Regional meet-up: Supporting AI literacy in communities

As AI continues to be embedded into so many areas of the digital world it is becoming more relevant to those learning digital skills. 

In May and June 2026, Good Things Foundation hosted two in-person meet-ups in Manchester and London, sponsored by Cellnex UK and Interdigital.

These sessions brought together members of the National Digital Inclusion Network, including community organisations, local authorities, libraries, NHS trusts, and housing providers, to share latest insights and best practice around building AI skills and confidence in digitally excluded communities.

Here’s what we learned.

Current needs within communities

• Demystifying the tech: organic inquiries about AI  are rare. People need a gentle, fear-free introduction to understand that AI is simply a practical tool.
• Highly relatable use cases: AI adoption succeeds when tied to everyday tasks, such as:
  • Drafting formal letters or local council complaints
  • Translating language for refugees, asylum seekers, and new arrivals
  • Practical home help (e.g. generating budget meal plans from a photo of fridge contents)
• Core literacy: teaching structured prompting and foundational concepts like "AI hallucinations."

Main barriers to engagement

• Staff apprehension: fear of job replacement and a general sense of "not knowing what we don't know."
• Cost & security: the financial barrier of transitioning from free, restricted tools to safer, GDPR-compliant enterprise versions.
• Trust & ethics: a rapidly shifting landscape (including emerging technologies like Agentic AI) makes it difficult for organisations to keep up.

Good Practice and recommendations

A key focus of the meet-ups was sharing proven strategies to help partners support their communities and improve internal workflows.

For supporting learners:

• Lead with problem-solving: AI training works best when it addresses an immediate, real-world need (e.g. "How can this tool save me money right now?").
• Ditch the jargon: translate complex "AI speak" into clear, everyday language.
• Leverage existing resources: use established tools like Good Things Foundation's AI Gateway, their webinar series with Generative Minds, or free LinkedIn training to upskill staff and volunteers.

For improving organisational efficiency:

• Streamline admin tasks: use tools like AI tools for audio recording, meeting note-taking, and policy simplification.
• Optimise healthcare delivery: NHS partners highlighted using live AI transcription to draft standardised templates, saving precious time during patient consultations.

Developing an AI policy

As organisations begin integrating these tools, having a basic AI policy is essential. Participants highlighted these core rules:

• Keep a "human in the loop": establish a strict rule that every document, email, or piece of code assisted by AI must be verified and reviewed by a person.
• Protect sensitive data: never input personal, sensitive, or public-facing data into open, free AI models.
• Be transparent: declare when and how AI has been used (for example, in design work or content creation).
• Define approved tools: clearly list which AI platforms staff and volunteers are authorised to use.
• Align with your values: remember to consider accessibility, digital inclusion, and the environmental impact of compute power. Ask: "Just because we can use AI for this, should we?"

Guide for the AI Gateway

Check out our Guide for Digital Champions on using the AI Gateway with learners so you can help others to use this free learning resource to gain a better understanding of AI and develop their skills and confidence to see it as a helpful tool.