Action 9: assisted digital
Published 24 March 2014
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Go ON UK: making sure no-one gets left behind
Marketa Mach, CEO of Go ON UK talks about assisted digital
Marketa Mach, CEO of Go ON UK, talks about their work making sure that no-one is left behind by the growth of digital services
Ask Marketa Mach to spell out her aims, and the answer is simple and ambitious:
“We want to make the UK the most digitally capable nation in the world.”
She leads a charity backed by an eclectic mix of private sector and third sector supporters. It aims to raise awareness of the importance of UK digital capability, highlight how critical it is for everyone to have the skills to get online, and create action that drives the development of online skills in Britain.
What’s important, she says, is that the internet isn’t treated like it’s something separate, or something alien. It’s part of our lives now, entwined with our daily routines:
The internet is not another place, it’s an extension of the world we live in. The same people who live here, live there. The same people that tell stories here, tell stories there.
There is a need to help individual citizens get online, but there are wider social and economic benefits to small businesses and charities too, says Marketa. Small businesses that are actively engaged on the internet grow considerably faster than those that are not, boosting the economy as a result. She says:
Our fundamental belief is that no-one deserves to be left behind.
As an avid user of the internet, I know what an amazing place it is, and I’d love to share that with everyone. We understand that not everyone will choose to be there but that needs to be an active and informed choice.
Marketa Mach is CEO of Go ON UK.