[Chapter-delegates] Sharing our latest research on Digital Equity: A model for community-driven connectivity

[Joel Templeman]

Dear Chapter Delegates,



I’m excited to share an article our team recently published in the Journal of Community Informatics. This article showcases the work being done by chapters to help communities achieve Digital Equity on their own terms. This message serves two essential purposes: to highlight how "on-the-ground" efforts by chapters can make a transformative impact and to share our findings openly so others can use, adapt, and improve upon our approach.



Our paper, "Barriers to Meaningful Connectivity: Exploring Internet Access Options in a Low-Income Urban Neighbourhood," focuses on a research project in Winnipeg’s North End, where we worked closely with residents to identify barriers like high internet costs, limited digital literacy, and inadequate infrastructure. By involving the community through a participatory approach, we co-created a cooperative model that meets the connectivity needs of Indigenous and newcomer families. The goal was to ensure affordable, accessible, and sustainable internet access, maintained by the people who need it most.



You can access the full article here, which is available under a Creative Commons license: Read the Article.<https://openjournals.uwaterloo.ca/index.php/JoCI/article/view/5601>



In addition to the journal article, the Manitoba Research Alliance (MRA) has also published an excellent piece on this work: North End Connect: Transformative Research Toward Digital Inclusion.<https://mra-mb.ca/north-end-connect-transformative-research-toward-digital-inclusion/> I encourage you to check it out for additional context and insights into the broader digital inclusion movement.



We welcome any specific feedback or questions related to the research. However, out of respect for everyone on this mailing list, we kindly ask that you refrain from simple congratulatory replies such as “great job”—thank you in advance!



A heartfelt thank you to the Internet Society, the Internet Society Foundation, and the Manitoba Research Alliance for their financial and operational support, which made this project possible.



Warm regards,



Joel Templeman, CD, MPA, MEd

Executive Director, Internet Society Manitoba Chapter

Doctoral Student, University of Calgary





Paper URL: https://openjournals.uwaterloo.ca/index.php/JoCI/article/view/5601

Article URL: https://mra-mb.ca/north-end-connect-transformative-research-toward-digital-inclusion/
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