|
Hello, and welcome back to our monthly newsletter!
The end of the year may be closing in, but we’ve been as busy as ever – and have plenty to celebrate.
Applications to our three CommuniCity challenges closed in October. We’ve been thrilled to see international interest in our three challenges, with applications received from cites across both Europe and the UK! Our judging panels are now hard at work poring over innovative and creative tech-enabled ideas that could help remove barriers for underserved communities in Manchester. Keep a close eye on our social media to be the first to hear about successful applicants, and the solutions we believe could make a real difference to people in our city.
We’ve always considered ourselves to be part of an incredible team - but can confess that our judgement might not be the most objective! In October, we were privileged to attend the Growth and Development Directorate Awards for Excellence, which celebrate the contributions staff have made to services and the people of Manchester. We couldn’t be prouder of our Senior Digital Strategy Officer, Megan Lawless, who achieved recognition as a finalist in two categories: the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, and Rising Star Awards. Megan has not only driven much of the Strategy’s work around community engagement and infrastructure – achieving inspiring outcomes in our AI People’s Panel project, among others – but is a generous, supportive colleague we all feel lucky to have!
|
 (Sorry Megan – we feel this deserves a little newsletter embarrassment!)
In this month's issue, we're also taking a look back on our Digitober celebrations; sharing reflections from the Women in Tech and Tech4Good track days at Manchester Tech Festival; and exploring how the partnership between our incredible Digital Inclusion team and IT provider XMA is making life better for hundreds of people across Greater Manchester.
Happy reading and see you next month!
|
|
We're looking back on an incredible Digitober!
At Newton Heath Library, we celebrated Get Online Week in style, inviting local children and families to take part in two hands-on Digital Skills Sessions.
To start the day, three lucky classes of Year 6 students tried out tech activities offering an exciting glimpse into the many possibilities of a career in STEM.
In the afternoon, the Library opened its doors to a more grown-up clientele, encouraging families to explore the wealth of digital support available in Greater Manchester.
Online, our Digitober Stories series celebrated how different services across Manchester City Council are collaborating with partners to help more people to benefit from the opportunities digital can bring:
A huge thank you to everyone to everyone who took part in making Manchester's Digitober activities such a success, and to all the services that joined us in sharing the creative, inspiring, and human-centric efforts to combat the digital divide in Manchester.
To discover how we're working with organisations, businesses, and people to combat digital exclusion in our city, or explore our Digitober Stories underlining the life-changing impact of digital inclusion, head over to the Digital Strategy website via the links below.
We can't wait to see what's in store next year!
|
After two inspirational days at Manchester Tech Festival, it’s easy to feel hopeful for the future of the tech industry! For the last three years, MTF has brought together tech CEO’s, newcomers – and everyone in between! – to explore the topics that matter most to the community. Returning for 2024 with a packed programme of events, MTF offered a wealth of opportunities for collaboration, knowledge-sharing and innovation as part of its biggest ever line-up.
Senior Digital Strategy Officer Sam Gilmore joined Digital Inclusion Officer Chris Northern at the Festival’s Diversity & Inclusion and Tech4Good track day to explore what D&I looks like in tech, the areas where the industry could improve, and the ways in which the tech sector could work together to embed inclusivity in professional and personal practice. For Sam, the day underlined the potential for technology to make a positive difference to the lives of people in Manchester, balancing practical strategies for fostering inclusivity with thought-provoking discussions. When embedded with consideration for human wants and needs, and a genuine desire to affect change, technology has the power to benefit everyone.
At the Women In Tech (Unfiltered) 2 conference, Digital Strategy Officer Becky McMillan and Digital Strategy Volunteer Chiara Bassini were challenged to reflect on what it means to be a woman in the tech industry – from the advantages that greater diversification can bring to the sector, to the barriers that still hinder progress. With unapologetically candid talks lending a voice to unspoken challenges, the conference spotlighted the need for continued action to ensure that women have equal opportunities to thrive in tech.
To find out more about the Manchester Tech Festival community, or to read Chiara’s insights on Women In Tech (Unfiltered 2) as she prepares to enter the industry, head over to the links below.
|
|
|
Last week, Manchester’s Digital Strategy team headed to Barcelona for the annual Smart City World Expo Congress, one of the globe's biggest urban innovation events. With a jam-packed three-day programme of networking, events and discussions in the smart city space, we were proud to fly the flag for Manchester and share learnings with colleagues from across Europe. Key highlights from the team’s trip included:
+ Leader of the Council, Bev Craig, sat down with the Mayor of Milan, Vice Mayor of Barcelona, and C40 cities to discuss economic development and its role in creating more connected places during an insightful roundtable event.
+ Sherelle Fairweather, Digital Strategy Lead answered the question of how innovation and strategies for inclusive growth can drive places to become smarter for residents, businesses and visitors.
+ Manchester City Council showed up to represent the latest updates in Wythenshawe’s regeneration during a lively panel session – the ambitious net-zero targets for the project and whole-system approach were received with praise by the panel’s international audience.
+ Finally, Megan Lawless, Senior Digital Strategy Officer, chaired a candid fireside chat with GMCA and Belfast city representatives on how 5G can act as innovation enabler in cities for economic growth and resident wellbeing.
Curious to find out more? Stay tuned for a full retrospective of all the key takeaways from the world's premier Smart City conference!
|
|
|
 Manchester Digital Skills Framework
Calling all business and skills providers passionate about digital upskilling!
Help shape Greater Manchester skills training by completing a 5-minute survey commissioned by The University of Manchester and Manchester City Council. Your skills knowledge will inform the Manchester Digital Skills Framework, which will help businesses and skills providers to understand:
- What level their workforce’s/learners' digital skills are at
- What they can do to upskill their teams
- Which training provision they can access to enable this upskilling
- Which training providers businesses can work with to upskill staff
Surveys close on the 22nd November, so make sure to have your say before it's too late!
|
|
|
Digital Inclusion Good News
To help more people take advantage of everything that life in the city has to offer, digital devices are desperately needed. Yet despite the demand, only 1 in 40 new devices will ever be reused!
This year, thanks to the amazing generosity of IT provider XMA, the Digital Inclusion team will gift over 300 high-quality refurbished laptops to charitable organisations across Greater Manchester.
In October, we joined the Digital Inclusion team on a road trip across Greater Manchester to deliver the first 50 devices to their new homes.
Over the next month, the devices will be used to support teachers to prepare & deliver lessons on Ukrainian culture; help cycling enthusiasts learn how to use route planning software; empower unpaid young adult carers to gain essential digital skills - and much, much more!
Find out more about how our Digital Inclusion team is working with pioneering companies to create new opportunities for people across the city by clicking on the link below.
|
|
|
Every month, we'll be sharing updates, news, and opportunities from the Digital Strategy Team, our partners, and the wider digital ecosystem. Whether you're interested in collaborating, have questions, or simply want to learn more about our ambitious vision for Manchester's digital future, we'd love to hear from you!
Find out about the different ways you can reach us below:
|
|
|
|
|
