The Digital Unite Blog

Digital Unite works closely with social housing providers to help residents get online.

In partnership with the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) we recently delivered the 12-month Government-funded Get Digital programme for older residents living in socially owned sheltered housing.

This successful initiative provided learning programmes in 196 sheltered housing schemes and provided access to learning resources, guidance and support for a further 300 schemes.

We also deliver community learning programmes and our award winning Spring Online with Silver Surfers’ Day campaign.

Our second Social Housing Forum

Through this work we have developed positive, long-standing relationships with housing providers, working together to tackle digital inclusion in the social housing arena.

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We visited Age Concern Tameside recently – regular readers might recall that they were the joint runners up in the 2010 Best Silver Surfers’ Day Event awards, which in 2011 will reward the Best Event with a cash prize of £1000. Their aspiration since last year’s Silver Surfers’ Day was to set up an internet café in their centre in Ashton under Lyne, and what better occasion to inaugurate it than Age UK’s my friends online week (21-27 March)

A friendly buzz in the entranceway is explained by people clustering around the computers, which are strategically placed next to the tea bar and manned by volunteers. As Lindsey Mallory explains: ‘There’s been a constant trickle of people throughout the course of the event, who’ve heard about it through the local press or because they’re regular visitors to the centre’. Learning about privacy settings on Facebook means that one grateful local man is going to be spared some blushes; others are interested in emailing, and even how to submit poems online.

IT is only one aspect of Age UK Tameside’s extensive services for local older people:  also on offer  is daycare, the First Call Handyman service, a Befriending and Buddying Service, Falls Prevention and much more. What’s important though, as Bernadette Ashcroft the MD says: ‘These services need to evolve, both in the context of a changed funding environment and also because there is a new generation of people who are reaching their sixties and seventies, with different expectations about how they’ll spend time post-retirement’.

As Doreen, who’s been laughing the whole time a volunteer has been showing her website pictures of Benidorm for a forthcoming trip says: ‘You’ve got to get up to date, haven’t you’.

Now there’s a thought that applies to all of us.

Age UK Tameside is putting on an event for Spring Online and Silver Surfers’ Day again this year. We hope that Doreen and many thousands like her will come along to one of the hundreds of local digital taster sessions taking place during 16-20 May. If you’re thinking about holding a taster session yourself or just want to find out more, visit http://www.springonline.org.

Following the award-winning Silver Surfers’ Day event  in May this year, Age UK Oxfordshire  has been expanding their offer of free local classes at beginner level twice weekly in the libraries at Witney and North Leigh, and which are complemented by a weekly group session at Carterton Community College.

Age UK Oxfordshire’s press release to the Witney Gazette and Oxford Mail generated an amazing 42 immediate enquiries from older people keen to take advantage of the offer. Since then, word’s gone out that the sessions are fun, laid back and enjoyable: demand is now huge and the classes are currently booked out until next May with a waiting list after that.

At each class, a tutor and volunteers show people how to get to grips step by step with the computer, using Myguide,  which allows people to go at their own pace, helps them track their progress, and is free to use. At the college sessions, student volunteers also help out after school. When we visited one November afternoon, over twenty people were gathered in the college’s well-equipped and spacious IT suite, often helping each other through some of the mysteries. ‘I’m going to kill that mouse,’ says one lady. Fortunately though, no animals or equipment were harmed in the making of this blog entry.

Pat (pictured with friend Beryl) enjoys coming to the weekly sessions at the college, and now that she’s off her L-plates she’s thinking about volunteering to show other people too: ‘Silver Surfers’ Day was so much fun. I don’t have a computer at home; I come here and we all do it together. It’s a real buzz’.

Ruth Swift from Age UK Oxfordshire points out that it’s the overall picture that counts: ‘It’s also an easy format for us to check up on older people who might have other needs as well. It’s important too to see it in the context of all the activities: we’re so pleased to be working with RAF Brize Norton down the road, who for example are inviting local people to a Christmas party on the base.  The kids who contribute their time through Vinvolved also get the chance to qualify for a nationally recognised community award. So it’s good for everyone’.

If you too want to inspire older people to enjoy the benefits of being online, why not start planning your own event, during the week of national activities leading up to the tenth annual Silver Surfers’ Day  on 20 May 2011. The library at Witney in West Oxfordshire is already booked with a birthday party theme! Now’s a great time to think about venues and possible partners in your local area, and we’d love to hear about what you’re planning to do.

Alan Pollard, Digital Unite Tutor amongst other incarnations, is our guest blogger today, with news from a distant land… here are his own words:

‘I have been very fortunate to have been invited to give a talk about Digital Inclusion to the second ICT Symposium in Trinidad.  I am writing this from the venue in Port of Spain – the capital of Trinidad and Tobago (T&T).  Yes; I know; it’s rough but someone’s got to do it!

‘My invitation to speak arose a year ago when I was President of the British Computer Society and had contacts with  members all around the world. Planning came to fruition and the Symposium took place from 14-16^th November.  About 300 delegates from all over the Caribbean met to hear about progress being made in the Caribbean and in Trinidad in the application of ICT to the public and private sectors.  Trinidad is not a backward island by any means. Situated only a few miles from Venezuela, T&T benefits from access and rights to vast resources of oil and natural gas. It also has the world’s largest deposits of asphalt.  Unlike the majority of the Caribbean islands its principal source of income is therefore not based on tourism but on energy, banking and investment.

‘T&T also has a thriving telecommunications and IT industry and is well up in the league table of Caribbean countries with respect to internet access and mobile phone usage.  However, it exhibits the same problems and challenges as UK in reaching out to the under-privileged and poorly-connected element of the population.  Much is being done to reduce the Digital Divide and the numbers of those who are excluded.

‘I was able to describe the work of Digital Unite and our approach to the older generation.  My talk seemed to go down well and there were choruses of agreement at all the issues I raised and recognition of exactly the same challenges being faced.  They too have a longer life expectancy and ever-increasing numbers of older people.  Many of their inhabitants are poor fisher-folk and they find it hard to convince them of the benefits – or even the need – for the internet.  Yet, with Government services being delivered on line more and more, the time will come when some form of connectivity – even the most basic – might be essential.

‘As in UK, the older generation in T&T are proud and therefore reluctant to show their ignorance by attending computer classes.  T&T have just launched the award-winning TT Connect, which is a suite of services for online government.  One of these – the latest – was unveiled at our conference by the Prime Minster. It is called TT Connect Express and is a fleet of buses kitted out with work stations, wash rooms, disabled access and human assistance which will tour the islands much like a mobile library. Recognising that education in early years is essential to building a technology aware population, the Government has funded one laptop per child nationwide.

‘The short stay demonstrated to me that the issues we face in UK with digital exclusion – in particular among the older generation – are no different to those over here and, I guess, are the same the whole world over’.

Sounds like people are people everywhere! A big thank you to Alan for letting us all know what he’s been up to (tough assignment that it clearly was). 

Have you been involved with digital inclusion in other countries? Does the story look the same or different to you? We’d be interested to hear your comments.

Tenants in Daventry are learning new computer skills with the help of their local housing association as part of a national campaign to help older people get online. Here’s our tutor Malcolm Collins with smiling learners Frank, Jean, Dorothy and Maisie, as they get to grips with computers and the web as part of a 15-week training programme which includes one-to-one and group sessions. Daventry & District Housing (DDH) has been awarded grants through Get Digital, the programme which Digital Unite is delivering across the country, which will pay for new computer equipment and resident’s training for three sheltered housing schemes in the area: Warwick Court in Daventry, Saxon House in Brixsworth, and Henry Smith House on the Headlands estate, Daventry.

As you can see from the glamorous themed T-shirts, the scheme is also supporting Get Online week (18 – 24 October), a national event to help people of all ages get started with computers and the internet, with free events across the country.

Ciara Mcmillan, community and partnerships manager from DDH, said: “Currently just one third of older tenants in Britain have access to the internet, so schemes like this are essential to making online resources more accessible and improving facilities across our schemes. The internet can make it easier to stay connected, saving time and sometimes money, and can be a lifeline for older people.”

The training runs alongside ‘silver surfer’ web sessions hosted by Abbey Junior School, Vicar Lane, where 10 and 11 year olds have been helping over 60s to use search engines to find websites for their favourite hobbies.

If you’ve got stories and pictures about what you’ve done during Get Online Week, why not contact us and we’ll shine a light on your successes!

We couldn’t be more thrilled to announce the winners of the 2010 Best Silver Surfers’ Day Events. Emma Solomon, our MD, presented the awards at today’s See IT in Action conference. At a time when everyone is being asked to do more with less, it was so fantastic to be able happily to celebrate the people all round the country rolling up their sleeves, firing up their PCs, phones, Wii-Fits, ipads and any other kit they can lay their hands on, to introduce older people to the wonders of the web and digital technologies. Our press release gives some of the details about the winners – more also below.

The process of judging the events was far from easy. Chair of the judging panel was Dick Stroud, well-known author, lecturer and adviser on all things to do with the 50+ market. The criteria for judging included whether the event demonstrated real change in the lives of older people and their helpers, and was original, fun and creative, as well as other aspects such as whether it showed successful working in partnership on limited funds, and where younger people were involved as well. One final important criteria was whether the stories of the day would potentially inspire other people to run events themselves in the future. See if you agree from the links below!

All the shortlisted finalists rated very highly on these criteria as you would expect! The winning entries are:

Winner: Cottsway Housing Association with Age UK Oxfordshire:  more details here

Joint runners up: Southampton City Council Supported Housing: more details here and Age Concern Tameside: more details here.

Shortlisted: Andover Neighbourcare, Citizens Online (City of London),  Johnnie Johnson Housing Trust (Cheshire),  Learning for the Fourth Age (Leicester),  Simpson Primary School (West Lothian), Thurrock Council for Voluntary Service and the Walsall Housing Group.

Huge congratulations to our winners for their brilliant work! Mark your diaries now for Silver Surfers’ Day 2011 on May 20^th, and watch this space for some interesting forthcoming news about how we are looking to make the campaign bigger, better and more appealing for even more people.

Congratulations to Cottsway Housing Association and Age UK Oxfordshire for winning the Silver Surfers’ Day 2010 Best Event award.

When/where was event held?

Cottsway Housing Association, May 2010.

What did you do?

We decided to do a Hawaiian theme to ensure the day was light-hearted and fun. We delivered the project along with Age UK Oxfordshire, who provided helpers and IT support, as well as advice on what other courses/groups people could attend in the local area. We invited our residents and other local older people to come along dressed up in Hawaiian outfits and they were greeted with Hawaiian garlands at our offices. Our staff helped out too with advice and help and for many it was the first time they had worked with older residents. We turned one of boardrooms into a beach shack with ‘Blue Hawaii’ playing in the background offering our residents a rest from the computers in a relaxing atmosphere. Many participants did bring out their Hawaiian shirts and we gave out a pineapple and a coconut as prizes to the best dressed male and female. A special mention to one of our older residents who arrived in an authentic grass skirt! We invited everyone along to a Hawaiian style lunch with ‘Hula Hula’ chicken, ribs and fruit cocktails. We had some excellent sixth form students come along from the local secondary school. They had so much patience and worked so well with our older residents. Our residents’ confidence was visibly boosted at the end of the sessions!

We have never done a Silver Surfers event before, but we certainly will in the future! Our feedback from residents was fantastic and many residents have signed up for future courses with Age UK. All in all we had a great day and we are very thankful that we got so many freebies to give out on the day.

How many people participated?

30 people took part.

What was your favourite event story?

We had one gentleman who today had sent his first email and then was going to go away and buy himself a laptop, he signed upto one of Age UK’s free courses. He wants to Skype and email his son in Fort Lauderdale in America. We had a lady who was so upset and started to cry when she sat in front of the computer, it was so daunting for her. We sat with her and at the end of the day she had such a huge smile on her face! She too has signed up for a further Age UK course. One older couple brought along their laptop to have our IT Technicians have a look, he was more than happy to help offer his services!

What have you taken away from the day?

I for one will take away the knowledge that we have made a huge difference to 30 older residents today and I cannot wait to see what next year brings! Our staff are still talking about the people they met today and I am sure the stories will continue!

Contact: Sam Biddle, Cottsway Housing and Ruth Swift, Age UK Oxfordshire

For more information about all the winners, see here.

Congratulations to Age Concern Tameside, Joint Runner Up for the Silver Surfers’ Day 2010 Best Event award.

When/where was your event held?

Age Concern Tameside, May 2010.

What did you do?

NIntendo Wii Fit, Internet shopping, Teaching your granny to text, Family history, NHS Choices, Nintendo DS BrainTraining

We invited a number of other organisations to the event, including Tameside Libraries IT Buddies service, which was well received, and Tameside Older People’s Opening Doors Project. This was a great opportunity for us to talk to our partner organisations and show them what we do on a daily basis, as well as allowing them to publicise their services. We were also visited by The Tameside Reporter, who covered the story as part of their community news section. This is great publicity for our organisation, but also shows some great examples of active citizenship from younger people and real partnership working between local services.

How many people participated?

60 people

Do you have any event stories?

To see young people and old people working together and sharing thier skills and knowledge was very inspiring. ‘Jade’ from a local school was our expert ‘texter’ and worked very well with everyone. At one point she had a queue of people waiting to see her. Two ladies from a sheltered scheme got so excited by the intergenerational ten pin bowling on the Wii fit that their shouting and laughing could be heard all over the building Our caretaker Eddie beat a young lady on the Wii Fit, despite being more than 40 years her senior. He was very pleased with himself! The young people who attended from Copley School were a credit to their teachers. They were so helpful and polite, and asked if they could come back every week. They were very happy with their complimentary Silver Surfers’ Day mugs and pens. A gentleman who had never been to Age Concern Tameside before, and had only used the internet a few times, came in and bought himself a sports care on e-Bay. One gentleman came in to try out the internet, and left having sorted out his entitlement to pension credits. He also asked whether we would make the laptops available on a regular basis. After our young people had left to go back to school, a few of our service users were sat chatting about the event, and one lady said; ‘they weren’t so bad those young ones were they?’

What have you taken away from the day?

The day seemed to break down a lot of stereotypes. One of the students from Copley School told me she was really surprised by how nice our service users were. Ms. Colemen, their teacher, tells us that they would like to come back every week, and we are already looking for opportunities to work together again. Our regular service users who attended, commented on how nice it was to have so many people in our public tea bar area, and to see so much activity. The Wii Fit is to become a regular activity as a result of the event. A number of people who attended had never been to Age Concern Tameside before. As a result of the day we are developing plans to open an Internet Cafe, and will certainly be looking to meet requests for another Technology Taster session in the near future, particularly with our more vulnerable service users, those who live in rural areas, who suffer from mental health problems, come from Black and Minority Ethnic Communities, or who care for someone with Dementia.

Contact: Lindsey Mallory, Age Concern Tameside

For more information about all the winners, see here.

Congratulations to Southampton City Council Supported Housing, Joint Runner Up of the 2010 Silver Surfers’ Day Best Event award.

When/where was event held?

Sheltered Housing schemes in Southampton, May 2010.

What did you do?

Our sessions were well received because of the hard work of Activity Coordinators, SCC Adult Ed: IT consultant, volunteers from other departments (thanks to Managers who agreed) Sheltered Housing Staff, our Silver Surfer volunteers and mentors, Solent Youth Action, Mayfield Academy, Catch 22 and everyone who made it so successful and helping us with intergenerational cohesion. There was so much sheer enthusiasm, inspiration and community spirit. If laughter were fuel we lit up the City!

We linked up computers in 10 Sheltered Housing Schemes with web cams in the local school and library. Web cams were donated by Adult Education services. Staff used lap tops at 3 other Courts so they too could join in. It was a huge success and we’ll definitely do it again.

How many people participated?

60 people in over ten locations simultaneously

Do you have any event stories?

Absolutely! Ray a resident in his 80s who is profoundly deaf was supported by a 19 year old volunteer and learned how to use a mouse by one of the online exercises recommended. Well, for someone who was reluctant to “have a go” we could not get him off! Everyone agreed it was a very moving sight, his wife was in tears of joy and laughter! What moved staff was the patience shown by the youngster from a Youth group who was helping. In fact all the youngsters who came along made us proud of younger people in our City. We held a “Link Up” session between sheltered housing communal sites, a School and Library, so that people could see other people via the linked-up webcams. Well – the faces being pulled were hilarious! Senior Surfers saw friends and family members: one lady was able to see her sister who had been unwell; it was really touching.

What have you taken away from the day?

Cooperation and mutual support with sheltered housing staff, volunteers and surfers! The dynamic was inspiring and motivational. Seeing the joy, fascination and pleasure on faces!  We have inspired groups of older residents to develop a shopping group, offering choice to those who can’t get to many shops, this means social inclusion. Welfare Rights, Benefits and Pensions staff will come along and show how easy it is to check information on line to help ensure older people receive the right benefits.

We’re now also involved with Admiral Nurses who are the leading experts in dementia and we’re helping to educate and support those who care themselves. Similarly, Uni students studying dementia can now use online surveys for sufferers who are willing to have their dementia monitored. This is a huge step forward to contributing to generic understanding of this growing issue.

Yes, changing lives for the better is happening via the internet for many Silver Surfers including staff! Many of us were technophobes…luddites almost and many of us have been enlightened. So thanks for that too!

Contact: Bev Weir, Southampton City Council Supported Housing

For information about all the winners, click here.