Press Release
Business, public sector and community leaders across the South West will be examining how digital technologies can be used to transform the way public services are delivered to local communities at a conference in Bristol on Wednesday 1st November.
The Government’s UK Innovation and Challenge Programme director, Stephen Dodson will be giving the keynote address on ‘digital inclusion’ at the conference, which will identify how key groups across the South West can work together to capitalise on the region’s wealth of digitial skills, knowledge and creativity.
The event will also see the regional launch of the DTi’s Effective Content Initiative, a new national programme which encourages local government to work more closely with digital media industries to harness best practice from industry to improve the effectiveness and take up of services.
‘Connecting Bristol’, the team responsible for developing the City’s bid for the Government’s Digital Challenge are hosting the one-day event called ‘Connecting the South West, Harnessing Digital Disruption’ at the Watershed Media Centre in Bristol.
Stephen Hilton, project leader of Connecting Bristol says: “Digital technologies have the potential to make public services more effective by re-engineering the way they are delivered and using multi-media to open access to a wider range of people, particularly disadvantaged groups. The digital revolution is transforming our society and this conference will look at how the full range of public services – from local government and health to police and education – can take up the challenge.
”Bristol already has very positive partnerships between its public services and creative industries, as demonstrated by the 400-strong ‘Momentum Group’ of organisations backing our Digital Challenge bid and this event is partly about sharing this knowledge and practice across the region.”
Main speakers at the conference include James Farmer, senior policy adviser, E-Business, Broadband & Digital Content at the DTi, Jon Drori, currently director of consultancy Changing Media Ltd and formerly head of commissioning and editorial director at BBC Online, Fabian King, head of ICT at the South West of England Regional Development Agency and Ayleen Driver, ICT curriculum advisor at the Bristol Local Education Authority. Dick Penny and Stephen Hilton of Connecting Bristol will also talk about Bristol’s bid to be named as the UK’s digital city, in the £7 million national ‘Digital Challenge’ competition.
Fabian King at the South West RDA said: “The South West has a very strong digital and creative industries sector and is particularly well-positioned to realise the DTI’s initiative to encourage local government to harness this expertise in delivering public services. The region has real potential to build on its existing partnerships to become a national leader in the field.”
Workshops at the conference will focus on ensuring access for the disadvantaged, working with communities to develop relevant, high quality content, sharing existing expertise in digital technologies and harnessing technology for sustainable benefits.
Connecting Bristol is one of ten national shortlisted finalists in the running to win the UK’s Digital Challenge competition and the only finalist from the South West. The prize money would be used to develop digital access, bridge the digital divide and widen the use of IT among all groups of the community, particularly the most disadvantaged.
In July, the City was named the region’s top digital city in the Digital Challenge and Connecting Bristol was awarded £120,000 to enable the partnership to continue and to develop the bid to the final stage of the competition.
Since then, project leaders Stephen Hilton and Dick Penny, project manager Kevin O’Malley and project co-ordinator Jane Porter have been appointed to progress the bid.
There are still a few places left for the conference and all shortlisted authorities and those with interest in the South West region are invited to attend.
For free registration contact www.bristol-city.gov.uk/connectingsouthwest or for more information about Connecting Bristol, log on to www.connectingbristol.org. For more information about the Digital Challenge and to view ‘Connecting Bristol’s’ initial bid visit www.digitalchallenge.gov.uk
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