EmpowerNet: Essential Digital Inclusion Toolkit
April 2026
Access to digital services is no longer optional. For many people, it is the only way to manage benefits, book GP appointments, look for work, access housing services, stay in touch with loved ones, and participate in everyday life. For people experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity, a lack of digital access can create yet another barrier to finding pathways out of homelessness.
That’s why Turning Tides is proud to have been part of EmpowerNet, a collaborative digital inclusion project delivered in West Sussex alongside Stonepillow, University of Sussex, and Health Innovation Kent Surrey Sussex (KSS). Together, we have developed, tested and strengthened a practical model of digital inclusion that works where it matters most: at the frontline.
A model born from frontline practice
Turning Tides’ Jacqui Wells and Russell Gallagher originally developed and delivered the digital inclusion model in Turning Tides West Sussex services, supporting local people experiencing homelessness. We saw first-hand that digital exclusion wasn’t just about skills, it was about access, confidence, trust and stability.
EmpowerNet builds on that practice-based insight.
The model brings together three essential elements:
- Devices and connectivity
- Hands-on digital support
- Delivery through trusted community hubs
Support was delivered through Turning Tides and Stonepillow services, where existing relationships meant people could engage at their own pace and without fear of judgement. Rather than treating digital support as an add‑on, EmpowerNet embedded it directly into wider support around housing, health, recovery, education and everyday stability. This approach recognises that digital access is not a standalone issue, it is deeply interconnected with people’s lives.
Strong partnerships, shared learning
A key strength of EmpowerNet has been the partnership approach.
- Turning Tides developed and delivered the original digital inclusion model, providing frontline insight and practice that underpins the EmpowerNet approach.
- Stonepillow replicated and tested the model in their own services, helping to identify which elements could be transferred and adapted.
- University of Sussex led project coordination, codified the model, and carried out the evidence gathering and evaluation that informed the toolkit and wider learning.
- Health Innovation KSS supported codification, evaluation and learning, strengthening the model’s transferability and widening its relevance beyond homelessness services.
By combining lived experience, frontline delivery, academic rigour and system-level learning, the partnership ensured the model was both practical and robust. This project was possible thanks to being funded by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology through the Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund.
What EmpowerNet achieved
Over a six‑month delivery period, the project achieved significant outcomes:
- 209 adults experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity were supported
- 128 devices were distributed:
- 66 mobile phones
- 56 laptops
- 6 tablets
- 124 digital support contacts were delivered:
- 90 one‑to‑one sessions
- 33 group sessions
- 1 outreach session
The outcome data shows just how effective embedded, supported digital inclusion can be:
- 81% of priority digital tasks were completed
- 72% of participants developed new skills or greater digital confidence
- 77% felt they could, or probably could, complete the task independently next time
- 100% of those who received online safety support felt more aware of how to stay safe online
Among longer‑term participants, every individual reported improved confidence, and most showed improved access to online services. For our clients at Turning Tides, this translated into very real benefits, from accessing vital services and managing appointments, to staying in touch with family and friends, and rebuilding independence. The project has also enabled us to secure further funding, expanding our ability to offer devices and digital support to even more people.
Why this work matters
Many essential services are now digital by default. Without a suitable device, data, confidence or ongoing support, people can find themselves locked out of benefits, healthcare, housing applications and employment opportunities. For people experiencing homelessness, these barriers are often intensified by unstable living situations and lack of safe places to charge devices or get online. One of the clearest lessons from EmpowerNet is that giving someone a device alone is rarely enough. Digital inclusion works when access is combined with tailored support and trusted relationships over time.
People experiencing homelessness are among those most at risk of digital exclusion. Recent research by Groundswell highlights that while nine in ten people experiencing homelessness rely heavily on smartphones to get online, only six in ten actually own one. This makes digital exclusion far more than a technical issue, it directly affects people’s ability to navigate everyday life and move forward.
A model with wider potential
Alongside frontline delivery, EmpowerNet has produced a replication toolkit to support other organisations to adapt and adopt the model in their own contexts. What makes EmpowerNet distinctive is that it is not about abstract IT training. It is a practical, relationship‑based model that treats digital inclusion as part of holistic support. With the backing of strong evidence and evaluation, it has clear potential to be adapted for use beyond homelessness services.
The Univeristy of Sussex recently held a local launch event and national webinar to showcase the replication toolkit and the work behind EmpowerNet alongside Health Innovation KSS, Turning Tides and Stonepillow. It was fantastic to meet lots of other organisations in different fields who want digital inclusion for their clients. The events shared evidence and practical learning from EmpowerNet, with the frontline experience of Jacqui Wells & Russell Galacher of Turning Tides who created the model and frontline workers at Stonepillow who tested the model, descibing the powerful impact digital inclusion has on clients.
Looking ahead
At Turning Tides, we’re proud that our frontline practice helped shape a model that is already making a meaningful difference, and that has the potential to help many more people in the future. Digital inclusion is not a nice‑to‑have. It is a vital part of ensuring people are not left behind as services continue to move online. EmpowerNet shows that when digital support is embedded where people already feel safe and supported, it can play a powerful role in rebuilding confidence, connection and opportunity.
EmpowerNet is more than a digital inclusion project, it is a clear example of how Turning Tides lives its values in practice. Collaboration has been at the heart of the project. By working alongside Stonepillow, University of Sussex and Health Innovation Kent Surrey Sussex, we were able to combine frontline expertise, academic insight and system leadership to create something stronger than any one organisation could have achieved alone. Our approach has been fundamentally compassionate. Digital exclusion can be frustrating, disempowering and isolating. EmpowerNet ensured people were met with patience, respect and kindness – recognising that confidence often matters just as much as skills. The project also reflects our ambition. Digital exclusion is a systemic issue, and EmpowerNet was deliberately bold in seeking not just to support individuals, but to shape an evidence-based model with the potential to influence practice more widely. We have remained accountable throughout – testing what works, learning from what doesn’t, and ensuring the model was evaluated rigorously so others can benefit from the learning. Above all, EmpowerNet has been person-centred. Support was shaped around each person’s needs, priorities and pace, delivered through trusted relationships within our services. This ensured digital inclusion was not an abstract goal, but a practical tool that helped people take real steps forward in their lives.
Thank you to our incredible partners who made this project possible and to the wonderful Jacqui Wells and Russell Galacher at Turning Tides, your hard work and determination has changed the lives of many.
If you are an organisation interested in Digital Inclusion for your service, please check out EmpowerNet