Helping citizens to embrace the digital.

We take an inclusive approach to the design of new technologies that support ‘smart’, ‘data-rich’ living.

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Our mission

The Centre for Digital Citizens (CDC) takes an inclusive, participatory approach to the design and evaluation of new technologies and services that support ‘smart; ‘data-rich' living in urban, rural and coastal communities.

We work with citizens and partners to co-design sustainable ‘Digital Social Innovations’ that ensure technologies applications support diverse communities and have long-lasting social value and impact beyond the life of the Centre.

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Challenge Areas

The Centre for Digital Citizens focuses on
four critical Citizen Challenge areas.

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Ageless Citizen

How can technology support non-age biased learning, growth and engagement opportunities across the entire life course?

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Connected Citizen

How will future citizens remain digitally connected with each other, with public services and with the socio-political issues of the day?

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Safe Citizen

How can digital technologies support fair, secure and equitable societies?

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Well Citizen

How can data and digital connections help us to live well?

Our Activities

Co-creation of research activities

The framework will use design-led ‘initiation mechanisms’ such as participatory design workshops, hackathons, community events, citizen labs, open innovation and co-production platform experiments to support the co-creation of research activities.

Co-creation of research activities

Our Activities

Engaged Citizen Commissioning Framework

Driving our programme to address these challenges is our ‘Engaged Citizen Commissioning Framework’. This framework will support citizens’ active engagement in the co-creation of research and critical inquiry.

Engaged Citizen Commissioning Framework

Our Activities

Innovation Fellows

Our Innovation Fellows, postdoctoral researchers, will engage in a 24-month social innovation programme within the Centre for Digital Citizens. They will pilot Digital Social Innovation projects as part of highly interdisciplinary, multi-stakeholder teams.

Innovation Fellows

Our Activities

Outcomes of the Centre for Digital Citizens

The outcome of these pilots will be the development of further collaborative bids, venture capital pitches, spin-outs and/or social enterprises. In this way the Centre will act as a catalyst for future innovation-focused Digital Economy activity.

Outcomes of the Centre for Digital Citizens
Photograph of - David Kirk, Principal Investigator

"This Centre will allow us to explore how citizens and communities can be a part of the design of innovative technologies that work better for them, from finding ways to use shared personal data to creating citizen-led digital public services."

- David Kirk, Principal Investigator

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Partners

BBC
Benfield School
Centre for Life
Digital Catapult
The Edge Foundation
Future Gov
George Stephenson High School
Google
Great North Care Record
IFRC
Microsoft
Mozilla
North East Local Enterprise
Newcastle City Council
NHS Digital
National Innovation Centre for Ageing
North of Tyne Combined Authority
Northstar Ventures
Northumbrian Water
Place Changers
Plan Digital
Right Question Institute
Sunderland City Council
Sunderland Software City
Traidcraft Exchange
Voice
Voluntary Organisations' Network North East
WEA
West End Schools' Trust
YOTI
Youth Focus North East