified number of people until the relevant costs and delivery arrangements have been established.

Corporate partners should be able to understand the purpose of their contribution and receive an appropriate account of how it was used. Any specific restriction on a contribution should be agreed before it is accepted.

Clear contributions, proportionate reporting

Credible corporate engagement requires clarity about what has been contributed, what activities were delivered and what can reasonably be reported.

IFB Gaming intends to use proportionate reporting that reflects the scale and nature of the support received. Subject to available records and agreed reporting arrangements, this may include:

  • Resources received: financial contributions, equipment, connectivity and other in-kind support.
  • Activities delivered: the types of support provided and the associated programme activities.
  • Reach: the number of people supported, where this can be measured reliably and reported appropriately.
  • Learning: feedback and observations that can help improve delivery and inform future work.

We will distinguish between planned activity, completed delivery and intended outcomes. The ambition to support 50 people is a target, not a claim that those outcomes have already been achieved.

Reporting will be proportionate to the contribution and agreed in advance where a partner requires a particular format. Personal information about participants will not be shared simply to demonstrate impact.

From devices to meaningful participation

Providing a device or a data allowance can remove an important barrier, but access alone does not guarantee inclusion. People may also need help setting up a device, using online services, developing digital skills, understanding online safety and building confidence through practice.

IFB Gaming’s wider work reflects this principle. Our From Devices to Impact Digital Inclusion Toolkit is designed to help people and organisations look beyond technology distribution and consider the wider conditions that support digital participation.

The toolkit provides a relevant point of reference for organisations interested in how access, skills, confidence and participation connect. It complements the immediate focus of Winter Data Care rather than replacing the practical support that people may need now.

For businesses and funders, this creates an opportunity to consider both immediate community needs and the wider factors that shape digital inclusion.

An invitation to funders and corporate partners

We welcome conversations with local businesses, larger employers, foundations, public bodies, technology providers and community organisations interested in making a practical contribution to digital inclusion.

For organisations with existing community investment or corporate social responsibility processes, we can begin with an exploratory discussion to understand the organisation’s priorities, available resources and preferred form of involvement.

Where there is a suitable fit, the next step can be a concise partnership brief setting out the proposed activity, contribution, intended outcomes, delivery requirements and reporting approach. More substantial arrangements can be developed according to the partner’s due diligence and governance requirements.

We would welcome discussions about:

  • Funding or sponsoring agreed programme activities.
  • Donating suitable devices, connectivity or technical resources.
  • Providing employee volunteering or specialist expertise.
  • Connecting community organisations with relevant support.
  • Supporting research, feedback and evaluation.
  • Exploring longer-term collaboration where there is a clear fit.

We aim to establish realistic commitments and clear expectations from the outset, with arrangements proportionate to the scale and nature of each contribution.

To begin a conversation, visit IFB Gaming’s Get Involved page or email info@ifbgaming.com.

Help keep people connected this winter

Winter Data Care 2026/27 is an opportunity to bring funding, technology, expertise and community knowledge together around a shared digital inclusion objective.

Our initial fundraising target is £2,000, alongside an ambition to work towards supporting 50 people through the combined resources available to the initiative.

Whether you can contribute funding, suitable equipment, connectivity, staff time or professional expertise, we welcome a conversation about what is feasible and how your contribution could support the programme.

Donate or Support the Initiative Explore the Programme Explore the Digital Inclusion Toolkit

For corporate participation, funding, device donations or other potential contributions, contact info@ifbgaming.com. For device donation enquiries, you can also contact cas@ifbgaming.com.

Winter Data Care is an IFB Gaming digital inclusion programme. The fundraising figure and intended reach are campaign targets. Delivery depends on available resources, identified needs and confirmed contributions.

Digital Inclusion , Healthcare , Mental Health , Youth

Youth Mental Health Needs More Than Awareness: Spark UK Calls for Sustainable Support and Youth Voice

Sector Insight · Our Take
YOUTH VOICE  ·  MENTAL HEALTH  ·  COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION  ·  SOCIAL IMPACT

Youth Mental Health Needs More Than Awareness: Spark UK Calls for Sustainable Support and Youth Voice

IFB Gaming signed Spark UK’s open letter calling for a more secure future for youth mental health services. The campaign highlights sustainable funding, continuity of support and the importance of giving young people a meaningful voice in decisions that affect them.

IFB Gaming  ·  October 2026  ·  Sector Insight
Spark UK representatives pictured in connection with their youth mental health campaign
Spark UK representatives following delivery of the open letter on youth mental health at Downing Street on 10 October 2026. Photograph credit Spark-UK.

On 10 October 2026, World Mental Health Day, youth-led charity Spark UK took its campaign for the future of youth mental health support to 10 Downing Street.

Founded by teenagers in North Devon in December 2020, Spark UK delivered an open letter calling on the Government to protect essential youth mental health services, address uncertainty in charity funding and put young people and the organisations supporting them at the centre of future decisions.

According to Spark UK’s press release dated 12 October, the campaign had attracted 372 signatories, including 47 organisations and 91 young people. These figures reflect the position reported at the time of publication.

IFB Gaming was among the organisations supporting the campaign.

“Delivering the letter was a huge milestone for us as a small North Devon-based charity operating nationally. What started as a conversation in a coffee shop has turned into a national movement.” Conor Warren, Founder and CEO, Spark UK

Conor’s words capture the significance of the campaign: an initiative that began with a conversation has developed into a collective call for action involving young people, organisations and supporters across the UK. The challenge now is to turn that collective voice into sustained attention and meaningful change.

Why this campaign matters

Public conversations about young people’s mental health often focus on awareness, access to support and the importance of seeking help. These are important. But the availability of support also depends on the organisations, people and funding arrangements that make services possible.

Spark UK’s campaign followed the news that youth suicide prevention charity PAPYRUS had entered administration. Its letter argues that the loss of an established service must prompt a wider examination of how essential support is protected and sustained.

The concern is not simply whether funding is available for an individual project. It is whether organisations have the stability to retain staff, plan ahead, maintain relationships with communities and provide continuity for the young people who rely on them.

This raises an important question for policymakers, public services and funders: how can organisations be expected to provide consistent support if the systems that sustain their work remain uncertain?

For IFB Gaming, this resonates with a broader principle in our work on digital inclusion. Access to a resource is an important starting point, but meaningful participation also depends on the wider conditions that enable people to use it, benefit from it and continue engaging over time.

Digital inclusion and mental health provision are distinct fields, and one is not a substitute for the other. The connection is the wider importance of sustainable support, joined-up systems and meaningful participation in decisions affecting people’s lives.

Three calls for change

Spark UK’s open letter sets out three specific requests to the Government.

01 · PROTECT ESSENTIAL SERVICES

Protect the services young people rely on

Spark UK is calling for an urgent response to the gap left by PAPYRUS and safeguards to identify and protect essential youth mental health and prevention services.

The central concern is continuity: young people should not lose access to essential support because the organisation delivering it can no longer afford to operate.

02 · MAKE FUNDING SUSTAINABLE

Fix the way youth mental health charities are funded

The campaign calls for a fundamental review of funding, prioritising multi-year core funding and stable commissioning arrangements.

Project funding alone may not cover the staffing, infrastructure and everyday operating costs required to keep an organisation functioning. Sustainable provision requires attention to the conditions that allow services to retain experienced people and plan for the future.

03 · PUT YOUNG PEOPLE AT THE CENTRE

Bring young people and the sector into decisions

Spark UK is asking the Government to convene a national roundtable involving young people, charities, grassroots organisations, the NHS, schools, mental health professionals and Government representatives.

The letter calls for this process to lead to a long-term, cross-sector plan, rather than another discussion that ends without practical action.

“This must not be a conversation about young people. It must be a conversation with them.” From Spark UK’s open letter

From consultation to meaningful participation

At IFB Gaming, our work explores the relationship between technology, participation, learning and the systems that shape people’s opportunities. Through our digital inclusion initiatives and resources, we encourage a broader understanding of inclusion.

Providing access matters, but so do confidence, capability, accessibility, sustained engagement and the ability to participate in ways that are meaningful to the individual.

This perspective informs how we think about wider social challenges. People should not be treated simply as recipients of services. Their experiences and perspectives should help shape the systems intended to support them.

Meaningful youth participation therefore requires more than inviting young people to share their experiences. It requires routes through which those experiences can inform decisions, influence priorities and contribute to accountability.

Youth mental health provision requires its own specialist expertise, safeguarding and evidence-informed practice. Our support for Spark UK’s campaign is not a claim that digital inclusion work can resolve mental health challenges. It reflects our belief that sustainable support and meaningful participation matter when organisations and policymakers respond to social needs.

What needs to happen next?

Delivering an open letter is an important campaigning milestone. The next test is whether its recommendations lead to meaningful engagement and practical action.

Spark UK’s requests provide a clear starting point: protect essential services, improve funding stability and bring young people and the organisations supporting them into decisions about their future.

For policymakers and funders, this means considering not only what services are expected to deliver, but also what resources, continuity and institutional support are required to make that delivery possible.

For organisations and community groups, it means continuing to make space for young people’s perspectives and ensuring that participation is more than a consultation exercise.

Across social impact, inclusion and community development, the principle is clear: sustainable outcomes require more than good intentions. They also require systems that allow effective work to continue.

Read the letter and add your support

IFB Gaming supports Spark UK’s call for a more secure future for youth mental health services and for young people to have a meaningful role in shaping the decisions that affect them.

Read the campaign’s full letter and find details of how to sign it.

Read the open letter → Visit Spark UK →

About Spark UK

Spark UK is a youth-led charity founded in December 2020. It creates free mental health resources and campaigns designed to spark conversations around mental health.

Continue exploring IFB Gaming’s work

Our work considers how digital inclusion can move beyond access towards capability and meaningful participation.

Explore From Devices to Impact: the Digital Inclusion Toolkit →

Explore the IFB Gaming Stage Index →

Youth Voice Mental Health Social Impact Community Development Digital Inclusion

Editorial note: This article reflects IFB Gaming’s perspective as a supporter of Spark UK’s campaign. The campaign’s policy requests and signature figures are attributed to Spark UK. The article does not imply a formal partnership between the organisations.

Digital Inclusion

AI Is Changing Digital Exclusion. Our Approach to Digital Inclusion Must Change With It.

Digital Inclusion · Artificial Intelligence · Get Online Week · Accessibility

Sector Insight · Our Take

AI Is Changing Digital Exclusion. Our Approach to Digital Inclusion Must Change With It.

Why AI literacy, accessible technology and community-based support must become part of the digital inclusion agenda.

Artificial intelligence is changing how people search for information, communicate, learn, create and participate in society. But as these tools become more commonplace, a critical question remains: what happens to the people who do not yet have the access, skills, confidence or support to use them?

For IFB Gaming, this is not simply a question about adopting a new technology. It is a question about how we design digital inclusion so that people can move beyond access towards capability, confidence and meaningful participation.

And during Get Online Week, we saw a small but encouraging example of what that participation can look like in practice.

A resident used AI to create a banner around our event theme and invited other residents to attend Get Online Week for help.

That is more than using a tool to generate content. It is an example of a resident applying digital capability to communicate, contribute and encourage others to participate.

The digital divide is changing

Digital exclusion is often discussed as though it primarily concerns people who are offline. The evidence presents a more complex picture.

Good Things Foundation’s October 2026 research found that 62% of UK adults face at least one challenge using digital technology in everyday life. Three-quarters of this group are working-age adults, and almost half live in households earning less than £30,000 a year.

The research also found that only half of UK adults feel confident doing most things they need to do online, while 40% worry about being left behind as more services move online. That figure has risen from 34% in 2025.

Meanwhile, Good Things Foundation’s Digital Nation 2026 findings report that 72% of adults lack confidence using AI in daily life.

These findings point to a challenge that cannot be resolved by connectivity alone. People may own a smartphone, access the internet and use digital services while still lacking the confidence or capability to navigate emerging technologies independently and safely.

As AI becomes embedded in everyday tools and services, digital inclusion must evolve accordingly.

What happened at Get Online Week?

During our Get Online Week activity, a resident created an AI-generated banner using the event’s theme and then invited other residents to attend and receive help.

We see value in this example because it brings several dimensions of digital inclusion together.

  • Digital capability: the resident applied an AI tool to produce something with a practical purpose.
  • Communication: the banner helped convey an invitation to other members of the community.
  • Participation: the resident was contributing to the event, rather than simply attending to receive support.
  • Community connection: technology became a means of encouraging other people to seek help.

We should not overstate what one example proves. It does, however, illustrate a useful possibility: with appropriate support, people can use AI not only to complete tasks, but also to contribute to the communities around them.

It also raises a question for digital inclusion practitioners. How might our services create more opportunities for residents to move from being recipients of support to active contributors, creators and peer connectors?

AI literacy must be part of digital inclusion

AI literacy is not simply knowing which tools to use or how to write a prompt. It includes understanding what AI can and cannot do, evaluating its outputs, protecting personal information, recognising potential misinformation and knowing when human judgement or support is needed.

People should have opportunities to explore AI through relevant, practical activities, at a pace that works for them. They should also be able to question the technology, make informed choices and decide when not to use it.

Good Things Foundation’s AI Literacy Gateway is one existing resource that community organisations can use to support learning about AI. Its interactive learning materials address AI fundamentals, safety, privacy and the evaluation of AI-generated content.

For organisations delivering frontline support, resources such as these can complement practical guidance, accessible learning activities and trusted human support.

Where IFB Gaming fits

At IFB Gaming, our work brings together digital inclusion, learning, accessibility and the role of play in supporting participation. We are interested not only in whether people can access technology, but in whether they can use it meaningfully within their own lives and communities.

From Devices to Impact

Our From Devices to Impact Digital Inclusion Toolkit reflects the principle that devices and connectivity are important foundations, but do not in themselves guarantee inclusion.

Skills, confidence, accessibility, safety and the ability to participate all matter. As AI changes the digital landscape, these foundations need to include opportunities to understand and use emerging technologies critically and responsibly.

Stage Index: connecting people with support

Our Stage Index is designed to help identify needs and relevant support pathways, connecting people with appropriate frontline organisations and services.

This matters because learning about AI does not remove every barrier a person may face. Someone may need connectivity, an accessible device, help with a digital task or support from a trusted organisation. Digital inclusion works best when learning and practical pathways are connected.

Gaming, interaction and accessible engagement

Gaming also offers useful ways to think about how people engage with learning. Game mechanics, game dynamics and digital engagement models can help structure activities around exploration, feedback, achievable steps, practice and progression.

Used thoughtfully, these approaches can provide alternative entry points into digital learning. An interactive activity may give someone a more approachable way to experiment, ask questions or practise a new skill before applying it to an everyday task.

For AI literacy, this might include comparing different AI-generated responses, exploring how a prompt changes an output, or learning to check information before sharing it. The emphasis should be on understanding and informed judgement, rather than simply completing a game or earning a reward.

Accessibility must remain central. Activities should allow people to engage at their own pace, with clear instructions, appropriate sensory demands, alternative ways to participate and human assistance when needed. Gamification is not a substitute for accessible design, and it will not be the right approach for everyone.

From access to capability to participation

The resident who created the AI banner offers a practical illustration of the progression we want digital inclusion to support:

01 · ACCESS

Having an opportunity to engage with a digital tool.

02 · CAPABILITY

Applying the tool to create a banner for a real community purpose.

03 · PARTICIPATION

Using the banner to invite others to seek support and take part.

This is not a universal pathway, nor does every person need to create content to be digitally included. It is a useful way to frame the opportunity: digital inclusion should enable people to do what matters to them, whether that means accessing a service, communicating with family, learning something new or contributing to their community.

What policymakers, funders and service providers should consider

If AI is changing how people access information and participate in society, digital inclusion strategies need to respond. We believe four priorities deserve attention.

  1. Protect the foundations. Affordable connectivity, suitable devices, accessible services and basic digital skills remain essential.
  2. Invest in community-based AI literacy. People need trusted, practical opportunities to understand AI and build confidence, including opportunities to question and evaluate its outputs.
  3. Design for different ways of learning. Interactive and gaming-informed approaches can complement established teaching and support, provided accessibility and personal choice guide their use.
  4. Measure meaningful participation. Alongside access and adoption, evaluate whether people can complete relevant tasks, make informed decisions, act independently where appropriate and contribute in ways that matter to them.

These priorities align with Good Things Foundation’s call for more affordable connectivity and sustained investment in community-based digital and AI skills support. They also reinforce the need for collaboration between public services, community organisations, researchers and technology providers.

The opportunity is bigger than using AI

The question is not whether everyone should use AI for every task. It is whether everyone has a fair opportunity to understand the technology, make informed choices about it and participate in a society that is increasingly shaped by it.

The resident-created banner at Get Online Week was a small but meaningful example of how AI can be applied to a community purpose. It showed how a person can use a digital tool to communicate an invitation and encourage others to access support.

For IFB Gaming, this reinforces the importance of connecting access with capability, and capability with participation. It is also why we explore the relationship between digital inclusion, accessible learning and gaming-informed engagement.

AI should not become another dividing line between those who can participate and those who cannot. With accessible learning, practical support and inclusive systems, it can become one more way for people to learn, create and contribute.

Continue the conversation

IFB Gaming works at the intersection of play, lifelong learning and social exclusion, exploring how digital inclusion can move beyond access towards meaningful participation.

Explore From Devices to Impact →
Explore the Stage Index →
Explore Good Things Foundation’s AI Literacy Gateway →

Further reading

IFB Gaming is a London-based research and learning organisation working at the intersection of play, lifelong learning and social exclusion.

Digital Inclusion , Empowering Futures , Research

Mr Chip: Our Digital Inclusion Mascot & Guide

IFB Gaming · Benefit Realisation

Mr Chip: Our Digital Inclusion
Mascot & Guide

How IFB AI — powered by the Adewole Intelligence Suite — delivers real value to the communities we serve through an approachable, personality-led AI experience.

Version 2.0 Updated October 2026 Status Live on ifbgaming.com
Mr Chip — IFB Gaming digital inclusion mascot
3
Primary audience groups served
24/7
Always-on availability
Free
Zero cost to every user
Multi‑lingual
Supports many languages

What is Mr Chip?

Mr Chip is IFB Gaming’s friendly AI character — a digital helper with a personality. He lives on ifbgaming.com and answers questions about using technology: how to set up a phone, stay safe online, find local services, or simply understand what a word means. He is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at no cost to the person asking.

Under the hood, Mr Chip is powered by the Adewole Intelligence Suite (AIS) — a purpose-built AI system designed specifically for digital inclusion work. Mr Chip is the human face of that system: approachable, patient, and never condescending.

Who is Mr Chip for?

🌿
Absolute Beginners
First-timers who’ve never owned a smartphone or used the internet — the core of IFB Gaming’s mission.
● Excellent fit
  • ✓#9679;Plain-English answers, zero jargon
  • ✓#9679;Step-by-step guidance on demand
  • ✓#9679;Patient, endlessly repeatable support
  • ✓#9679;Multilingual — answers in their language
🤝
Community Leaders
Volunteers, carers and organisers who support others and need a reliable backup resource.
● Very strong fit
  • ✓#9679;Quick reference during group sessions
  • ✓#9679;Reduces reliance on a single expert
  • ✓#9679;Consistent, trustworthy information
  • ✓#9679;Frees leaders for human connection
💻
Advanced Tech Users
Experienced users seeking deep technical or specialist integration answers.
● Out of scope
  • ✗#9675;Optimised for inclusion, not IT support
  • ✗#9675;Specialist platforms better suited here
  • ✗#9675;Calibrated for first-time learners

The benefits in plain English

Benefit What it means in practice How we know it’s working
Reduces fear of technologyA friendly character lowers the psychological barrier to asking for help. People who would never call a helpline will chat with Mr Chip.Session start rate; repeat visits
Around-the-clock supportAvailable at 11pm on a Sunday just as easily as 9am on a Monday. No waiting, no opening hours.Volume of out-of-hours chats
Scales without extra costOne deployment serves unlimited people at once. Whether 5 or 500 need help today, the cost is the same.Concurrent session count
Consistent, accurate answersEvery person gets the same carefully checked information. No bad days, no tired volunteers giving slightly wrong advice.Helpfulness ratings; complaint rate
Multilingual supportMr Chip responds in the language the person uses — removing the barrier for Yoruba, Polish, Somali, Bengali speakers and more.Language of sessions; non-English engagement rate
Frees up staff timeRoutine questions handled by Mr Chip so the team can focus on complex, human-centred work that really needs them.Queries escalated to a human
Insight into what people needThe questions people ask Mr Chip show exactly which digital skills gaps exist — so IFB Gaming can build better programmes.Monthly insight reports; topic analysis

Why multilingual matters: Across Southwark, Lambeth, Croydon, and Bromley, hundreds of languages are spoken at home. Many residents are highly capable adults who are digitally excluded for one simple reason: the help available is only in English. Mr Chip breaks that barrier — a Yoruba-speaking grandmother in Peckham, a Polish-speaking parent in Croydon, or a Somali-speaking carer in Brixton all get the same quality of support as a native English speaker.

“The Adewole Intelligence Suite has been evaluated against the needs of digitally excluded communities across London. Mr Chip is the most accessible entry point we have created — a character that makes asking for help feel natural rather than intimidating.”

— IFB Gaming Digital Inclusion Team, 2026

Full Report

🎮 Visit ifbgaming.com 📄 Download report ✉ Partnership or sponsorship
Mr Chip and the Adewole Intelligence Suite are proprietary products of IFB Gaming. Benefit realisation data updated quarterly. Company no. 12374867. Partnership and sponsorship enquiries: info@ifbgaming.com

Digital Inclusion

Get Online Week 2026: From Getting Online to Being Able to Participate

10 Years of Delivery · Get Online Week 2026

Get Online Week 2026: From Getting Online to Being Able to Participate

A decade of community digital inclusion has changed what we think “getting online” actually means
19–25 October 2026

There is something fitting about IFB Gaming approaching another Get Online Week by looking backwards before looking forwards.

For more than a decade, digital inclusion has been part of our community work. But the meaning of “getting online” has changed considerably during that time.

When someone first sits down with a computer or smartphone, the challenge can appear straightforward. How do I turn it on? How do I connect? How do I send an email? How do I search for something? How do I stay safe?

But increasingly, those are only the beginning.

Today, people are expected to use digital systems to access healthcare, communicate with public services, apply for work, manage finances, learn, shop, access information and participate in community life. And now, increasingly, they are expected to understand systems incorporating artificial intelligence.

So the question facing digital inclusion is changing.

It is no longer simply: can someone get online?
It is: can they participate meaningfully and confidently in the digital systems around them?

That is the question we are taking into Get Online Week 2026.

What Get Online Week means to IFB Gaming

Get Online Week is the annual digital inclusion campaign led by Good Things Foundation. It has taken place every year since 2007, bringing organisations and communities together to raise awareness of digital exclusion and support people to develop the skills and confidence they need to participate in an increasingly digital society.

For IFB Gaming, however, Get Online Week has never been simply a calendar event. It has been a practical testing ground, a place where ideas about digital inclusion meet real people, real services and real barriers.

Our wider digital inclusion work dates back to 2015. Our public archive records our first documented Get Online Week activity at Brandon Estate in Southwark in 2018. By 2023, IFB Gaming described that year’s activity as our sixth Get Online Week campaign.

That history matters because our understanding of digital inclusion has changed through practice. We have not simply been observing digital exclusion. We have been learning from what happens when people encounter it.

The first lesson: access is necessary, but it is not enough

Our early work reinforced something that is easy to miss when digital inclusion is discussed through statistics.

People do not experience “digital exclusion” as a single problem. One person may not have a device. Another may have a device but no affordable data. Another may have connectivity but lack confidence. Another may know how to use a smartphone but struggle with an online public service. Another may have the skills but encounter an accessibility barrier. Another may simply not trust the system.

These are different problems, and they require different responses.

That is one reason why Get Online Week has always mattered at community level. It creates an opportunity to meet people where they are, rather than assuming that everyone starts from the same place.

Brandon Estate: where the work became local

In 2018, IFB Gaming brought Get Online Week activity to Brandon Estate in Southwark.

At the time, our reflection was straightforward: national digital inclusion campaigns were important, but there was a need to make that activity visible and accessible within the local community.

That experience became part of a longer body of work. By 2023, Get Online Week activity across Brandon Estate and Kennington included community focus groups, support with NHS appointment systems, National Databank support, digital-skills activity, business technology workshops for women and digital-skills and needs assessment work with residents.

This is significant because none of those activities can really be described as simply “teaching people computers.” They were about helping people navigate the systems through which everyday life was increasingly being delivered.

One resident described the practical significance of the experience particularly clearly after sending her first email:

“If I need to email the council, I can do that – I don’t need to wait for them.”

That is a small technological achievement. But it is also an increase in agency. And that distinction has stayed with us.

Digital inclusion happens between organisations

One of the biggest lessons from community delivery is that no single organisation can solve digital exclusion on its own.

A person may need a device, connectivity, digital skills, accessibility support, confidence, trusted human assistance, access to a particular service, somewhere to practise, or somewhere to go when something goes wrong.

These resources often sit in different organisations. A community organisation might identify the need. A library might provide a space. A connectivity programme might provide data. A technology provider might supply a device. An accessibility organisation might address a barrier. A council might provide the service. A volunteer might provide the confidence to take the first step.

The individual experiences one journey. The system often sees several separate transactions. That gap matters.

The infrastructure behind inclusion

Interestingly, this is not only something we have learned through community work.

Research commissioned by the UK government into Get Online Week 2023 examined how digital infrastructure translated into digital inclusion and public value. Its findings highlighted the role of libraries, local authorities, charities, community organisations, volunteers and private-sector organisations in turning infrastructure into meaningful digital inclusion activity. The research also identified collaboration between public, private and third-sector organisations as an important part of the process.

That reflects something we have increasingly seen ourselves.

Infrastructure does not create participation by itself.

There has to be something around the infrastructure: people, relationships, knowledge, support, referral pathways, accessible services, places to learn, places to ask questions, places to return to.

This is why our thinking has moved from access towards participation, and increasingly towards the infrastructure that makes participation possible.

From Get Online Week to From Devices to Impact

That evolution has shaped our current work.

In 2026, IFB Gaming launched From Devices to Impact, our interactive digital inclusion toolkit. The premise is deliberately simple: what happens after the device?

A device can remove a barrier. But it does not automatically create participation. What happens afterwards is what matters.

Can the person communicate? Can they learn? Can they work? Can they access healthcare? Can they navigate public services? Can they stay safe? Can they build confidence? Can they participate independently?

The toolkit was developed to help individuals and organisations think beyond the distribution of technology towards the conditions required for meaningful digital participation. It includes the Stage Index, designed to help users understand where they are in their digital inclusion journey and what they may need to do next.

This is a natural progression from the questions we encountered through community delivery.

From measurement to action

The Stage Index has emerged from another question: what happens when we identify the problem?

Digital inclusion measurement is important. But measurement is not an outcome. Knowing that someone has a barrier is useful only if the system can respond appropriately.

Is the next step training? A device? Connectivity? Accessibility support? A referral? Human assistance? A different service design? Or something else entirely?

This is why we are increasingly interested in the relationship between assessment, action and outcomes. The objective is not to create another layer of measurement. It is to make information more useful.

Why this matters even more in 2026

The digital environment has changed considerably since our early Get Online Week work. We are now moving into an environment shaped by automation and artificial intelligence.

That creates enormous opportunities. It also creates another layer of complexity.

Someone can be technically online and still struggle to understand an AI-enabled service. They may not know when an automated system is making a decision. They may not know what information they should or should not provide. They may not know how to check an AI-generated answer. They may not understand how a service has changed because AI has been introduced.

And people who were already experiencing barriers to digital participation may encounter new ones.

This is why we believe AI literacy should not be separated from digital inclusion. The answer is not to expect everyone to become an AI specialist. It is to make sure people can understand, question and participate in the systems increasingly shaping their lives.

Get Online Week 2026

This year’s UK Get Online Week takes place from 19 to 25 October 2026.

Good Things Foundation has described the 2026 campaign as a slightly different approach, with a stronger emphasis on raising awareness of the impact of digital exclusion and encouraging advocacy, including engagement with MPs and councillors. Organisations can still use the campaign resources to support people locally.

We think that shift is important, because digital exclusion is not simply an individual problem. It is also a question about how society designs participation.

If essential services become digital, we need to ask whether people can use them. If work becomes increasingly digital, we need to ask whether people can participate. If healthcare becomes increasingly digital, we need to ask whether people can access it. If AI becomes embedded into everyday systems, we need to ask whether people understand enough to participate safely and confidently.

These are questions for communities. But they are also questions for organisations, service designers, technology providers, funders and policymakers.

What we are doing differently

For Get Online Week 2026, our focus is therefore broader than simply encouraging people to “get online.”

We want to help people understand what digital inclusion actually is and, importantly, understand that they can play a part in it.

That includes the people already doing community work. It includes organisations distributing devices and connectivity. It includes volunteers providing one-to-one support. It includes accessibility specialists. It includes libraries and community spaces. It includes researchers. It includes public services.

And it includes people who may never have thought of themselves as part of the digital inclusion ecosystem.

Including gamers.

At IFB Gaming, our work has always explored what gaming can teach us about learning, participation, confidence and social interaction: the patience involved in helping someone solve a problem, the willingness to try again after failure, the ability to learn through experimentation, the importance of feedback, the motivation created by progress.

These are not exclusively gaming behaviours. They are useful human capabilities. And they can have a place in digital inclusion.

You do not need to be an expert

One of the messages we want to reinforce this Get Online Week is simple: you do not have to be a digital expert to help someone participate.

Sometimes digital inclusion looks like sitting beside someone while they complete a form. Sometimes it means helping someone understand an online appointment system. Sometimes it means finding a suitable device or connectivity pathway. Sometimes it means explaining something without making the person feel embarrassed for asking. Sometimes it means knowing where to refer someone when the problem is outside your expertise. And sometimes it means simply giving someone enough confidence to try.

Digital inclusion is therefore not one organisation. It is an ecosystem.

Ten years of learning, one question for the future

Looking back at the work, the biggest change is not the technology. It is the question we ask.

The earlier question was: how do we help people get online?
Then: how do we help people develop digital skills?
Then: how do we help people participate?
Now we are asking: what systems and infrastructure are required to sustain meaningful participation?

That is a much bigger question. And it cannot be answered by one organisation. It requires collaboration, evidence, community insight, accessible design, good referral pathways, practical support, responsible technology, and a willingness to listen to the people who experience exclusion first-hand.

Get involved with Get Online Week 2026

From 19–25 October 2026, Get Online Week will bring organisations and communities together across the UK to raise awareness of digital exclusion and support greater participation in digital society.

At IFB Gaming, we will be using the week to continue the conversation that began through years of community delivery and has now informed our work on From Devices to Impact, the Stage Index, community support and our wider research into digital participation.

If your organisation is already doing digital inclusion work, we want to hear from you. If you are supporting people who are struggling with digital access, skills, confidence or participation, we want to understand what you are seeing.

And if you have never considered yourself part of digital inclusion, perhaps this is the week to ask: what could I do to help someone participate?

Because getting online was never really the destination. It was the beginning.

The work now is helping people participate in the world that comes after it.

Explore From Devices to Impact →
Digital Inclusion , Empowering Futures , Get Online Week , Sustainable Development

Virgin Media O2 Renews Its Partnership With Good Things Foundation

Sector News · Our Take

Virgin Media O2 Renews Its Partnership With Good Things Foundation

What it means at the local level

Virgin Media O2 has just renewed its partnership with Good Things Foundation, marking five years of the National Databank, the mobile-data equivalent of a foodbank, and setting a new target of connecting 500,000 low-income households by 2030 under its Responsible Business Plan.

The headline numbers are genuinely significant. Over 550,000 people experiencing financial hardship have been connected through the National Databank in the past five years. Good Things Foundation’s wider National Digital Inclusion Network, the same network IFB Gaming sits within, has reached 1.7 million people in the last three years alone.

But the number that matters most to us isn’t in the press release. It’s this:

Almost a quarter of all O2 SIM cards distributed through the National Databank have gone out through local community organisations and libraries, not head-office logistics.

That’s the part of this story we know from the ground up, not the headline.

We’ve already seen this network work

A few weeks ago, we had a request for a SIM card from someone in East London, outside our usual Southwark and Lambeth delivery area, who also couldn’t travel to collect one. We couldn’t post her a SIM directly. But because the National Databank network already reaches into local libraries, we were able to point her to her nearest Newham library and get her connected without her needing to come to us at all.

That’s what a renewed, well-funded national partnership actually buys you at street level: more local doors that can say yes, even when the organisation someone first reaches out to can’t be the one to help directly.

Where IFB Gaming fits

Our own Winter Data Care programme and Data Waypoint network operate on the same underlying principle: national infrastructure means nothing if it doesn’t have a genuine local front door. We’re not a competitor to the National Databank, we’re one of the local access points that makes a national commitment like “500,000 households by 2030” actually reachable by an actual person, in an actual borough, this week.

As Virgin Media O2 and Good Things Foundation scale this ambition, the organisations doing the last-mile work, in libraries, community centres, and local outreach like ours, become more important, not less. National funding and infrastructure only convert into real impact when there’s a trusted local presence to carry it the final few miles.

If your organisation is thinking about becoming a local access point, whether through the National Databank, or through our own Data Waypoint network, this is a good moment to have that conversation. The demand is real, and it’s growing in places the headline numbers don’t always show.

Become a Data Waypoint →

AI , Artificial Intelligence , Digital Inclusion , Empowering Futures

Our AI Assistant Now Speaks Your Language, Not Just English

Announcement · AI · Accessibility

Our AI Assistant Now Speaks Your Language, Not Just English

IFB Gaming

Research we’ve read this year, from Accenture’s AI Participation Gap report to Good Things Foundation‘s own regional network meet-ups, keeps saying the same thing: people don’t just need access to AI tools, they need to understand what’s happening in their own language. Not a translated welcome message. The whole conversation.

So we built exactly that, and it’s live on our homepage now.

A Real Conversation, Not a Demo

We tested it ourselves before writing this. We said hello. It asked what language we were most comfortable in. We said Yoruba.

yoruba
Ẹ káàbọ̀.
Èdè Yorùbá dára fún mi.
Báwo ni mo ṣe lè ràn yín lọ́wọ́ lónìí?

It didn’t just greet us in Yoruba and switch back to English. It offered its menu of options in Yoruba. When we said thank you, “Ose”, it replied “Ẹ ṣé púpọ̀.” The whole exchange, start to finish.

Why This Matters

This is a direct answer to something we’ve heard named specifically, by researchers, by Good Things Foundation’s own network, by the families we work with: language shouldn’t be the reason someone is left guessing at a screen. If English isn’t your first language, or your most comfortable one, you shouldn’t have to fight through it just to get help.

We built our Inclusion & AI Literacy Assistant to close that gap properly, not with a token gesture, but with a real, working conversation in whatever language someone actually needs.

Not a Generic AI Bot

Most AI assistants are a generic model with a company’s branding on top. Ours isn’t. It’s built on the same frameworks that shape everything else we do: the Access → Skills → Confidence → Participation cycle behind our Digital Inclusion Toolkit, and John Adewole’s own MOSFC and 7 Pillars models, the same thinking behind how we design every programme we run.

That means when someone asks the assistant for help, it isn’t guessing. It’s reasoning from a structure built specifically for digital inclusion, not a general-purpose chatbot repurposed for the occasion.

Try It Yourself

Look for the chat icon on ifbgaming.com and say hello, in whatever language feels right to you.

AIS built by John Adewole.

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