Research by PwC last year estimated that there are over 10 million people in the UK who have never used the internet, and worryingly 4 million of this group are also socially excluded.  This might be an astonishing fact, but it’s not an insurmountable problem.  If everyone who’s online taught just one person to use the internet, then the problem would be solved.  After all, the infrastructure and skills needed to use the web exist in abundance.   

Race Online 2012, the landmark challenge led by the UK’s Digital Champion Martha Lane Fox, has one proposed mission – to create life enhancing opportunities for the 4 million adults in the UK who have never been online.  

There is both a moral and economic imperative for the wider community to take the issue of digital inclusion much for seriously. It’s also essential to business that the UK is near 100% online as this will create efficiency savings, attract investment, open opportunities and improve work force skills.   

Race Online 2012 wants any organisation of any size to get involved and help tackle the issue.  From encouraging business partners to sign up, to teaching friends and family to get online, or by donating old IT equipment locally - there are opportunities for all businesses to make a difference. It’s simple to sign up and it only takes five minutes to register.   

We know that many of you are already leading innovative, inspirational and educational Digital Inclusion projects of your own – this automatically entitles you to become a partner of Race Online 2012 and access the online Race Online 2012 partner toolkits which include a Race Online 2012 certificate, online media and communication materials to help you promote your initiatives and spread the word, plus access to the Race Online 2012 web news feed offering 24/7 digital inclusion news updates and forum where you can exchange ideas with other Race Online 2012 partners. 

Please click on this link http://raceonline2012.org/get-involved to become an official Race Online 2012 partner, where you can explain what your organisation is doing or can do to help make the UK one of the first countries in the world to establish a fully online, internet enabled society. 

Don’t forget to ‘Pass IT on’ 

We are delighted to inform you that UK online centres has recently partnered with Race Online 2012 to launch Pass IT on as a way of helping people who are already online to convince someone they know to get online too. 

For most of us being online is part of our daily lives, saving us time, hassle and money. However, one in three adults in England still aren’t online and don’t know where to turn to get started.  

If this sounds like someone you know and you’d like to help them, Pass IT on gives you a hassle-free way of supporting a loved one to get online. Please visit http://www.ukonlinecentres.com/passiton 

We do hope that you will be able to support these two campaigns and we look forward to being in touch with you.