Digital Inclusion Whanganui

Digital Inclusion Whanganui Empowering Whanganui with digital skills and connections. Learn, grow, and thrive in the digital age!

We are delighted to hear that Our Net is now available in Whanganui, offering a very generous low-cost fibre plan for el...
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/

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

🌐 Sometimes a single image brings everything back into focus.While putting together a recent post about satellite textin...
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.

🌉 We’re seeing something important in our community.When people struggle online, it’s usually not because the technology...
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.

We may be solving the wrong problem.At the library, and out in the community here in Whanganui, we’re seeing something v...
31/03/2026

We may be solving the wrong problem.

At the library, and out in the community here in Whanganui, we’re seeing something very clear:

It’s not access that holds people back.

It’s confidence.
It’s trust.
It’s having someone sit alongside you — and being able to come back again.

A recent UK study on digital inclusion in later life says exactly the same thing.

Libraries aren’t just places with computers.
They’re safe, trusted spaces where people can ask questions, take their time, and try again without feeling judged.

That’s what makes the difference.

People don’t need a one-off fix.
They need somewhere they can return to.

That’s what digital inclusion really looks like on the ground.

If we’re serious about helping everyone participate fully in today’s world, we need to think not just about devices and internet access…

…but about the people and places that make it all usable.

We’d love to hear from others locally — what are you seeing, and what’s helping?
🔗 Link to the research in the comments

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Most people seeing this will be fine.But someone you know might not be.3G shuts off this Tuesday — take a moment to chec...
27/03/2026

Most people seeing this will be fine.

But someone you know might not be.

3G shuts off this Tuesday — take a moment to check in with someone who may not have seen this and help them check their phone.

That simple conversation matters.

A small milestone for Digital Inclusion Whanganui today.Just over a year ago this kaupapa was little more than an idea —...
09/03/2026

A small milestone for Digital Inclusion Whanganui today.

Just over a year ago this kaupapa was little more than an idea — a concern about the number of people in our community who feel left out of the digital world.

Since then we’ve been listening, learning, and trying a few practical things.

Some important foundations are now in place:

• A Whanganui Digital Inclusion Needs Analysis
• A strategic framework for how the work might grow
• The launch of SENSE Whanganui — weekly digital help drop-ins at Gonville Library
• Conversations with many people and organisations about how we can work together

Along the way I’ve learned something important:

Digital inclusion doesn’t start with technology.
It starts with people, trust, and calm places to ask questions.

I’ve written a short blog reflecting on the first year of Digital Inclusion Whanganui and where the work may go next.

If you’re interested, you can read it here:

👉https://crystaladventures.co.nz/into-year-two-reflection-and-the-road-ahead-for-digital-inclusion-whanganui/

Thank you to everyone who has encouraged, supported, and taken part in the conversations so far. This kaupapa is very much a community effort.

The second year will focus on strengthening what works, building partnerships, and continuing to support people to feel more confident in the digital world.

A Whanganui where everyone can confidently participate in the digital world — that remains the goal.

And the conversations have started.


Digital Inclusion Whanganui continues to evolve.What began as a pilot is now stepping into community-led development. Th...
21/02/2026

Digital Inclusion Whanganui continues to evolve.

What began as a pilot is now stepping into community-led development. The SENSE Listening Board marks a shift from delivering support to gathering grounded evidence.

Local voice. Regional strength. National relevance.

21/02/2026

3G Mobile Network Will Be Shut Down by 31 March 📱

By 31 March, the 3G mobile network will be completely switched off across Aotearoa. If you have an older phone, calls, texts, data and even 111 may stop working.

The easiest way to check your phone is to text “3G” to 550. It is free, works on all networks and does not use data or credit.

Jess Goodman, Easy Read Writer, has created a clear booklet explaining what is happening and what people need to do -

“It is important for many of the people we support to be able to communicate using their mobile phones. They need clear, accessible information on what is happening and what they need to do,” says Jess

David Corner, IHC National Self-Advocacy Advisor, reviewed the booklet -

“It’s really important that people who use the 3G phone network share this information because we hear a lot that the 3G network is shutting down and then nothing else about it. I feel this information would be really helpful for everyone using the 3G network”

👉 Download the Easy Read 3G Network Shutdown booklet here: www.ihc.org.nz/publications/easy-read-3g-network-shutdown

👉 More resources are also available at the Digital Equity Coalition Aotearoa website
www.digitalequity.nz/3g-shutdown

~ ~ ~
, Digital Equity Coalition Aotearoa, TUANZ

08/01/2026

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