Jacoby Poulain: We must bridge our digital divide

."There I was, standing at the front of the room with 30 sets of eyes locked in and focused intently upon me. They were waiting for an answer.

A few days earlier I had been requested to attend this community meeting called by local leaders in response to the recent closure of EIT's Flaxmere Learning Centre. The group had been utilising the centre weekly for communal study, internet access and educational assistance, however were now facing the prospect of finding alternative arrangements.

Members of the group rose one by one, taking turns to express their gratitude for having access to such a premise and resource over the years, but articulating the barriers they now face in continuing their educational pursuits no longer having access to such a resource, internet access in particular.

Many of these barriers I knew existed. Others, however, surprised me. A main barrier included the lack of affordability of home broadband. For those that could afford a home connection, a new issue arose - having to share the one device with multiple family members wishing to access the internet at the same peak time.

Traversing to the library is out of the question as by the time many students come home from school, finish their extra-curricular activities and chores, the library has closed.

We have here the issue of the digital divide rearing it's head. The digital divide, or the digital split, refers to the differing amount of information between those who have access to the internet and communications technologies and those who do not. Affordable cost and quality of connection are always featured factors in the divide.

For all people, fluency in the use of technology is becoming increasingly critical to ensuring future job opportunities and societal progression.

The internet is an important means of accessing a wide range of information and services.

People who are unable to access information technology or who are without the skills to use them, run the risk of being excluded from possible social, educational, cultural and economic benefit.

This is likely to have adverse effects on their educational outcomes, employment prospects and other aspects of their wellbeing.

Considering how important internet access is these days, it's troubling to note the technological disparities our communities face.

According to the Ministry of Social Developments Social Report of 2010, at the 2006 Census 66 per cent of people lived in New Zealand households with access to the internet.

But of all regional differences across New Zealand, Hawke's Bay featured in the lowest proportions of households with internet access.

Knowing that internet access is so strongly connected with educational achievement, it's critical that we ensure that all students and our community have access to the internet inside and outside of school.

Bridging the digital divide is not the easiest of tasks but it's not impossible either. There are tangible things we can do.

Jacoby Poulain is a Hastings District Council Flaxmere Ward councillor.