Investment in Digital Inclusion

Investment Logic Model showing linkage between Digital Inclusion interventions and long-term outcomesWhy should government invest in Digital Inclusion? The investment does not fit neatly into any government programme or department, but has an impact across many priority outcome areas. This is illustrated by the Intervention Logic Model (ILM), that was first developed by Martin Jenkins in 2015 during a review of Computers in Homes commissioned by the Ministry of Education.

The ILM identifies six long term outcomes from Digital Inclusion:
• Better employment outcomes for parents and caregivers
• Families are more socially connected
• Improvement in other social outcomes – Health and Housing
• Economic benefits to families
• Better educational outcomes for children
• Increased efficiency and effectiveness in delivery of government services

With the introduction of the Wellbeing approach for government investment, these outcomes can be more explicitly assessed in the evaluation of programmes.