Behind the Bytes: DECA’s Christmas Edition

Welcome to the Christmas edition of our update post on what’s happening in the DECA world.  Much of this happens behind the scenes, some initiatives take weeks or months to get off the ground and we are conscious we are often heads-down doing the mahi and forget to share (like last month sorry).

What we’ve been up to

• Research Catalogue Project
  This project continues and you will start to see the first release in the new year.

• Zero Data
  We are continuing to work with Buzzly and the Ngahere Communities teams on Zero Data Portal outreach. If you would like to share Zero Data information with your community, you can find a set of resources here.

  • Checkout these quotes from rangatahi on Zero Data.

    • “The site is very cool, but the NZQA website isn't on here. “

    • “This website is very important for New Zealand students to access exam information and sit tests. Most exams I have sat usually have internet problems, and reduce the time we have to do the exam. It would be cool for the zero data site to have this, for a backup way to study, if the internet crashes."

    • "If I am in an emergency or without wifi I can access essential services. The list of services are easy to access.”

• Social Impact ISP Project

  We continue to support Lee Timutimu and a wonderful team carrying out social impact ISP mahi. You can learn more about this initiative in a recent discussion between Lee and our co-Chair Vic.

• Local Newspapers are closing

  Marie has been talking to Local Newspapers before they close about how we can support the facilitation and telling digital equity stories in their absence - we are worried communities will lose their voices as a result. You can read Marie’s insights into this here.

• Regional Digital Navigators

  Bronnie has been leading a project to connect with digital equity initiatives across the motu, asking how we can help and connecting groups with similar mahi (no matter their geography) or in a similar region. More to come on this in the new year.

Upcoming Activities

• Impact Assessment
  We have commenced a project to develop an impact assessment framework, leveraging existing frameworks and those used in other countries or industries. Many of you have identified this as a pressing need. First, we will build the data model for self-service analysis of your own organisation. Then, we will develop a presentation framework. We will be looking for willing participants to test this as we work through it and provide feedback.

• Economic Benefits of Overcoming Digital Exclusion Report

  Following in the footsteps of our Australian role models the Good Things Foundation, we are scoping up a similar report to their recently released Economic Benefits of Overcoming Digital Exclusion report developing a version for Aotearoa. It’s in the scoping stage and will really commence in the new year.

• Writing to Ministers

  This week Minister Costello asking her to ensure the QR codes she announced last week will be plugged into the Zero Data initiative. Then Minister Willis on Social Investment. Next year we will write to Minister Collins on pathways into the workforce and a long list of other Ministers to come.

Looking forward to 2025

DECA was formed as a collective, with founding partners the Todd Foundation, Spark Foundation, InternetNZ, Digital Future Aotearoa and others. As we’ve evolved and clarified our remit, supported by new partners including Chorus and One Foundation, the team has been revisiting our strategy and roadmap of initiatives for 2025 and beyond. What we have heard is times are tougher than ever for the NGO / social impact sector, that government support has been drastically cut for all of us and that our most vulnerable citizens are looking to us for more support than ever before. DECA’s role has clearly emerged as supporting the digital equity community, developing resources, undertaking research, establishing and fostering relationships, shining a light on initiatives our community are undertaking and advocating on our collective behalf. Let’s talk more about what you need from DECA in the new year.

Until then - we know many of you will be working over the break but hope you can enjoy the sunshine. Take care of yourselves. Noho ora mai, Vic