Introduction

Using this site

News

Background Reading

Cabinet Office Social Exclusion Unit Web Site

Research reports

LIC Policy

Open for All?

The Network Society

National Policy initiatives

European action

Scotland

Wales

Northern Ireland

Social Exclusion Action Planning Network

Training and Development

References

The term Network Society is used instead of Information Society to describe a living environment transformed by network connections derived from mass access to information and communications technologies.

Useful resources are:

Communities Online
www.communities.org.uk,  which has a variety of resources and discussion lists including the Conet list which is useful source of current affairs and concerns.

Making the Net Work
www.makingthenetwork.org.uk is a new resource about building information networks at community level, and includes toolkits for action. The site was originally funded by the DTI’s Policy Action Team 15.

In the United States, The Benton Foundation
http://www.benton.org/ has a rich account of US experience and links, and in particular has a web site devoted to the ‘digital divide’ http://www.digitaldividenetwork.org/ which includes a public discussion list useful to keep track of research and other activities around social inclusion.

Three useful and key publications are:

The net result: social inclusion in the information society. Report of the working party on social inclusion (INSINC). IBM, 1997
(Seminal report and essential reading on the relationship between deprivation, communications and information technologies. With useful references.)

Shearman, C. (1999), Local connections: making the net work for neighbourhood renewal. Communities Online
(Response to the SEU National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal)

Grunwald, Terry. (1998), Making the NET work Online strategies for community based organisations. Uk edition Partnerships Online
(Useful guidelines on developing community networks and working collaboratively to achieve community objectives.)

Last updated: Tuesday, 28 August, 2001