Digital inclusion has a new problem: success

As part of our regular check-ins, we recently caught up with the two ADPs funded through the 2025/26 programme. These discussions aren't just about tracking progress, they help us understand how digital inclusion is becoming embedded in local pathways, what barriers are emerging, and what support is needed to keep momentum going.

There's an interesting shift happening in the local pathways. Not because the need has changed, but because the pathways themselves are maturing.

The latest conversations suggest we're reaching a different stage of the journey. In many places, the questions are no longer "How do we get devices to people?" or "Will anyone use this?" Instead, they're about what happens when digital inclusion enables digital solutions in everyday service delivery. And that brings a whole new set of opportunities, and pressures.

One of the clearest themes was that success creates its own operational challenges. As more organisations recognise the value of digital inclusion, referrals increase. More staff know the offer exists. More people need support. That's positive. But it also means more devices to manage, more SIMs to activate, more referrals to process, more partnerships to coordinate and more data to collect.

What's striking is that technology itself is no longer the biggest bottleneck. Instead, it's the administration behind it. The systems that quietly sit in the background (ordering processes, permissions, governance, account management and coordination) are becoming just as important as the devices themselves. It's a reminder that scaling digital inclusion isn't simply about buying more equipment. It's about building the infrastructure that allows programmes to grow sustainably.

Another interesting insight is that digital inclusion is beginning to disappear into everyday practice. That might sound odd, but it's actually a sign of progress. When staff across justice, recovery, housing, mental health and community services routinely identify digital support as part of someone's wider needs, digital inclusion stops being a specialist intervention. It becomes part of how support is delivered. Of course, that creates another challenge.

When digital inclusion becomes embedded everywhere, it also becomes harder to see. Outcomes become spread across different services and longer periods of time. The impact is often indirect. Better engagement. Fewer missed appointments. Increased confidence. More stability. Those things matter enormously, but they're much harder to measure consistently across a range of different partners than the number of devices distributed.  This is something we’ll be evaluating at a programme level in 2026/27.

There were some unexpected wins too.

Several partners described technology being used in ways they hadn't originally anticipated. Smart watches weren't just tracking activity, they were prompting conversations about health and supporting earlier intervention. Fitness trackers became a way of reducing stigma because staff and participants were using the same technology together. Ring doorbells were improving people's sense of safety at home. Earphones were reducing anxiety for people taking public transport to appointments. Perhaps the most surprising learning was that some of the biggest barriers weren't technical at all.

In some cases, people were suspicious of free devices, wondering what the catch was or whether they were being monitored. That reinforces something that's easy to overlook: trust remains fundamental. Even the best digital offer depends on trusted relationships and clear conversations about why support is being offered.

Perhaps the most striking insight was the role digital access can play in preventing people from becoming further involved in the justice system. Something as simple as having access to a phone and data can mean someone is able to receive reminders, stay in touch with support workers and manage appointments with criminal justice social work. Without that connection, missed appointments can quickly escalate into breached court orders, enforcement action or even a return to custody. It’s a powerful reminder that the value of digital inclusion isn’t just about getting people online. It can be a preventative intervention that helps people stay engaged with services, maintain stability and avoid much more serious consequences.

Looking ahead, the challenge feels different from where we started with Digital Lifelines Scotland. The evidence suggests digital inclusion has moved beyond proving its value. The task now is making sure programmes can keep up with their own success. That means investing in coordination as well as connectivity. It means building resilience so programmes don't rely on a handful of committed individuals. It means recognising that as digital inclusion becomes embedded across services, it also needs the governance, funding and operational support that any core service requires.

Our key takeaway as we welcome three new ADPs to the programme this summer is that the next chapter of digital inclusion isn't about convincing people it matters, it's about building systems that are capable of sustaining the progress that's already being made.

Aaron Slater, Digital Inclusion Manager, SCVO

DLS Delivery Group Member