Digital Inclusion Pilot in the Netherlands

Project status: Ongoing

Country: the Netherlands

Partners: Alliantie Digitaal Samenleven, Freedom Internet, Municipality of Westerkwartier

Impact goal: 50 households

About the project

Through this pilot project, 48 percent, together with Alliantie Digitaal Samenleven, Freedom Internet, and the Municipality of Westerkwartier will offer affordable internet connection for homes, laptops, along with the skills and assistance to be able to utilize it. Over the course of the coming year, the project partners will work with 50 households in the Westerkwartier municipality to assess the effectiveness of a district-driven approach. Next to this, they are researching how this pilot project can been expanded nationally.

Key message of the research report on the Digital inclusion pilot

"You always need the internet. You want to check whether you’ve made your payments on time and if there’s anything outstanding. You want to check your email and do those kinds of things. Everything is digital these days. I always try to check everything on time and pay what’s needed, every day or multiple times a day. There’s a small shopping center near me, and I used to go there to see where I could get Wi-Fi. I’d stand there with my phone. I had to. That’s how I got internet." – Alice

Alice is one of the participants in the Digital inclusion pilot. She wants to actively participate in our digital society but was hindered because she had no internet or laptop at home.

New Research Report: From Invisible Laggard to Digital Participation

We are pleased to introduce the new research report, “Van onzichtbare achterblijver naar digitaal meedoen: Inzichten en succesfactoren van de proeftuinen met het Digitaal Meedoen Pakket.”

This study, conducted by the University of Twente, provides valuable insights into how the Digital inclusion pilot meets the needs of participants and examines the impact of digital access on their lives.

This report is crucial for a wide audience: municipalities looking for ways to help their residents better participate in the digital world, those considering the introduction of a minimum digital package, and policymakers committed to building an inclusive society. It is also relevant for service providers who increasingly communicate digitally and assume that their clients have easy access to online information.

For all those involved in promoting digital inclusion, this report offers valuable insights into the significant impact digital technology has on vulnerable groups who often face major barriers to social participation.

Read the full report in Dutch here: https://www.utwente.nl/nl/centrumdigitaleinclusie/nieuws/2025/4/231423

About the Digital inclusion pilot

In an increasingly digital society, internet access is essential for basic services such as healthcare, education, and financial management. But what if you can’t afford internet, don’t own a device, or don’t know how to navigate online services?

In the Netherlands, 270,000 people (1.5% of the population) do not have internet at home. Among those with the lowest incomes, owning a laptop is not a given—only 35% have one. Additionally, over 17% of the population lacks the basic digital skills needed to participate fully in the online world. Digital access should be available to everyone, regardless of financial circumstances.

To address the growing digital divide, the municipalities of Westerkwartier, Utrecht, and Amsterdam partnered with social organizations, KPN, VodafoneZiggo, and Freedom Internet to launch the Digital inclusion pilot. Led by Alliantie Digitaal Samenleven, NLdigital, and 48percent.org, the project provided participants in these municipalities with affordable home internet subscriptions, a device (laptop, tablet, or desktop), and support to help them navigate the digital world. More than 100 people participated in the pilot.

Key Findings & Recommendations

The University of Twente studied the needs of pilot participants and the effects of digital access on their personal, economic, and social lives. Interviews revealed that shame, reliance on social networks, and a lack of structured support are major barriers to digital participation. The Digital inclusion pilot helped improve self-reliance by providing essential digital tools and skills.

Additionally, the university examined guidelines for tackling digital inclusion collectively. From co-creation sessions with stakeholders, three key themes emerged:

The orphaned - Collaboration among stakeholders and shared social leadership are crucial to success.

Kafka - Regulatory and market conditions are key challenges in implementing internet access for vulnerable groups. Without clear decisions and cooperation, viable solutions remain out of reach.

Connection - Local networks must work together more effectively to avoid fragmentation.

The pilot demonstrated that a mix of centralized and decentralized solutions, with an emphasis on personal referrals, is essential. The insights and guidelines from this study offer practical strategies for effectively addressing digital exclusion.

According to Alexander van Deursen (University Twente), a structural program is necessary: “Digital inclusion requires collaboration between governments, societal organizations and telecom companies. Internet and digital devices should be basic facilities within governmental policy. By making internet accessible for this target group, and reuse devices where possible, everyone gets to participate equitably in the digital society.”

What’s Next?

Interviews with participants revealed that digital participation is not a given due to a lack of internet access, devices, and digital skills. To change this, a collaborative, mission-driven approach is needed—one in which all stakeholders take responsibility and work together to find solutions.

The stakeholders have expressed their intention to continue working together on concrete solutions and an approach that aligns with the needs of the people involved. This will involve multiple interventions that collectively contribute to the mission of ensuring that everyone can participate in the digital world.

You can read our blog about the project here!

About the partners

Alliantie Digitaal Samenleven is a Dutch organizations who's mission is to ensure digital inclusion for all. They do this through initiating cooperation between the government, civil society organizations, businesses, and experts by experience.

Freedom Internet is a Dutch internet provider that values security and privacy.

Westerkwartier is a municipality in northern Netherlands, in which the pilot project is being rolled out.