A 15-Months BAME Digital Bridge Initiative

The project’s scope is focused on creating a sustainable, community-led framework for digital inclusion tailored to this specific demographic in Leeds and Bradford. We will establish six culturally specific and welcoming “Digital Hubs” within trusted BAME-led community organisations with our partners, including in places of worship.

This place-based approach ensures that support is accessible and delivered by individuals who understand the unique cultural nuances and needs of their peers. The project will run for a period of 15 months, during which we will provide a comprehensive program of activities, including needs assessment workshops that account for diverse accessibility needs, culturally tailored digital skills training, and the establishment of a “Digital Navigator” peer-support network. The scope explicitly includes the training and empowerment of community members to become trainers themselves, creating a self-sustaining model that will continue to benefit the community long after the initial grant period.

We will also procure and distribute a range of assistive technologies and devices, ensuring participants have the tools they need to engage fully with the program and the online world. We anticipate several key outcomes from this initiative.