The Digital Sisters AI for Good project will launch inclusive learning materials through 20 national partners and train 40 Digital Mentors to reach 600 women.

Additionally, 3,500 community organisations will gain access to program resources via Good Things networked model.

"We’re thrilled to be launching this work that will support women in building the skills and confidence to engage with AI and other emerging technologies so they don’t get left behind,” states Good Things CEO Jess Wilson.

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"We are grateful for our partnership with Telstra and Microsoft on this groundbreaking initiative,” she adds.

As part of Digital Sisters AI for Good, Good Things Australia conducted research into the intersection between AI literacy and digital inclusion, through surveys with community organisations and consultations with individuals from various sectors.

They also engaged directly with refugee and migrant women. Insights were refined during a cross-sector roundtable in early May.

In a statement, Good Things presented the following key findings from its Digital Sisters AI for Good report:

- Barriers to AI engagement mirror those faced by the digitally excluded, including low digital ability, affordability, access to technology, and regional disparities.

- AI Literacy was widely understood as having the skills and knowledge to effectively, responsibly, and safely use AI tools and is made up of intersecting literacies including digital, data, information, and language literacy.

- Ethical concerns around AI development, included online harm, data privacy, and bias in existing tools.

- A general lack of awareness about AI among migrant and refugee women, despite its daily use.

- A person needs to have basic digital and literacy skills to use AI powered tools and devices, although AI tools can help to overcome some barriers to technology use.

"It’s not just about how to use AI, supporting people to build their AI literacy means being able to critically analyse information that is created by AI," explains Wilson.

"But this is not just an individual responsibility, we need to engage in a public conversation about AI's benefits and risks, ensuring that the continued digitisation that is occurring as a result of AI does not leave people further behind.”

“By focusing on AI literacy, we’re helping support a future where more women can take control of their digital lives and fully participate in the opportunities of a tech-driven society,” claims Telstra group executive sustainability external affairs and legal Lyndall Stoyles.

"At Microsoft, we believe that economic growth and opportunity should be accessible to everyone, and this begins with equipping all individuals with the skills needed to thrive in a digital, AI-driven economy, while also addressing the unique challenges women face in our digital world,” notes Microsoft general manager enterprise commercial Jo Dooley.

For the past 11 years, Ingram Micro has been a supporter of Cure Kids.

The years saw Cure Kids achieved breakthroughs in child health research, which include proof that a Vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy and infancy prevents doctor visits for acute respiratory infections in early childhood and the development of a robotic gait trainer to help children with cerebral palsy walk.

Cure Kids also discovered that evidence that sleeping on a person's side during pregnancy can reduce the risk of stillbirths by 50%, and evidence that babies born prematurely at 23-24 weeks can survive and thrive.

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"Ingram Micro is honoured to contribute to the incredible advancements that Cure Kids has raised for paediatric research in New Zealand," says Ingram Micro New Zealand managing director Leon De Suza.

"Ingram Micro New Zealand’s ongoing support for Cure Kids underscores our commitment to the charity's mission of undertaking critical research that is tangibly improving the lives of children and families across the country."

Ingram Micro’s most recent fundraising initiative for Cure Kids was its Red Nose Day Event, held on 9 July.

Looking ahead this year, Ingram Micro is set to host the Ingram Micro Cure Kids Golf Day on 29 November, as well as support the upcoming Cure Kids Gala on 9 August and Rebel Sport 24 Hour Team Challenge taking place 15-16 October.

“These events will not only serve as key fundraising opportunities for Ingram Micro to continue to support Cure Kids but will also bring together communities and businesses committed to supporting paediatric health research,” the company states.

“Cure Kids extends heartfelt gratitude to Ingram Micro for its steadfast commitment to our mission, raising over half a million dollars over the last 11 years,” enthuses Cure Kids CEO Frances Soutter.

“As a long-term supporter of Cure Kids, we are immensely thankful to the Ingram Micro team for their passion for what we do and their unwavering commitment to fundraising events. We genuinely feel that we are part of the Ingram Micro whanau.”

The Ingram Micro Red Nose Day fundraising page is open until 31 July for donations and any amount is appreciated.

For more information on how to support other Cure Kids initiatives or get involved, please click here.

Founded in 1971, Cure Kids is a leading charity dedicated to raising funds for research that aims to save, extend, and improve the lives of Kiwi children diagnosed with serious life-impacting and life-limiting health conditions. In its more than 50 years of operation, Cure Kids has invested more than NZ$65 million in New Zealand-based research which has helped to shape and improve the diagnosis and treatment of seriously ill children.

The coalition will work to improve access to affordable internet-enabled devices to close the “Usage Gap” which holds three billion people worldwide from maximising their potential in the global digital economy.

The GSMA will continue to facilitate close collaboration between coalition members to share learnings, and assess and deploy tailored innovative models that can narrow the usage gap.

According to GSMA, mobile remains the primary—and often only—way people in low-and middle-income countries (LIMCs) access the internet, accounting for 84% of broadband connections in 2023.

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Yet three billion people—38% of the world’s population—live in areas covered by mobile internet but do not use it due to barriers, including digital literacy and skills, lack of relevant content, online safety and access.

Handset affordability is often recognised as the biggest barrier to online accessibility.

The new coalition will assess multiple “levers” to reduce the cost of entry into the digital economy for low-income populations, with particular focus on LMICs and areas where handset affordability presents the highest barrier to getting online, such as in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

By exploring new solutions including “de-risking” financing mechanisms, with the support of the World Bank Group, the coalition will enhance and complement ongoing efforts to expand digital access and affordability.

“Mobile has helped billions of people worldwide to play an active role in our increasingly digital world, but the cost of entry can still be too high for many on low incomes. Together with global mobile operators, and the support of the World Bank Group and other key coalition members, we’re determined to act on this issue,” says GSMA director general Mats Granryd.

“By building creative solutions to bring mobile internet into the hands of those who need it the most, we believe we can make real strides towards closing the Usage Gap and help millions more maximise their potential by getting online.”

“Making internet connected devices more affordable is critical to accelerating digitalization in developing countries and ensuring no one is left behind. We’ve seen the power of digital technologies to unlock growth and job creation and to ease access to education and health services, but people must first be connected to make this a reality. This coalition brings together key players across industry and the development community to help bring this aspiration to life,” states World Bank vice president for infrastructure Guangzhe Chen.

“In an age of unimaginable digital opportunities, devices are still out of reach for too many. With the 2025 Broadband Commission affordability target on the horizon, this new global coalition is an excellent complement to the work of the Commission’s Working Group on Smartphone Access. It has the power to accelerate affordability and bring us one step closer to universal meaningful connectivity, a cornerstone of ITU’s mission and our digital future,” says ITU secretary general Doreen Bogdan-Martin.

The mobile provider donates one tree per customer via partnership with One Tree Planted, a non-profit organisation focused on global reforestation to plant trees.

Felix’s partnership with One Tree Planted ensures trees donated are planted where they can most benefit ecosystems, communities, and climate change mitigation efforts.

felix claimed it hit the two million tree milestone in less than four years since the mobile provider launched and just a year since it donated its one millionth tree.

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felix mobile head Kelly Beater gives context on how the two million trees will benefit the environment.

“These trees are set to restore around 4,000 hectares of wildlife habitat, which is comparable to the area of 8,000 football fields. This is important for not only greening our planet but also in reviving essential wildlife habitats worldwide,” Beater says.

felix’s tree-planting initiative is key part of its broader efforts to support the environment, which aims to minimise the mobile brand’s impact on our planet
and help restore precious habitat for wildlife globally.

felix emphasises the tree-planting initiative is important in Australia where ongoing habitat loss contributes significantly to wildlife extinction.

Between 2000 and 2017, more than 7.5 million hectares of habitat for land-based threatened species have been cleared in Australia. In 2023 alone, the national list of threatened species grew by 144 entries, a fivefold increase from the annual average, according to the Australian Conservation Foundation.

In response to the endangered status of koalas and the continuous threats they face from urban development and habitat destruction, felix has concentrated its tree-planting efforts within Australia in areas supporting koala habitat rehabilitation.

“Their [felix] commitment to the environment is second to none, and we look forward to continuing our partnership to make a positive impact on the environment,” says One Tree Planted regional director Asia Pacific Beth Dalgleish.

felix has also supported Bangalow Koalas via One Tree Planted to plant 138,000 trees as part of the Koala Corridor Project to aid habitat rehabilitation in the Northern Rivers region of NSW.

It also donated $6,000 to the WWF for Nature-Australia to replace thousands of seedlings eaten by Claude the Koala at Eastern Forest Nursery in 2023.

“The trees donated by felix customers are helping restore habitat all around the world, from Bangalow in Northern NSW to the Amazon rainforest. We are proud to support these worthy causes on behalf of our customers and look forward to continuing to help them make a positive impact around the world, one tree at a time,” Beater says.

Bangalow Koalas president Linda Sparrow says koalas, as an endangered species, are heading towards extinction unless urgent action is taken.

“Projects like this are vital in habitat restoration, funding seeds needed to grow new trees for koalas and other wildlife, as well as creating corridors for them to move safely between forested areas,” she says.

Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital foundation veterinarian and general manager of veterinary services Dr. Bree Talbot highlighted the broader ecological benefits of habitat restoration for the local environment and its wildlife.

“Tree plantings like these have a huge impact not just for koalas, but also the overall health of the ecosystem,” Dr Talbot says.

“There are so many issues facing our wildlife today; from cars to climate change, habitat loss and displacement, and the work projects like these do in restoring land and providing habitat for wildlife is critical to ensure a sustainable future for all and for our Australian wildlife to survive and flourish.”

This first appeared in the subscription newsletter CommsWire on 8 July 2024.

The NTUC’s key objectives as laid out in its constitution is to improve working conditions and enhance the economic social status of workers, as well as promoting good industrial relations for the benefit of workers, employers, and the economy.

The five-year partnership sees Singtel invest over S$5 million to provide free or subsidised connectivity to NTUC members who are retrenched and come from lower-income families, as well as digital literacy training to help members fight against scams.

“In a world where digital connectivity has become a need, we are excited to partner with Singtel to ensure our members and their families have access to digital services that enable them to thrive. NTUC cares and will continue to fulfil the needs of our members in the areas of work, live, and play, so that no one is left behind in Singapore’s progress,” said NTUC secretary-general Ng Chee Meng.

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“As a homegrown technology company, we’ve been providing connectivity to all segments of society so they can tap on digital tools, access job and educational opportunities,” said Singtel CEO Ng Tian Chong.

NTUC members will gain access to offers and discounts across Singtel’s consumer products.

Highlights include substantial savings on phone plans and broadband services, along with complimentary Red membership for one year (total savings of up to $500).

New NTUC and Singtel customers can soon easily sign up through a streamlined process that incorporates membership fees into their Singtel bills.

NTUC currently has programs under its Care and Share umbrella, helping 10,000 lower income members and their families annually. Over the next five years, Singtel will provide free connectivity for up to 6,000 such members.

Due to economic disruptions and various other factors, some NTUC members may experience retrenchment. To support them during these difficult times, NTUC helps match retrenched workers with job vacancies through its Job Security Council.

Singtel is lending its support by providing up to 50,000 retrenched members and young seniors with subsidised mobile, broadband and TV subscription plans, along with other value-added services so that they and their families can continue to maintain digital connectivity and have access to online training, skill development, essential government and social services.

Championing digital literacy and scam awareness
In line with NTUC’s focus to do more for its members, as well as Singtel’s goal to boost cyber resilience and scam awareness among the general public and businesses, up to 500,000 members from the PME and migrant worker segments will undergo digital literacy and scam awareness training as part of the collaboration.

Beyond these initiatives, the alliance will also offer more volunteer opportunities for NTUC’s members and Singtel’s staff at events such as Singtel’s annual Carnival for special needs students.

This first appeared in the subscription newsletter CommsWire on 05 July 2024.

The project is worth $1 million. TPG Telecom Foundation and the Australian Research Council funded the partnership.

New Ernst & Young research commissioned by Guide Dogs Australia found that over 80% of those living with low vision and blindness faced regular navigation challenges in public that significantly impacted their confidence and participation in society.

The findings highlight the impact this research project is set to have in enhancing independence and increasing access to the community.

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Guide Dogs NSW/ACT cited the case of Sydney-based Andrew Downie, aged 75, who was born with Congenital Glaucoma.

Andrew was a dog handler at first but as he became more confident navigating with a cane and assistive technology, he switched tools permanently.

As a firm believer and avid user of assistive technology and its future, Andrew now assists with Guide Dogs NSW to explore and test new tech options including the partnership project with UTS.

"I had very limited vision until the age of 15 and none since, so have always heavily relied on different navigation techniques and tools to assist me,” he said.

“I trained with a Guide Dog aged 19 and we worked together for over a decade which helped transformed my confidence for independent travel. It was around this time, I started to use electronic travel aids (ETA’s), so when it came time for the dog to retire, I was confident to use just the ETA’s with a long cane.”

“While technology has advanced dramatically, we still have a long way to go before we have a broadly accessible and powerful ETA that provides a comfortable, safe, and practical option beyond Guide Dog or long cane.”

“This project with UTS is really exciting and progressive as it sets out to explore more viable options to those who can't or choose not to use a Guide Dog."

“Technology already affords a greater level of independence to the blind and low vision community, so we’re excited to be working with the brightest robotics researchers at UTS to explore the potential of robotics,” said Guide Dogs NSW/ACT general manager strategy and innovation Jodi Martin.

“We’re interested in how advanced robotics, sensors, and data algorithms can improve the lives of people with low vision and blindness and enable more independent, safe, and fluid mobility for the user. This could be something that’s built into a cane, used alongside a Guide Dog, or as a separate visual aid that works independently of what’s already on offer.”

“The experience and input of Guide Dogs Clients and staff with blindness or low vision will be crucial to the success of this project. The way technology looks, moves, and interacts with the individual matters. If we get all those things right, people will want to use it.”
“What we’re currently looking at is how we can interpret data from sensors to execute tasks with robotics technology. We’re hopeful that it should be able to learn behaviours that could support people with blindness or low vision as they travel around their communities,” said UTS Robotics Institute head Sarath Kodagoda.

“Navigation in complex, crowded environments is a challenge. We know that having your hands on a cane or a Guide Dog harness provides someone with a lot of contextual information with which to make their own decisions while path finding, identifying obstacles, and navigating weather and uneven terrain. We’re going to have to think carefully about how to relay all that information to a person via the next generation of assistive technology without causing cognitive overload,” Kodagoda concluded.

This first appeared in the subscription newsletter CommsWire on 07 June 2024.

Project Semata, Ciena’s initiative, will provide enhanced internet access to The Assemblies of God High School, Basden Anglican College, and Ratu Sukuna Memorial School.

Ciena claims the connection will benefit more than 2000 students and teachers across the three schools in Suva.

“This great initiative will enable us to be connected to the world, assisting us in the daily teaching and learning process. It will enable teachers to access the latest teaching methods. Students too will be at an advantage with a greater access to a variety of resources which can help them prepare well for any assessment or examination. Communication barriers between all school stakeholders will become a thing of the past and the Internet will be a great enabler for monitoring and informing parents about their child's performance in school,” commented Basden Anglican College school head Waisale Tavatuilagi.

“E-learning and teleworking are considered essential to full social and economic inclusion, making internet connectivity a necessity regardless of where you’re based. Through the Ciena Digital Inclusion program, it is a privilege to once again be working with Digicel Fiji and Southern Cross on Project Semata to address some of the gaps in rural connectivity,” said Ciena Asia Pacific regional managing director Philip Rolle.

“By providing enhanced internet access to these schools in Suva, we are empowering them with the tools and resources they need to learn, grow, and thrive,” said Digicel Fiji CEO Farid Mohammed.

“Project Semata has been greatly received in improving accessibility of learning materials and empowering the education of students and teachers in Savusavu, and Southern Cross is proud to expand this support into other schools in Fiji,” said Southern Cross CEO Laurie Miller.

In 2023, Project Semata supported Kamendra School, Savusavu Secondary School, and St. Bedes Secondary School in Savusavu, providing around 2,000 teachers and students with internet to support their learning journey with access to new online learning materials.

Ciena said in that same year Project Semata would support schools in Pacific Island communities in the next two years.

Clifton has over 25 years of industry experience as a leader in the Australian Information Communications and Telecommunications industry, including senior executive roles at Telstra, Optus and Macquarie Telecom.

AMSA notes that Clifton Luke brings a “highly professional energy and direction” to the role.

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“His focus working closely with the AMSA Board and Executive Team will be to foster a culture of community ownership within the Association and to ensure a sense of belonging for all members. Luke believes in open access, equity, and lifelong learning, emphasising inclusion and networking to meet the diverse needs of Shedders,” AMSA says.

“With over 25 years of industry experience, including senior executive roles at Telstra, Optus and all-Australian ASX 200 company Macquarie Telecom, Luke brings a highly professional energy and direction to the role.

“With a proven track record of innovation, including pioneering a range of advanced communication technologies in Australia and establishing Macquarie Telecom as a leader in the field, Luke is committed to advancing the Association's goals and principles of empowerment, purpose and making a difference in the life of men.”

Aspect said achieving efficiency is important to ensure “delivering services to people on the autism spectrum” as well as providing support to their families, carers, friends, and colleagues.

Aspect’s employees are fundamental to the support it provides. While their services were rendered face-to-face in recent years, there is increasing demand to provide them online—whether through teletherapy, online assessments, distance education, or webinars delivered through its Aspect @nywhere program, which is accessible to students, clients, and participants.

Aspect’s IT team maintains the efficiency of these online services through its IT infrastructure, according to Aspect senior systems engineer Tao Song.

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It oversees responsibilities ranging from servers and networking to database applications. It faced the challenges of responding promptly to user IT inquiries while prioritising network and system security.

Additionally, the onboarding process for new employees involved time-consuming tasks such as creating user accounts, email addresses, and setting permissions.

To reduce time consumed, Aspect has adopted several ManageEngine products, including Endpoint Central, ServiceDesk Plus, and AD360, which are used by the IT Team, with each member leveraging them based on their daily tasks and responsibilities.

Song highlights the significance of ADManager in automating user account creation, email setup, and permissions assignment. “This automation significantly reduces the workload on the help desk team, allowing them to efficiently handle new starter onboarding tasks,” said Song.

Song said Endpoint Central has proven invaluable in patching servers. This enables Aspect to ensure its IT infrastructure is up to date with the latest security patches and more resilient to cyberattacks.

“Automating the deployment of patches and defining policies streamlines the process, eliminating the need for manual efforts on each server,” Song said.

The remote control feature in Endpoint Central supports end users, whether they are in the office or working remotely.

This includes software deployment tailored to the organisation’s needs, contributing to the overall efficiency of daily administration.

"Service Desk Plus, on the other hand, is being heavily used by the IT help desk. It is helping us to get the user inquiries resolved as quickly as possible," Song said.

Two additional instances—Tass and HR—have been onboarded. Tass supports Aspect's internal education application, while HR serves as the service centre for HR-related enquiries.

Aspect has also expanded its use of ADSelfService Plus. Users can now handle tasks such as password changes and location updates, reducing dependence on the IT team and saving valuable time.

Of vital importance is Aspect’s satisfaction with ManageEngine’s support, emphasising the timely responses by the company’s team.

“ManageEngine not only addresses raised tickets promptly, but also anticipates and addresses potential requirements for Aspect,” said Song.

Founded more than 160 years ago, Cafs prioritises the well-being of children, young people, and their families with a range of more than 50 inclusive and accessible programs.

Its services are used by more than 6,500 people and families across the Grampians and Central Highlands in Victoria.

Part of Cafs’ work is to store communities’ sensitive information safely. It needed to bolster its cyber security systems and resilience, particularly as it is currently undertaking a range of digital transformation initiatives.

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It selected Macquarie Cloud Services to develop a cyber threat intelligence (CTI) capability equipped with real-time detection and response and the ability to integrate and correlate threat intelligence from multiple sources.

The platform will integrate with Azure Sentinel, a cloud-native security incident and event management (SIEM) that provides AI-powered intelligent security analytics across Cafs’ entire environment.

The organisation also has 24x7 access to Macquarie Cloud Services’ more than 200 NV1, government data security-cleared personnel for mission-critical detection and response, governance, and strategic support.

“We have a small ICT team, so we rely on external partners to help deliver certain functions and capabilities, particularly when specialist skill sets are involved,” said Cafs cybersecurity and infrastructure specialist Chris Hunter.

“I started researching security operations centre (SOC) and SIEM services, and Macquarie Cloud Services emerged as one of the leading Microsoft security partners in Australia. The team took the time to understand our business and requirements as an NFP, which other providers didn’t really bother to do. They were also willing to be flexible in the commercial arrangements, helping us to make the business case with key stakeholders and get the investment over the line.”

Hunter added as well as becoming cyber resilient, the company wanted to leverage the opportunities of technologies including AI and automation.

“We know these technologies can make service delivery better and easier, but you need to have the right foundations to support all the data, and they need to be secure,” he said.

Macquarie Cloud Services is also streamlining Cafs’ workflows to capture the full potential of Microsoft’s Extended Detection and Response (Defender XDR), which accelerates response and automatic disruption of attacks such as ransomware. This establishes a cohesive set of security tools and governance while facilitating a Zero Trust framework architecture throughout the environment.

$190 billion Australian NFP sector a key target for cybercriminals
A recent report underscored the importance of a cybersecurity uplift. One in eight Australian NFPs have experienced a cyber incident in the past year, while just 13% had a documented plan to improve cyber security protection.

“The NFP sector is one of Australia’s largest employers and revenue sources accounting for 10.5% of the Australian workforce and $190 billion in revenue. There’s a strong desire to bolster cyber security standards within the sector given the high volumes of sensitive data, and it’s a real pleasure to be able to meet that demand head-on and within already tight budgets,” said Macquarie Cloud Services head of Azure Naran McClung.

“Cafs is setting the bar for what secure, and secure planning, looks like for an organisation in this sector. There’s a common misconception that the tools and systems it has in place are only within reach for large enterprises and government agencies, which couldn’t be further from the truth. The key is to find a trusted, communicative, and flexible partner to take you on that journey.”