Digital inclusion
Digital inclusion can be defined as “ensuring that everyone has the access, skills, support and confidence to participate in and benefit from our modern digital society, whatever their circumstances” (Gov UK, 2025). The UK Government are currently focussing on digital inclusion, exploring four main priorities ...
- Opening opportunities through skills,
- Tackling data and device poverty,
- Breaking down barriers to digital services, and
- Building confidence and supporting local delivery.
Increasing integration of digital into healthcare offers opportunities for improved efficiency and access to health services. However, it may also exacerbate existing inequities, whereby people who are more likely to face barriers to digital inclusion also experience more health inequalities and adverse health outcomes. Although 86% of households in Coventry have fixed broadband, a substantial portion remains unconnected (Coventry City Council, 2023). Nationally, around 7% of households have no internet-capable device, translating to approximately 10,000 households in Coventry, with an additional 30,000 relying solely on smartphones (Office National Statistics).
Digital Inclusion - Device Bank Evaluation
The HDRC Quantitative and Mixed-Methods Research Fellow is working with both research ambassadors within the Digital Inclusion Team to produce a quantitative evaluation for the Device Bank. This evaluation explores how the Device Bank has sustainedly supported service users with health, social connectivity, employment, and overall quality of life. This evaluation takes place at baseline (upon registration for devices), 6-months and 12-months, allowing for identification of the effectiveness of having access to devices and the internet on individuals’ overall lives. So far, the evaluation has 40 responses from organisations engaging with the Device Bank such as Carers Trust, with data helping to shape a successful NIHR PHIRST application for further evaluation of the Device Bank.
Digital Inclusion – WATCH programme Evaluation
The HDRC Quantitative and Mixed-Methods Research Fellow and Programme Assistant are working the research ambassador within the Digital Inclusion Team to design, develop, and implement an evaluation framework for the WATCH community centre in Coventry. This WATCH evaluation has a two-fold approach; two assess the effectiveness of the WATCH community centre and programme for individuals, exploring life factors such as digital health, social connectedness, and quality of life. This mixed-methods evaluation will use robust quantitative measures to ensure a reliable evaluation alongside 1:1 semi-structured interview. The evaluation will also consist of a research capacity building element, providing training to the WATCH staff team, to encourage independent evaluation design and build confidence in interpreting data and results.
PHIRST (Public Health Intervention Responsive Studies Teams)
Following the initial Device Bank evaluation work, the Digital Inclusion Team and Coventry HDRC have collaborated to apply to the NIHR PHIRST applications. PHIRST teams are located across the country and provide timely and accessible evaluations of public health interventions – no funding from local authorities is needed. We are pleased to announce that this application was successful and we have been matched withthe NIHR PHIRST LiLaC team,based in North East England. They will be working closely with Coventry HDRC and the Digital Inclusion team to conduct an in-depth evaluation of the Device bank, including a literature review, building on existing evaluation methodology already developed. This project will conclude in December 2026, and we are looking forward to the findings and sharing these in due course!
Click & Connect: Tech Inclusion for Older Adults
The Click & Connect: Tech Inclusion for Older Adults was a research bid submitted to the National Lottery: Reaching communities application. This bid proposed to involve researchers engaging with the community through networks including #CovConnects, Age UK, Midland Heart and library home services to ensure access. This project fills a significant gap in Coventry’s digital inclusion landscape for older adults. While there are strong initiatives targeting younger people and workforce development, older adults - particularly those with care needs - are often left behind. The project complemented Coventry’s ambition to become a creative technology leader by ensuring its older residents can participate meaningfully in that transformation. It aligned closely with the goals of #CovConnects, Coventry City Council’s digital inclusion programme, which prioritises connectivity, wellbeing, and equitable access to digital resources. The project aimed to collaborate with #CovConnects to access their device bank, leverage their reach in care settings, and build on shared goals. The project also responded to evidence gathered by partners such as Midland Heart, who support retirement villages in key areas like Willenhall and Canley. Although unsuccessful, the research team including the HDRC Research Fellow in Quantitative and Mixed-Methods, Research Ambassador from Digital Inclusion at Coventry City Council, and Coventry University, will repurpose the bid and continue to explore other funding options for this project.
Coventry Youth Smartphone Project
A project is being undertaken by Educational Psychologists at Coventry City Council with support of the Research Fellow in Quantitative and Mixed-Methods as part of a working group to explore the impact of smartphones on young people. This project has received ethical approval from the Coventry HDRC Research Governance process. For this project, focus groups and co-creation workshops are being conducted at a Coventry Secondary School (key partner in this project) to explore young people’s perceptions, opinions, and experiences of smartphones. Findings from this project will subsequently inform a digital survey which will be developed and rolled out city-wide across all mainstream secondary schools across Coventry.