GWSF Annual Conference 20 th November 2015

Brian Gannon (Head of Housing & Community Regeneration, Thenue Housing Association)

Craig Green (Head of Community Information Services, Glasgow Kelvin College)

BUILDING SUCCESSFUL DIGITAL INCLUSION PROJECTS

–GWSF TOOLKIT

The GWSF Digital Inclusion Toolkit aims to:Help RSLs share knowledge on the challenges and

successes of digital inclusion projects among GWSF members.

It will also assist Digital Scotland and Digital Glasgow achieve their objectives to encourage a key unconnected group (social housing tenants) to get online.

Funding for the project has come from Digital Scotland Glasgow Kelvin College (Craig Green) has been appointed

to produce the online Digital Inclusion Toolkit and Booklet for GWSF.

An Advisory Group of GWSF Members is in place.So why is Digital Inclusion important for housing

associations?

WHY DO WE NEED A DIGITAL INCLUSION TOOLKIT?

Completing transactions online has become second nature, with more and more of us going online for shopping, banking, information and entertainment. Online services tend to be instant, more convenient and cheaper to use.

TH E IN TERN ET HAS B EC O ME A HUG E PART O F O UR EVERYDAY L IVES .

The UK Government’s Digital Effi ciency Report suggested that transactions online can already be 20 times cheaper than by phone, 30 times cheaper than postal and as much as 50 times cheaper than face-to-face.

Both Digital Scotland and Digital Glasgow recognise that social housing tenants are one of the key “unconnected groups” they need to engage with if they are to achieve their objectives of getting as many people as possible to go online.

Glasgow remains below that of other UK cities, with at least 64,000 households not online, particularly those most disadvantaged.

NATIONAL & LOCAL GOVERNMENT DIGITAL STRATEGIES

Carnegie Report “Across the Divide: Tackling Digital Exclusion in Glasgow’

The draw and comfort of the offl ine world preference of doing things in person or by telephone and using a

proxy to go online if required A fear of the unknown digital world – specifi cally concerns about using technology; about navigating

the complex digital market; and about staying safe online The cost involved, particularly when there are competing

pressures upon disposable incomeSignifi cant diff erences between gender and age

groups for reasons for being offl ine . Level of l iteracy is also relevant for some as web is reliant on the

written word. a ‘one-size fi ts all’ approach to digital inclusion will not succeed,

neither wil l blindly throwing resources at it.

BARRIERS TO DIGITAL INCLUSION

Universal Credit – 80% of claims to be made online.Not being able to access the internet is a signifi cant

modern form of social and economic exclusion; Community Controlled HAs have a track record of

successful community regeneration of our communities through not only housing regeneration, but also through a range of non housing (wider role) activities.

Many have the local facilities which can help deliver digital inclusion workshops and training

By helping our tenants get online we can, for example: help them apply for and get a job, apply for benefi ts and access other public services, help with education, maintain contact with family and friends and save money through online transactions.

IMPORTANCE OF DIGITAL INCLUSION FOR HOUSING ASSOCIATIONS

Thenue like a number of other housing associations are signatories to Scotland’s Digital Participation Charter, committing ourselves to:

“Ensuring that all of our staff and volunteers have an opportunity to learn basic digital skil ls, and that they take advantage of this opportunity;

Encouraging and supporting our staff and volunteers to help other people learn basic digital skil ls, and help other organisations to embrace digital tools;

Contributing resources and practical support for digital participation initiatives in Scotland in whatever ways we can;

Channelling our eff orts through the Digital Participation Programme, so that our activities can be coordinated for maximum impact and measured consistently; and

Using common language based on digital participation and basic digital skills, to make our thinking and actions as clear as possible”.

DIGITAL PARTICIPATION CHARTER

Thenue Housing’s Board recently approved a Digital Strategy which has 2 key aims:

To maximise our residents’ access to the internet through supporting and encouraging them to go online, and

at the same time drive forward our Business Objectives of effi ciently delivering more of our services and processes in a digital and online way.

THENUE HOUSING’S DIGITAL STRATEGY

People increasingly want to get on with their lives, with interaction with their landlord and other services being quick and easy at a time that suits them.

The more of our tenants that use our online services, the lower Thenue’s costs (and ability to minimise rent increases) will be.

Part of our core mission is to reduce social exclusion. Exclusion from the internet is a signifi cant modern aspect of the social and economic exclusion of local residents.

One of the most digitally unconnected groups in Scotland is tenants in social housing (42% in social housing are offl ine, 22% in all housing).

People who use public services most are social housing tenants. More and more public services (such as Universal Credit) are being delivered online.

WHY DID THENUE DEVELOP A DIGITAL STRATEGY?

2006 2009 2012 2015 2018?0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

14%19%

37%

53%

70%

% of Tenants Who Access the Internet

CHANGE IN INTERNET ACCESS AMONG THENUE TENANTS

Our Customer Survey noted however, that very few of our tenants access our website or have downloaded our mobile app, yet 37% of our tenants access the internet every day and another 10% 3 to 4 times per week. Why?

We think there are 3 possible reasons for this:Tenants don’t currently see Thenue as an online

service provider (they expect services to be delivered in traditional ways)

We don’t effectively promote and encourage tenants to use our current digital services, and

We don’t have online services that are good enough for tenants to want to use.

DEMAND FOR CURRENT ONLINE SERVICES

Thenue want to deliver online services to those tenants who are already online (54% of our tenants) and support and encourage those who aren’t, to go online;

Simply moving services online without considering digital inclusion is likely to restrict access to new services for the people who need them most.

We also recognise however that we need to continue to provide many of our services in traditional, non-digital ways.

Online Services are also particularly important in resolving the challenge that arises from the increase in resources required to mitigate the potential impact of Universal Credit.

Less income and more resources required to collect?Our aim is to free up resources for Universal Credit by going

digital where we can, rather than take on additional staff.

ONLINE HOUSING SERVICES

We have been developing digital inclusion activities now for the last 2 years through a Scottish Government People & Communities Funded Project (Smart Communities).

Our Community Engagement Offi cer supervises 2 full-time Digital Inclusion workers (and a sessional worker) who provide a range of projects and activities that integrate closely with our other community projects such as Employment Support and Financial Inclusion;

We have recently appointed a Volunteer Coordinator who will assist with developing local digital champions.

Digital Inclusion is a key part of our new community engagement and community regeneration strategies.

Helping engage with a wider range of customers.

THENUE & DIGITAL INCLUSION

Project DetailIT Classes & Courses

Short, structured help with getting online courses to small groups of people.

Drop in sessions for Smartphone/ tablet

More informal sessions to help with trouble shooting in use of devices etc.

Coder Dojo Free coding sessions for young people between the ages of 7 and 17 to teach them how to computer programme.

Community Journalism

A course to provide literacy support to local people, as well as helping to improve digital skills. The final outcome was a local Newsletter produced by participants.

Intergenerational Project

With a local youth activity provider we delivered an intergenerational project involving some of the older people we work with. The group created a twitter page, and used tablets to complete challenges, take photos, and search the internet as well as completing other non-digital creative arts activities.

Digital Lending Library

Will provide a group of tenants with the opportunity to borrow a device (I-Pad) and access to the internet. The scheme will provide tenants with access to equipment and the internet for free for a period, tackling  some of the barriers people in our communities face relating to digital participation including: the cost of getting online and equipment.

THENUE DIGITAL INCLUSION PROJECTS

RSL Projects & Initiatives CurrentlyProviding 

Decision madeto provide infuture

Underconsiderationto provide infuture

No plans toprovide 

Laptops/PCs at youroffices/community facilities fortenants use

43% 21% 25% 11%

Free Wifi at your office/communityfacilities

42% 4% 33% 21%

Internet/IT courses for tenants33% 8% 33% 25%

Information leaflets on how toaccess the internet etc 5% 10% 55% 30%

Digital Inclusion workers0% 6% 22% 72%

Community Digital Inclusionchampions/volunteers 6% 6% 22% 67%

Other Digital Inclusion Projects0% 12% 29% 59%

GWSF & SFHA SURVEY IN 2013 ON DIGITAL INCLUSION

Things will have moved on from this very mixed picture.

We know many RSLs are doing a lot, some are doing a little.

Some would like to develop new projects but are not sure where to start

But Digital Inclusion doesn’t appear to be on the radar of some RSLs.

SUMMARY OF GWSF & SFHA SURVEY ON DIGITAL INCLUSION PROJECTS

We felt that it was essential that we shared best practice to avoid unnecessary waste of resources.

Avoiding replicating what didn’t work.What were the challenges? What were the successes?Digital is so fast moving that what was a good solution a

couple of years ago may no longer be worthwhile investing in.

Big move in last few years from fi xed connections and PCs to Wifi and Tablets and Smartphones.

A Digital Toolkit was proposed as a way of sharing knowledge on how to encourage our tenants to experience the benefi ts of being online.

Strongly supported by Digital Scotland (SG) as a way of assisting one of their key unconnected groups (social housing tenants).

HOW DO WE HELP GWSF MEMBERS TO DEVELOP DIGITAL INCLUSION

PROJECTS?

Digital Inclusion Strategy – Purpose – what change is sought, and why? Environment (housing stock, connectivity, partner resources) - gap Resources available Solutions

Learning Centres and other group options (e.g. libraries) What exists? What partnership potential is there? Do you need to do this?

Mobile support, e.g. MiFi Devices / Equipment – depends on purpose

Skills development programmes For Customers For staff

What resources exist, what training works best, online resources (Go Online Digital Skills resources etc.)

Partnerships – What other agencies could support your inclusion work? Housing organisations reach people others want to reach

What can you do without funding? Supporting you to make the case for investment to your Board

CONTENT OF DIGITAL TOOLKIT

Supporting your staff to off er help to customers with devices or getting online (promotion of Digital Participation Charter)

Possible sources of fundingPromotion & Marketing of your digital inclusion services

– how do you get people over the door? What are the hooks for diff erent people?

Infrastructure Fibre, Copper and Wireless

Advising tenants on how to access low cost wifi and broadband?

Link to Digital Housing ServicesSupporting VolunteersUsing Social Media

CONTENT OF DIGITAL TOOLKIT

Queens Cross Housing Associat ion Structured learning based on Glasgow Life ‘Getting Started’ programme Drop-in skills development sessions Mobile digital inclusion as part of other projects (e.g. local history, cooking)

Calvay Housing Associat ion Learning based in learning centre

Adult Learning Youth Services Partnership with College

Connect Community Trust – Wel lhouse Housing Associat ion, Provanhal l Housing Associat ion Learning based in learning centres Work Club support Flexible Learning for Adults Youth Access programme

Hawthorn Housing Associat ion Investigating Wide Area Wireless connections Aiming at a connected Board

Shett leston Housing Associat ion Not yet investigated

West Whit lawburn Housing Co-operat ive Not yet investigated

DIGITAL INCLUSION AT OTHER GWSF MEMBERS

John Wheatley Learning Network Includes some GWSF members

Wheatley Group Kirkton Avenue

SCVO Challenge Fund projects

DIGITAL INCLUSION OUTSIDE GWSF

Should we be providing Broadband or wifi to our properties?

Some RSLs have piloted this: GHA received funding from the Scottish Government to pilot

a project of putting Wifi into a tower block. Report has now been published.

West Whitlawburn Co-operative(through a new communications co-operative) put fibre broadband into a new build development of 100 houses. Infrastructure owned and managed by WWC.

WIFI AND BROADBAND PROJECTS

For each project: Who was it aimed at? How was (is) it funded? HA Resources Provided What Partners were involved? Challenges Lessons Learned

For each theme: Which housing organisations have lessons from which

others can learn?

FORMAT FOR PROJECT INFORMATION

Will you find the toolkit useful?

Are there questions it’s not supporting?

Do you have examples we’re missing?

Your questions for us?

QUESTIONS