Digital Inclusion Team wiki / Peter's Story

The "e-Inclusion: be part of it!" campaign is organised by the European Commission. More information on this action is available at http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/einclusion. The European Commission bears no responsibility for, nor is it involved in, the events, documents or other manifestations associated or claiming to be associated with the campaign, unless indicated otherwise.

Peter's Story - a vision of social inclusion through the use of ICT

Many administrations are faced with a myriad of ICT projects and initiatives that they might introduce to enhance inclusion and transform their activities. Understanding the synergies and benefits of combining or integrating best practice projects is difficult. Comprehending the transformation opportunities and impact on inclusion provided by introducing several different projects simultaneously is problematical even for the most knowledgeable and experienced local or regional administration employee. Envisaging how operations, ‘joining up’ and service provision might change, both within the administration and with partners at the interface with citizens and in the back-office, creates an additional element of confusion for many observers.

The creation of a clear vision of how transformed services for one group of citizens could look now, the improvement in services that can be provided for citizens and the operational changes and partnerships new developments might require will provide administration staff and elected representatives with a better understanding of what can be achieved and the benefits better use of ICT and transformation in operating practices could provide to enhance inclusion activities.

The purpose of this new and powerful method of considering the role of ICT in addressing inclusion and service transformation is to engage elected representatives, administration officials and citizens with a unique vision of how ICT can be used to enhance inclusion.

The simple story telling technique demonstrates how if all the best elements of existing projects in the UK were introduced in one administration or for one citizen they could be helped by ICT, both in the back office and at the interface with a socially excluded person to become more included in society. The story is not a fanciful prediction of what might be possible with technology in the future. It portrays what could be achieved now if a wide variety of successful best practice initiatives already operating were joined together. The first pilot study focuses on Peter – a young person not in education, employment or training (NEET).

The story joins together fifteen ‘best practice’ initiatives from all over the UK that use digital technologies (the initiatives can be found in the appendix, each is cross-referenced by a number n the text). Peter is a small time reclusive drug dealer who is disengaged from society. The story recounts how the Local Strategic Partnership analysed local intelligence and worked with the local police, fire service , schools and other groups to target his street for special attention during school holidays to prevent anti-social behaviour. It goes on to tell how through his use of a number of other electronic services, all available though not in one place, he progresses socially and educationally to find fulfillment and employment.

The nine page story provides policy makers and citizens with clear evidence of what is possible now. By joining together a variety of initiatives it highlights the organisational and other changes that are required to enhance transformation both within an administration and across all tiers of government. For too long case studies have examined individual projects in isolation, frequently concentrating on the use of ICT at the interface with the citizen.

Peter's Story and References.pdf