Digital Inclusion Whanganui

11/06/2026

Great to see Digital Equity Coalition Aotearoa sharing practical digital inclusion resources. 🌐
With more broadband options available than ever before, it’s worth checking whether you’re getting the right connection for your household, needs and budget.

11/06/2026

I've been reading Accomplishment by Michael Barber through the Book Club and reflecting on how some of the ideas apply to Digital Inclusion Whanganui.

One idea that really stood out is that accomplishment isn't necessarily about doing more.

It's about focusing on what matters most.

As I worked through the chapter, I adapted the book's ideas into a simple Digital Inclusion framework. It reminded me that while there are many worthwhile things we could do, our challenge is identifying the actions that will make the greatest difference for people who are struggling to participate in an increasingly digital world.

Whether it's helping a senior gain confidence online, connecting a family to affordable internet, supporting someone to access essential services, or helping people feel less isolated through technology, meaningful change comes from focusing our time and energy where it can have the greatest impact.

That's a lesson I'm finding very helpful as I continue developing the Digital Inclusion Whanganui SMART Goals and future action plans.

What do you think makes the biggest difference when helping people become more digitally included?

🥰

10/06/2026

This is a really clear and important article from the University of Auckland about older people, technology, and digital inclusion.

It says something many of us see every week: technology can be wonderful when people feel confident using it — but it can also shut people out when services move online too quickly, or when there is not enough patient, human support.

For Digital Inclusion Whanganui, this is a very encouraging reminder that small, practical, local help really matters.

A conversation at a library, community centre, pensioner flat, marae, church hall, or around a kitchen table can make a real difference to someone’s confidence, independence, safety, and connection.

Digital inclusion is not just about devices or apps.

It is about people.

Thank you to the University of Auckland and Melanie Stowell for such a clear and motivating contribution to this important kaupapa.

https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2026/06/10/melanie-stowell-older-people-shut-out-by-tech-the-conversation.html

Analysis - For many older New Zealanders, the rapid march of technology has helped build a wall rather than open doors.

27/05/2026

We are delighted to hear that Our Net is now available in Whanganui, offering a very generous low-cost fibre plan for eligible households that are fibre-ready but do not currently have an active internet connection.

Please help spread the word, especially to people who may be offline because regular internet prices are out of reach. There are no contracts.

For questions, visit the Our Net page — they are very responsive. To check eligibility or sign up, visit: https://www.our.net.nz/

24/04/2026

I’ve shared a couple of visuals here that bring together my recent work through Digital Inclusion Whanganui and SENSE.

One is a one-page snapshot.
The other shows the same story as a simple slide sequence.

They’re not reports — just a way of making the work visible.

Everything here reflects what’s been happening on the ground over time: showing up, running sessions, listening, and supporting people in practical ways.

As a largely one-person, community-led effort, I’m quietly pleased with what’s taking shape — and also very aware this is still evolving.

What encourages me most is the response: people engaging, asking questions, and coming back for more support.

That’s what matters.

I’ll keep building on this, step by step, in a way that stays useful and real.

And as we head into the long weekend, I hope everyone finds a bit of time to rest and recharge.

23/04/2026

🌐 Sometimes a single image brings everything back into focus.

While putting together a recent post about satellite texting and access, I reworked one of my visuals and included the Digital Inclusion Whanganui logo in a slightly different way.

It wasn’t planned. But it turned into something more than just design.

It became a reminder.

Looking again at the logo — the connections, the colours, the pathways — it really does capture what digital inclusion is about:

Not technology first, but people.
Not systems, but connections.
Not uniform pathways, but many different ways in.

Each line, each node, each colour feels like a story:
• someone learning something new
• someone gaining confidence
• someone finding their way into the digital world

And when it all connects, it becomes something bigger — a community that is more connected, more capable, and more included.

This latest image was about access and fairness.
The logo quietly grounds it in purpose.

A good reminder that sometimes, in the middle of creating something new, you rediscover why you started.

20/04/2026

🌉 We’re seeing something important in our community.

When people struggle online, it’s usually not because the technology is too advanced.

It’s because things don’t feel clear, safe, or certain.

Messages that look real.
Systems that are confusing.
Moments where it’s hard to know what to do.

That’s what we’re hearing and seeing in everyday conversations — in libraries, community spaces, and across Whanganui.

At the same time, there’s a lot of good work happening across Aotearoa to improve cyber safety and support people online.

This short blog shares how those two things connect — and why community experience matters just as much as systems and infrastructure.

🔗 https://crystaladventures.co.nz/cyber-resilience-needs-a-stronger-bridge-between-systems-and-people/

We’ll keep listening, learning, and sharing what we’re seeing.