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In partnership with Race Online 2012, Library Authorities across Scotland, Scottish Library and Information Council, Learning and Teaching Scotland, Community Learning & Development, Learning Link Scotland and the Post Office, the Â鶹Éç is launching First Click, a major new media literacy campaign to encourage the estimated 9.2 million people in the UK who have never used the internet to take the first steps to get online.

First Click coincides with Get Online Week, a national initiative which runs from October 18 to 24.

Throughout Scotland, local libraries and community centres will be running First Click Beginners' Computer Courses to help people understand the internet and enjoy its benefits. For those who'd like to sign up for a course, all they have to do is ring a Freephone advice line, set up by the Â鶹Éç in partnership with Next Step, the free careers service for adults.

During Get Online Week the Â鶹Éç's TV and radio output will be supporting the campaign with programmes and activity to explain to audiences the benefits of using the internet.

Good Morning Scotland and Â鶹Éç Radio Scotland will feature stories from around the nation about how people are learning to get online. Â鶹Éç presenter Fred MacAulay is the nation's digital champion.

Fred sayd: "It's never been easier to get online, and there's more reason than ever to do so – whether it's shopping, chatting to your children or downloading your favourite comedy programme. If you're looking to make your very own First Click then Â鶹Éç First Click can help."

There will be coverage on air of events and activity from around the country encouraging others to join the race to get online including The Culture Cafe.

Sir Terry Wogan, Â鶹Éç ambassador for media literacy, said: "From booking a holiday to researching your family tree or catching up on missed TV programmes, there's so much people can do by learning how to use the web effectively.

"I want to help reach out to those who have never used the internet so they too can benefit from these fantastic online tools." 

Peggy Archer in Â鶹Éç Radio 4's long-running radio drama The Archers will learn to surf the web and Â鶹Éç Radio 2's The Jeremy Vine Show will also be getting in on the act.

Popular current affairs programme Rip Off Britain returns to Â鶹Éç One in November, showing viewers how to use the web to save money. The series will follow presenter Gloria Hunniford as she learns how to get online herself for the first time.

Gloria says: "Like a lot of people, up until now it has been my choice not to use a computer, but to communicate even more with my grandchildren I know I need to get up to speed!  Keeping in touch with my family is the most important reason for me doing this, but I also realise that I could be saving myself money by booking things like travel and energy bills online."

The First Click promotional campaign on Â鶹Éç One and Â鶹Éç Two, Â鶹Éç Radio 2, Â鶹Éç Radio 4 and Â鶹Éç Local Radio features the Freephone number to call: 08000 150 950, managed on behalf of Â鶹Éç Learning by Next Step. It is open 8am to 10pm, seven days a week.

Who's not online?

Recent data shows that 9.2 million adults in the UK have never used the internet, down from 10.2 million in 2009. The percentage of adults using the internet everyday has risen to 60% from 55% last year.

Men are more likely than women to be online (21% of women have never used the internet, versus 16% of men).

Sixty per cent of over 65s have never been online, although this is down from 64% in 2009.

Internet usage also varies around England. The lowest levels of use are in the North East (29% have never been online) and Yorkshire and Humber (21% never been online). In contrast, in London only 13% have never been online.

There were seven million households without internet access in 2010. When adults where asked why their household did not have an internet connection, the most common response was that they didn't need it, at 39%, followed by 21% who said a lack of skills prevented them from having the internet. Eighteen per cent said it was too expensive.

SH6