Power Up: Digital Inclusion
Creative Digital Inclusion: building confidence, creativity and digital skills
Power Up was a participatory digital inclusion project designed to help young people develop practical digital skills, confidence and creative agency through a combination of storytelling, drama and technology.
Developed by C&T with community partners in Liverpool, Redditch and Gloucestershire, the project explored how creative approaches to learning could help address digital exclusion while making technology more accessible, engaging and relevant to young people facing barriers to participation.
At a time when digital skills are increasingly essential for education, employment and everyday life, Power Up sought to move beyond traditional digital training models. Instead of focusing solely on technical instruction, the project combined creative challenges, collaborative problem-solving and participatory activities that encouraged young people to learn through doing, creating and sharing.
Working alongside Inclusion Network in Bootle, Re-Imagine Redditch and Strike A Light in Gloucestershire, participants took part in a series of workshops exploring digital creativity, online communication, content creation, video production, problem-solving and digital confidence. Activities were designed around C&T's Story Systems methodology, using narrative, role-play and creative tasks to make learning enjoyable and meaningful.
The project was supported through the Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund and formed part of a wider exploration of how arts-based approaches can contribute to digital inclusion and future skills development. Throughout the programme, participants created digital content, collaborated with peers and developed practical skills that could be applied within education, employment and everyday life.
A significant aspect of the project was its commitment to research and evaluation. Using Prospero's participatory research tools, C&T gathered evidence from participants throughout the programme, helping to understand not only what skills had been learned but how participants experienced the process.
The findings were highly encouraging. Participants reported substantial increases in confidence using computers independently, with digital confidence and perceived digital inclusion improving significantly across the programme. Ninety-five percent of participants reported feeling more included in the digital world following participation, while ninety-three percent said they would recommend the programme to others. Participants consistently highlighted the combination of drama activities and technology as one of the most enjoyable and effective aspects of the project, helping them feel relaxed, creative and confident when engaging with unfamiliar digital tools.
The success of Power Up has helped shape C&T's continuing work in digital inclusion and future skills development. The learning, partnerships and evidence generated through the project now inform ACTSmart, C&T's emerging programme exploring the relationship between creativity, technology and future employability.
Power Up demonstrates how participation, storytelling and creative practice can provide powerful pathways into digital learning, helping young people build the confidence and skills needed to participate fully in an increasingly digital society.
Project Overview
Project Title
Power Up: Creative Digital Inclusion
Programme
ActSmart
Story System
Signal Stories
Status
Completed
Lead Partner
C&T
Delivery Partners
Inclusion Network (Bootle) • Re-Imagine Redditch • Strike A Light
Funder
Department of Science, Innovation and Technology, Arts Council England
Locations
Bootle • Redditch • Gloucestershire
Participants
Young people facing barriers to digital participation
Themes
Digital Inclusion • Future Skills • Creative Technology • Youth Engagement • Participation • Digital Confidence
Outputs
Creative Workshops • Digital Content • Video Production • Digital Skills Activities • Evaluation Reports
Digital Infrastructure
Prospero
Evidence and Impact
95% of participants reported feeling more included in the digital world.
93% said they would recommend the programme to others.
Participants demonstrated significant increases in confidence using computers independently and highlighted the combination of drama activities and technology as one of the most effective aspects of the programme.
Legacy
The findings, partnerships and evaluation evidence from Power Up informed the development of ACTSmart, C&T's ongoing programme exploring creativity, technology and future skills.
Related Sectors
Education • Community & Inclusion • Research