The catalyst for DECA came out of NZ’s first COVID lockdown in 2020 when the scale of digital exclusion was starkly revealed and the necessity of digital inclusion was put beyond doubt.
That same year, people and organisations from across the digital inclusion community contributed to the Internet NZ-led plan for digital inclusion, called The five point plan for digital inclusion: COVID-19 and beyond.
During the development of the Five Point Plan, the community expressed a desire to be better connected, and for greater coordination.
A small group of people, which we called the DECA Establishment Group, came together to figure out how to connect and coordinate the digital inclusion community in Aotearoa.
We are a coordinated, community-centred coalition working together to achieve digital equity in Aotearoa.
Over a year and a half, the Group developed an initiative to achieve this vision, using an inclusive, consultative and community centred process. This included many conversations with those working at the frontline of digital inclusion, and a series of hui with the wider digital inclusion community. In October 2021, the Establishment Group handed over to our Stewardship Group and DECA was officially launched.
Since 2021 DECA has focused on connecting the digital inclusion community to foster collaboration and share resources. We have formed partnerships, hosted hui, delivered research and supported those addressing digital inequities.
