When we’re working with migrants, we see that these people are some of society’s poorest. They’re not the poorest in terms of skills. They are the poorest in that they only have £37 a week. There’s no way they can afford a smartphone or a laptop to do things like find secure housing, access health services, and stay in touch with friends and family. We’re a lifeline for people, and we do it all through donated tech.”
Ben McKenna, CEO, Solidaritech.
Solidaritech repurposes unwanted laptops, desktops, tablets, and smartphones, passing them on to asylum seekers and refugees without digital equipment. The webinar informs businesses and other organisations of the impact of donating unwanted equipment to Solidaritech, and the processes they have in place to enable secure donating. Solidaritech then work with local organisations supporting those from migrant backgrounds to gift the equipment to people who need it most. Having a digital device and connectivity helps people resolve their immigration status, pursue studies, and start their lives in their new country.
Webinar recording – Empowerment Through Technology: Donate your digital equipment for good.
Webinar overview
The webinar features:
Ben McKenna, CEO at Solidaritech, who gives an overview of the donations process from collection, through secure wiping and refurbishment, to the gifting of equipment to the end beneficiaries.
Darren Stocks, IT Service Lead at Emerald Publishing, who shares their experience of donating equipment to Solidaritech, and how donating devices help the business to achieve its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) goals.
David Skivington, English at Home Volunteer Manager at Leeds Asylum Seekers’ Support Network, who shares the difference donated equipment makes to the lives of the refugees and asylum seekers his organisation supports.
Solidaritech
100% Digital Leeds has been working with Solidaritech for several years. Formed in 2017, Solidaritech is a Community Interest Company that exists to help refugees and asylum seekers across Yorkshire get access to technology by repurposing unwanted laptops, desktops, tablets, and smartphones. All donated devices are safely and professionally wiped of all data, with any problems repaired, and new Operating Systems and suitable software installed for the next users. In the last 12 months Solidaritech has refurbished and gifted over 1,300 devices to digitally excluded people across Yorkshire and the Humber.
To donate unwanted laptops, desktops, tablets, and smartphones, complete Solidaritech’s Donate Form. For more information about the donations process contact Solidaritech on 01274 288 910 and hello@solidaritech.com.
People Matters supports people with learning disabilities and other hidden disabilities to reach their full potential. They offer individual support to their members citywide, at home, and in community settings. They also facilitate wellbeing groups and run a variety of activities to help their members towards employment.
People Matters prides itself on being a member led charity, which means members have autonomy over the care and support that they receive. Staff work very closely with their members to make sure they are offering services and support that will enable members to reach their full potential.
Staff at People Matters recognise how important digital inclusion is when tackling the health and societal inequalities faced by their members. They have worked closely with 100% Digital Leeds and regularly attend Autism and Learning Disability Digital Inclusion Network meetings to look at varied and creative ways of embedding digital inclusion in their work. They have included digital activities in their arts and wellbeing groups and used digital technologies to facilitate activities for the Arts in Care Digital Programme. They are members of the National Digital Inclusion Network and they gift SIM cards to their members experiencing data poverty, via the National Databank.
People Matters took part in Multiply to help their members access digital devices while improving their numeracy and move closer to employment. They embedded digital elements into their employability work, including helping their members to create video CVs. They have also been successful in gaining UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) funding which will help them to offer more employability and digital inclusion support for their members.
Supporting people with learning disabilities and hidden disabilities
People Matters understands that many of their members face barriers to reaching their full potential and engaging fully in society. They also understand that their members have a higher chance of being digitally excluded. Digital exclusion can quickly exacerbate problems that disabled people face in daily life.
People Matters know that the barriers their members face to getting online can be complicated and varied:
Many members struggle financially due to the low levels of employment within this community.
Many people with learning disabilities or other hidden disabilities lack confidence, and this can include the confidence to try things online.
Many members at People Matters are vulnerable, which means they may need additional support and advice to keep themselves safe online.
People Matters make sure their members receive digital support which meets their individual needs by embedding digital inclusion throughout their service. Staff at People Matters have taken part in digital inclusion awareness workshops delivered by 100% Digital Leeds and have also had training from AbilityNet.
Digital inclusion in one-to-one support sessions
People Matters offers individual outreach support to approximately 80 people in Leeds, both at home and in the community. They support their members to take part in activities that build skills and promote independence. Staff who offer one-to-one support build strong relationships with the people that they support, as they have the time to learn about members’ personal needs and interests. This means they are well placed to identify which of their members might benefit from receiving digital support, and the level of support they will require to learn new digital skills.
Staff can also identify what might interest their members and motivate them to go online. When a member at People Matters asked their support worker to help them to apply for a new bus pass, the member of staff helped the member to set up an email address and access a website to apply for the bus pass themself. As a result, the member gained confidence by completing a digital task and also had an email address to use independently in future.
“Staff at People Matters support members to bank online, to create email addresses, use online apps and resources to travel independently, to listen to music, to look up recipes and to look for employment opportunities, to name just a few things! Our aim is to help our members to live independent, fulfilling lives and being online is a big part of that.”
Elissa Matley, CEO, People Matters.
Digital inclusion in health and wellbeing sessions
People Matters run a range of social and wellbeing groups which help their members to have fun and make friends whilst also learning skills which make them more independent and confident. Members choose the types of activities they want to do, and staff will embed digital elements in these groups in ways which are relevant and appropriate. For example, recent sessions to help members look after themselves and be independent have included lots of work on internet safety. Sessions covered topics such as banking safely, dealing with online bullying, recognising and avoiding scams, and using social media.
People Matters also run wellbeing groups where their members take part in a host of creative activities. They have used these sessions as an opportunity for their members to enjoy some gentle, digital activities such as drawing or colouring on a tablet alongside more traditional arts and crafts. This has enabled less confident members to try digital activities in a non-threatening environment.
Arts in Care digital programme
In 2023, People Matters wellbeing groups took part in the Arts in Care digital programme to bring their work to a wider audience. They delivered an interactive drumming workshop which they shared with care residents over Zoom. By keeping the session very simple, without the need for any specialised musical equipment, they managed to bring their work to a wider audience by contributing to the programme.
“Arts in Care allowed us to reach a whole new audience with our activity. Our members had been working on drumming, and a Zoom session meant they could share their skills with other people who were also able to participate by using everyday items to make creative sounds. The session was genuinely interactive, and it was wonderful to see how much fun the participants had communicating with one another. We are excited to participate in more Arts in Care activities in future.”
Mandy Craven, Outreach Service Coordinator, People Matters.
Employability
People Matters run a wide range of employability groups to support their members to move closer to employment. The groups are aimed at people with a wide range of abilities and ambitions. Activities range from being a part of the People Matters micro social enterprise Nourishing People, to job workshops and one-to-one support. People Matters recognise the need for jobseekers to have digital skills in order to gain and retain employment. Every member who engages with these groups gets digital support which is tailored to their needs, whether this is helping them to set up an email address, navigating a job search website, or creating their own video CV.
Multiply
The Multiply programme is a government-funded scheme to improve adult numeracy skills. 100% Digital Leeds is working with Leeds City Council’s Employment and Skills team and third sector partners to use Multiply to support communities hit hardest by the cost-of-living crisis. People Matters have delivered three rounds of Multiply, supporting 68 people to improve their numeracy skills. Each of these members has also been given a device which is suited to their needs along with free connectivity which will help them to be digitally included in their day to day lives.
People Matters is well placed to deliver Multiply as they work with some of the most vulnerable people in our society. Most of their members are unemployed and reliant on benefits which means that they need to budget their money carefully to live a balanced life. People Matters take a person-centred approach to the programme and encourage their staff to tailor the budgeting work to the needs of the person they are working with. Activities range from taking members to shop for food on a budget to helping members to bank online. The programme has been successful in giving members new skills and helping them to be more independent in their daily lives.
“One of our members had historically struggled with managing his own finances. He was checking his balance at the ATM with the support of his mum which was time consuming and inconvenient. His support worker recognised this and used the time allocated for Multiply to teach him to bank online. Now the learner can check his balance and monitor his money and spending independently using an app on his phone. He can plan his own budget, manage his own expenses, and is more in control of his own finances.”
Elissa Matley, CEO, People Matters.
The National Databank
People Matters are members of the National Databank and have been actively gifting SIM cards to their members since 2021. Having access to data without having to worry about confusing mobile contracts, high bills or running out of data on a Pay As You Go deal is life changing for members who struggle financially. It means they can stay in contact with friends, carers, and support workers, and access online services at their convenience.
“I got a SIM from the Databank. It really helped me when I was searching for a new place to live as there was plenty of data to go online.”
Stephen, member of an employability group, People Matters.
Having access to a mobile phone with data can also make members feel more confident and increase their independence. One member who lacked the confidence to travel independently received a SIM card so that he could check bus times on his phone and phone his carer if he was feeling nervous.
“This made a huge difference to his wellbeing. He feels a lot happier now and he’s proud that he is able to get around by himself.”
Theo, support worker, People Matters.
Next steps
People Matters continue to embed digital inclusion into the work they do. They are using funding from UKSPF to enhance their existing employability programme. This includes delivering themed workshops with a focus on different digital elements, including setting up an email address, updating a CV, creating a video CV, or learning to job search online. They have also set up drop-in sessions where members can borrow digital equipment if they do not have access to their own.
“ALaDDIN meetings have been a great opportunity for us to explore creative ways we can use digital tools to support our members. They have helped us to promote the work that we do and collaborate with other organisations in ways which are beneficial for our staff and our members. Working with 100% Digital Leeds has helped us to develop digital training and support which can be life changing for the people we support. 100% Digital Leeds has helped us to gain funding and access opportunities which has made a positive difference to the service we provide.”
The National Day of Arts in Care Homes is an annual event championing, promoting, and encouraging arts engagement in care settings and highlighting the health and wellbeing benefits for all involved. In celebration of the National Day of Arts in Care Homes 2024, 100% Digital Leeds has developed an engaging programme of creative workshops open to care providers in Leeds, free of charge. This programme is open to all care settings including residential care homes, day services, supported living, recovery hubs, hospices, and unpaid carers giving one to one support.
The programme includes a range of art forms and cultural activities. Sessions are suitable to the needs of people being cared for, such as older people, people living with dementia, and people with learning disabilities.
We can help you with the digital bit
Most of the sessions are delivered remotely via Zoom or Teams so multiple care settings can join in at the same time.
Each session description includes details of tech requirements. Anything in brackets isn’t essential but ‘nice to have’. For example, for sessions saying ‘(camera)’, participants can be on camera if your setting has access to a camera, the participants are comfortable being on camera, and your care setting has the relevant permissions, but being on camera isn’t essential to participating.
Most sessions require only a screen and speakers so where residents are joining in as a group the session could be played through a TV. If a resident is joining the session solo they could use a laptop, iPad, or other tablet. Contact 100% Digital Leeds if your care setting needs support.
How to book
For all activities email jennifer.rhodes@leeds.gov.uk to book. Please note that the in-person activities are limited to one care setting per booking. When an in-person activity is booked it will be removed from the timetable as it will no longer be available. The links to the online activities will be sent out the week before.
The Canal and River Trust are pleased to offer you their lively and interactive digital resource “The Gongoozler Gameshow”. Delivered in the style of a gameshow, the session will help you to discover the wide and diverse range of nature that can be found along their 2,000 miles of waterways.
Learn more about the six different kinds of habitat that can be found on and around the towpaths and the plants and animals that call it their home. Through the True or False round, the Name that Creature round, and the Countdown Conundrum, you’ll learn more about the canal environment and the organisation that helps to keep it alive. So come on down and join!
Duration: 60 minutes
Format: Live workshop, delivered remotely via Zoom/Teams (TBC)
Equipment: Screen, speakers, keyboard (camera)
1:30pm Richard and Honey, singer and acoustic guitarist
Richard, joined by his dog Honey will play a variety of music for you, accompanied by his guitar. Richard’s soulful voice and skillful guitar playing will have people singing along to their favourite tunes and Honey will steal the show with her playful antics.
Richard Stirland is a professional singer and guitarist who specialises in care home entertainment, currently performing in many homes across the North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire region. Richard has worked in the care sector for many years as well as performing in care homes. He is accompanied by his 7 year old cockapoo, Honey. The songs he sings are chosen to trigger memories, stir emotions or just to get people moving. Sing-a-long songs can be included so that everyone knows the words to be able to join in. He is available for any events, functions or parties over the year .
Duration: 60 minutes
Format: Live workshop, delivered remotely via Teams
Equipment: Screen, speakers, keyboard (camera)
Tuesday 24 September
12:15pm Dance into the Spotlight with Ascendance
Dance into the Spotlight! Join Ascendance’s vibrant and uplifting dance session to learn a dazzling Cabaret routine. Easy to follow and full of jazzy flair, this is your chance to shine. Grab your hats, feathers, and sparkles, and let’s sing and dance together! Guaranteed to bring smiles and get everyone moving. Whether seated or standing, everyone can join in the fun. Life is a cabaret, old chum, come to the cabaret!
Duration: 45 minutes
Format: Live workshop, delivered remotely via Zoom
Equipment: Screen, speakers, keyboard (camera)
1:30pm Aspire CBS Rock and Roll Bingo – Oldies but Goldies
Join Aspire CBS for an exciting online rock and roll themed bingo session. Held live over Zoom, Aspire CBS will play a line and a full house and when your bingo card is full, unmute and shout, ‘Bingo!’ as loud as you can. There are 20 songs on each bingo card – when you have booked onto this session you will be sent bingo cards to download and print (single-sided).
Duration: 90 minutes
Format: Live workshop, delivered remotely via Zoom
Equipment: Screen, speakers, keyboard (camera)
Wednesday 25 September
10:45am Wellbeing Wednesday with Ascendance – Dance into the Spotlight
Dance into the Spotlight! Join Ascendance’s vibrant and uplifting dance session to learn a dazzling Cabaret routine. Easy to follow and full of jazzy flair, this is your chance to shine. Grab your hats, feathers, and sparkles, and let’s sing and dance together! Guaranteed to bring smiles and get everyone moving. Whether seated or standing, everyone can join in the fun. Life is a cabaret, old chum, come to the cabaret!
Duration: 60 minutes
Format: Live workshop, delivered remotely via Zoom
Equipment: Screen, speakers, keyboard (camera)
Friday 27 September
11:00am In-person activity by the Canal and River Trust
For this in-person session you have the choice of two activities:
Lace arts activity
Learn more about the history of “poor man’s lace”: the beautiful hand-crafted crochet that traditionally decorated the narrowboats of the canals. Look at examples of how the crochet was used to make working boats more like home and have a go at making your own simple, printed version of the craft.
Virtual reality session
Experience the canals and waterways in comfort using virtual reality.
Duration: 60 minutes
Format: In-person workshop, delivered in your care setting.
2:00pm Active Communities – RJC Dance online dance session for adults and elders
This one-hour online session will be delivered by diverse dance specialist Janetta Maxwell who has over 30 years’ experience in the community dance world. Using the artform of dance as a vehicle to encourage and motivate, participants will take part in a movement and exercise session enhanced by music and rhythm to activate bodies and minds. The session will support socialisation, creative expression, memory retention, physical fitness and enable positive mental health.
The session will include a warm-up covering mobilisation, movement vocabulary, strength, stamina, stretching and flexibility. This will be followed by creative movement designed to build a safe, friendly environment reflective of the music, movement, social dance of the cultural era of the participants.
Duration: 60 minutes
Format: Live workshop, delivered remotely via Zoom
Equipment: Screen, speakers, keyboard (camera)
2:00pm In-person activity by the Canal and River Trust
For this in-person session you have the choice of two activities:
Lace arts activity
Learn more about the history of “poor man’s lace”: the beautiful hand-crafted crochet that traditionally decorated the narrowboats of the canals. Look at examples of how the crochet was used to make working boats more like home and have a go at making your own simple, printed version of the craft.
Virtual reality session
Experience the canals and waterways in comfort using virtual reality.
Duration: 60 minutes
Format: In-person workshop, delivered in your care setting.
Weaving the Web – Bringing heritage to life in a digital worldfrom Sunny Bank Mills – use the 360 degree images and tour of the mills to bring heritage to life in a digital world. The Weaving the Web project acknowledges that preservation of the textile history at Sunny Bank Mills is vital, but that in order to survive the Collection must be accessible to all. There are now over 50 objects available to view online and you can click, zoom, scroll, rotate and explore all of the digital collection in 3D.
Sunny Bank Mills virtual tours and oral histories You can also pay a virtual visit to the site and listen to oral histories from June, a previous worker at the mill, or take a tour with John and William, two 4th generation managing directors.
All activities can be used to spark discussion and share memories, sometimes forgotten, of lives in industries and times now considered ‘heritage’. Bring their lives and history to life in a digital world.
The My House of Memories app allows you to explore objects from the past and share memories together. It can be used by anyone, but has been designed for, and with, people living with dementia and their carers.
The BorrowBox app allows users to browse, preview, reserve, and download library titles on their electronic devices free of charge using a Leeds library card.
The Older People’s Digital Inclusion Network is a partnership between 100% Digital Leeds and Leeds Older People’s Forum. The Network brings together organisations across the city who support older people with digital inclusion, building new partnerships and sharing learning and resources. In July the first Older People’s Digital Inclusion Network meeting of 2024 was held at Virgin Money in Leeds City Centre, with the aim of identifying shared priorities for the rest of the year and into 2025.
Nine organisations attended this face-to-face Network meeting, including organisations that are leading the way for digital inclusion across the city and who are well positioned to share best practice:
These organisations have been working with 100% Digital Leeds for several years and shared their experiences and expertise, as well as how they have acquired multiple funds to help them develop their digital inclusion offers for older people.
The July 2024 Digital Inclusion Network meeting, focused on:
Shaping the future of the Network
Sharing best practice
Supporting organisations with bid writing
Be Online Stay Safe (BOSS) project update and resources
The ‘Writing Back’ programme
Shaping the future of the Older People’s Digital Inclusion Network
LOPF and 100% Digital Leeds agreed that there was a need to reassess the Network to ensure the direction and purpose aligns with the needs of the organisations, and continues to be useful in helping them to develop their digital inclusion offers. An Older People’s Digital Inclusion Network survey was developed and circulated to members of the Network a month before the meeting to ensure each organisation had the opportunity to define the Network’s direction. The results of the survey have informed future planning of the Network, including themes to focus on at future meetings, frequency of meetings, priorities, and any challenges organisations are facing. These insights are helping to shape the future of the Network.
As a result of the survey, it was agreed that the Network would meet:
In person, twice a year in June and November, for 90 minutes. These face-to-face sessions will focus on common issues, barriers, areas of interest, and explore collaborative opportunities. These meetings will be interactive and focus on specific themes to address significant needs that require thoughtful consideration and discussion.
Online, three times a year in February, April, and September, for 60 minutes. These sessions will be shorter and give updates on specific digital inclusion topics and share resources and learning. There will also be an opportunity to invite guest speakers to share information that could help organisations with their digital inclusion offers.
Sharing Best Practice
A priority of this Network is to create a space where every organisation can share updates, information, knowledge, and support each other. Our aim is to promote active participation, collaboration, and a fair sharing of ideas among all organisations, which will help to drive this Network forward.
At the meeting, organisations shared the following information:
The digital support that each organisation offers to address the needs and demands of their communities, including sessions on online safety, as well as any challenges or barriers they are facing.
Your Back Yard and Burmantofts Community Friends shared upcoming projects, such as new digital platforms and digital spaces for older people.
Leeds Irish Health and Homes discussed the digital health support they provide, including support with NHS services such as PATCHS and the NHS app.
Holbeck Together asked for advice on data gifting via the National Databank, the best approach when encountering difficulties with signing up, and the support available for addressing issues when they arise. They also shared how they conducted a digital survey with members to identify the barriers they are facing, and how they’re using that to support funding bids. In the survey they found that the most common digital inclusion barrier amongst their members was lack of digital skills and knowledge.
Supporting organisations with bid writing
Leeds Older People’s Forum highlighted the Bid to Win course and the advantages it offers in supporting bid writing. This course is a series of workshops and one to one support delivered by Bid Experts. It is designed to increase understanding of grant and public sector procurement, build upon existing and new bidding skills, and shares tips, tricks and shortcuts to achieving bid wins.
Anyone participating will also benefit from the Masterclass webinars on key topics such as Social Value, Capture Management, AI in Bidding, and Pitch to Win to further enhance knowledge and skills with the aim of securing more grants and contracts.
The Digital Coordinator for BOSS shared the success of the Be Online Stay Safe (BOSS) project. BOSS was a partnership between Leeds Older People’s Forum and 100% Digital Leeds, delivered between March and December 2023. The aim of the project was to address the challenges faced by older people in diverse communities to staying safe online, aligning with the goals outlined in the DCMS Online Media Literacy Strategy.
BOSS focussed on supporting older people more likely to face additional barriers to digital inclusion and media literacy, including cultural, language, and literacy barriers. The project worked to empower older people who might be more susceptible to online scams to feel more comfortable and confident navigating the online world.
The ambition now for BOSS is to share the learning and resources across the Network to enable more organisations to delivery and adapt the content.
LOPF briefly explained how they used ChatGPT to help tailor sessions and develop step-by-step guides for users. The Network found this highly beneficial and agreed to add ChatGPT to the agenda for the upcoming virtual meeting to further explore how to effectively use this tool and how this can free up capacity. The Google Drive includes more resources to support with using ChatGPT.
If you would like more information on the BOSS project, please contact Samantha@opforum.org.uk
Leeds Older People’s Forum and 100% Digital Leeds are hosting a BOSS webinar during Leeds Digital Festival on 17 September 2024.
Writing Back programme
100% Digital Leeds connected with Katy Lovelace from the University of Leeds to share the Writing Back programme. This is an email pen pal scheme that connects people over the age of 55 with University of Leeds international students to participate in an email exchange. It aims to provide participants with opportunities to build inter-generational and inter-cultural connections, to tackle loneliness in students and older people, and can help the development of digital skills in older people.
“I had members saying, ‘I’ll never be able to do it’ and by the end they were doing it on their own, sending emails backwards and forwards to their pen pals. People were excited to look at their emails, not stressed. People like sharing their stories.”
Kelly, Outreach and Digital Engagement Worker, Burmantofts Community Friends.
“It went really well, our members and volunteers benefited greatly, with some having formed lasting connections resulting in ongoing contact with their pen pal.”
Karen, Manager, Neighbourhood Action in Farnley, New Farnley and Moortop.
The scheme runs annually from October to July, pairing older pen pals with a new student pen pal each year if they choose to continue participating.
For any organisations interested in promoting the scheme, please contact Katy Lovelace at writingback@leeds.ac.uk for more information.
Next Steps
September virtual meeting
The Network agreed it would spend more time looking at ChatGPT and discuss the opportunities for using ChatGPT as part of their digital inclusion work. This will be on the agenda for the virtual meeting on Wednesday 11 September 2024.
November face-to-face meeting
The face-to-face Network meeting on Wednesday 13 November 2024 will focus on funding opportunities, bringing organisations together to share knowledge and resources for digital inclusion funding bids.
This session is open to anyone who works for an organisation that supports digital inclusion for older people or has a responsibility for identifying and securing funding. The session will aim to enhance skills, boost confidence in digital inclusion bid submissions, and support organisations to potentially find partners for joint bids to create a new role for a digital inclusion officer to work across multiple organisations.
Trust Leeds is a Leeds-based charity which follows the Self-Reliant Group (SRG) model. Community SRGs build confidence, skills, and emotional wellbeing, and allow people to develop their own small savings to build financial independence. Be Your Own Boss SRGs support unemployed and under-employed people to become self-employed by developing their business plan alongside a cohort of peers and business coaches.
Members of SRGs have gone on to set up successful businesses and community organisations across Leeds, as well as creating lifelong friendships and peer support networks. Trust Leeds also provides ethical microfinance loans to their entrepreneurial members. These provisions serve to improve the financial health and wellbeing of people facing poverty in Leeds.
Trust Leeds work alongside their SRG members, helping them to build financial independence, confidence, and skills in a person-centred way. This person-centred approach closely aligns with the 100% Digital Leeds approach to digital inclusion. Trust Leeds has worked with 100% Digital Leeds to embed digital inclusion and digital skills support into everything they do. They offer a range of support to their members who may have low digital skills or may be experiencing data poverty.
Digital Heart
Trust Leeds has long been aware of the necessity of digital inclusion for their members and have seen the negative impact of digital exclusion for entrepreneurial people who are underserved, living in poverty, or facing other disadvantages. Many of Trust Leeds’ members understand the importance of digital inclusion and digital skills as they move on to set up their own businesses after being a part of a SRG.
Earlier this year, Trust Leeds were offered support from Cognizant as part of the work that 100% Digital Leeds is doing to increase support for digital inclusion from the city’s tech sector, with colleagues from Leeds Community Foundation, Voluntary Action Leeds, and Forum Central. These initiatives aim to increase the capacity of community organisations, and support businesses to implement their Corporate Social Responsibility offers and feel connected to the city. The support from Cognizant helped Trust Leeds to put much-needed digital support in place in a way that best serves their members and their ethos.
Trust Leeds held a gathering of SRGs under the theme of ‘Energising and Enterprising’ which marked the start of their Digital Heart project. The day included inspiring speeches, personalised cybersecurity advice from a Cognizant volunteer, and individual self-employment sessions. Members could scan a QR code to take a digital skills assessment so that Trust Leeds staff and facilitators could gain a better understanding of their individual digital skill levels, and how digital inclusion support from Trust Leeds could be tailored to be most effective. Members were also asked if they struggled to pay for access to the internet and were offered a free SIM card with 4G data, texts, and calls from Good Things Foundation’s National Databank.
Alongside this, Virgin Money delivered a session focusing on online safety, online banking, and basic digital skills support. The digital support from both Cognizant and Virgin Money was very well received and the personalised support was invaluable for the development of SRG members’ digital skills and confidence, helping them to become more independent and continue building their businesses.
Trust Leeds’ online Digital Do It sessions were inspired by Shut Up & Write – an international writing community that provides the tools and support for writers to get their writing done when they are struggling with motivation or confidence. In a similar style, Digital Do It allows Trust Leeds members and staff to dedicate one hour of their week to conquering a digital challenge. This is often a task they have been putting off due to a lack of time, low confidence, external distractions, or other challenges.
“Everybody has different digital skills development needs and we were finding it difficult to find one training session or one focus for everybody.”
Liza Kellett, CEO, Trust Leeds
Anyone with a digital task to complete can join the Digital Do It group video call. At the start of the session, a facilitator asks each member what their achievable digital goal for the session is, and types it out in the chat to encourage members stay focused. Everyone works to achieve their goals in breakout rooms and comes back to the main room in the last 10 minutes to feed back to the group. The facilitator makes notes and posts them in the chat.
Digital Do It allows members to focus on their own learning whilst providing peer support to those who need it. Helping others allows members to build confidence in their own abilities and helps them to further develop their own skills. Members are put into their own breakout rooms, sometimes with the support of another member if needed, and facilitators check in on all of the breakout rooms to offer additional support where necessary.
The Digital Do It sessions have proven to be a motivating, friendly, and welcoming environment for everyone at any stage in their digital journey. The sessions are going so well that Trust Leeds is going to continue the sessions beyond the Summer and is opening the sessions up to anyone who is interested. Contact Liza for more information and the meeting link at info@trustleeds.org.uk.
“There’s no judgement. Nobody rolls their eyes or says it’s ‘intuitive’ or ‘easy’. It was so lovely when everybody clapped when I told them I’d learnt how to make a logo on Canva.”
Thanks to Multiply funding Trust Leeds was able to extend its numeracy and digital support to members. Using its regular market stall as a focus, members of the Wellbeing Warriors SRG learned to use Excel for the first time to catalogue product costs and pricing of their handmade items, and income and expenditure from the market itself. The funding also enabled Trust Leeds to gift smartphones and tablets, depending on need, which meant they had many more tools and apps to explore to improve their digital skills and confidence.
“You can’t get away from digital, even if you wanted to, and once you get to grips with small steps you realise how helpful it is: for managing money, benefits, keeping up with friends, and even the doctor!”
Trust Leeds SRG member
Next Steps
Trust Leeds is starting its online 12-week Be Your Own Boss SRG programme this month and is also running three SRG Day Camps with specific themes and target members in mind. The charity has trained 65 community development workers, peer support workers, and members in how to facilitate SRGs themselves, so they can share the value of this international model and enable others to adopt it in their own communities of need, geography, or interest. As holder of the SRG Hub in Leeds, the team – who are also trained Digital Champions – are always on hand to support members and potential members facing barriers due to a lack of digital skills, connectivity, or a digital device. 100% Digital Leeds will continue to work closely with Trust Leeds to develop their digital inclusion support offer to fit the ever-changing needs of the members that make the organisation.
“Trust Leeds puts digital inclusion at the heart of our work because we know that the people we support face multiple challenges – and those challenges can be faced even more effectively with strong digital skills. Poverty, financial exclusion, and poor mental and physical health can all be made just that little bit easier if people are confident and empowered to find their own solutions through digital means. We know that when our members are digitally included, they feel more in control, more knowledgeable, and more powerful.”
Leeds Digital Festival returns 16 to 27 September 2024 for a two-week celebration of digital culture in all its forms. This year, 100% Digital Leeds is pleased to be hosting three events as part of the programme, highlighting some of our current workstreams.
The project was led by Leeds Older People’s Forum (LOPF), a network of third sector organisations working with and for older people, in partnership with 100% Digital Leeds.
Our line-up of speakers, including third sector delivery partners and the Digital Coordinator at LOPF, will be sharing information about the project and how you can tailor the BOSS resources to support your organisation and communities.
The project focused on empowering older people from diverse communities with low digital skills who were more vulnerable to online scams. It supported them to develop their confidence and skills in how to stay safe online, access accurate information, and feel more at ease when navigating the online world. It also explored the barriers that older people face to digital inclusion and media literacy, such as cultural, language, and literacy challenges, and supported them to overcome these barriers through themed sessions.
In the webinar the speakers will share how the project was developed and adapted to meet the needs of older people. Attendees can access all of the resources from the BOSS project, including workbooks, session plans, and tutorial videos on the Leeds Older People’s Forum website and the Digital Inclusion Delivery Resources Google Drive.
Solidaritech repurpose your organisation’s unwanted laptops, desktops, tablets, and smartphones, passing them on to asylum seekers and refugees without digital equipment. In the last 12 months Solidaritech have refurbished and gifted over 1,300 devices to digitally excluded people across Yorkshire and Humber.
This 30-minute lunchtime webinar is an opportunity to find out how you can easily donate unwanted digital equipment to help people to resolve their immigration status, pursue studies, and start their lives in their new country.
Solidaritech will explain how they safely and professionally wipe your old hard drives, and install new Operating Systems to make new, quicker, and more usable machines.
You will hear from businesses who have already donated their equipment to support their company’s social value and environmental objectives. You will also hear from charities about the difference these donations make to the refugees and asylum seekers they work with, and you’ll have an opportunity to ask questions.
This ‘speed networking’ style event aims to link tech companies seeking Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) volunteer opportunities with voluntary, community, or social enterprise (VCSE) organisations looking for volunteers to support basic digital skills for Leeds residents. We aim for attendees to leave the event having made meaningful matches, leading to ongoing, mutually beneficial partnerships.
A panel discussion on the mutual benefits to tech companies and VCSEs partnering to support digital inclusion for Leeds residents, from those who have already worked successfully in partnership.
A ‘speed networking’ style exercise to foster new partnerships.
An opportunity for attendees to continue any conversations with potential partners.
Who would benefit from attending this event:
Spaces are limited to 10 tech sector business representatives and 10 VCSE organisation representatives – only one representative per organisation, please.
All attendees should represent businesses or VCSE organisations based in or delivering services in Leeds.
Representatives should be organisational leaders with enough influence to action any commitments made. Example roles include CSR or ESG Leads, Volunteer Managers, and Digital Inclusion Officers.
UKSPF replaced EU Structural and Investment Funds in the UK, and £9,393,538 was allocated to Leeds specifically for local delivery. 100% Digital Leeds was allocated funding to increase the capacity of community organisations to increase digital inclusion. The funding had a specific focus on interventions and activities that build people’s confidence to use digital tools and services as an enabler to increase financial resilience.
Equipment to increase digital inclusion
Capital funding has been used by third sector organisations to buy digital equipment that will help them to increase digital inclusion for the people they support. Organisations that have received funding include:
Revenue funding has been used to appoint Digital Inclusion Officers in third sector organisations:
The Old Fire Station in Gipton is hosting a Digital Inclusion Officer to focus on people of working age living in poverty or on a low income, and people who have been impacted by increases in the cost of living and who have low digital skills and confidence. They will also focus on areas of the city where people are more likely to experience financial hardship, including priority neighbourhoods, Areas of Multiple Deprivation, and pockets of disadvantage within more affluent areas of the city.
Pyramid is hosting an Officer to focus on people with learning disabilities and autistic people. That Officer facilitates the Autism and Learning Disability Digital Inclusion Network (ALaDDIN) which brings together organisations to embed digital inclusion support within their service offers for people with learning disabilities and autistic people. Pyramid also hosts a consultation group of people with lived experience whose thoughts and opinions inform the work of the Officer and the Network.
An Officer at Voluntary Action Leeds is focused on improving connectivity, digital equipment, and digital inclusion support in a number of community centres across the city. As well as supporting community organisations, the Officer will deliver digital inclusion support sessions and activities that build people’s confidence to use digital tools and services as an enabler to increase financial resilience and confidence.
Increasing digital inclusion and participation for these groups will give people more equitable access to online services and resources. It will enable people to use digital tools and technology to increase their independence and make more informed choices. It will also increase people’s ability to access a wide range of opportunities that may be available exclusively online, or are cheaper or more cost-effective if accessed online.
“Voluntary Action Leeds highly values our relationship with 100% Digital Leeds. As well as being an indispensable part of the city’s work to enable greater digital inclusion in communities, our experience is that they are entirely committed to working with the strengths of the third sector to deliver this mission; often through placing Digital Inclusion Officers close to communities in frontline third sector organisations. The team brings a creative mindset to thinking about how we reduce digital inclusion barriers. They are an invaluable source of knowledge, support and advice, and targeted resources for frontline third sector organisations.”
The 100% Digital Leeds Arts in Care Digital Programme is back for a third year and the team is looking for arts and cultural organisations to contribute an activity.
The 2024 Arts in Care Digital Programme will take place from Monday 23 to Friday 27 September. Care setting across the city will be invited to digitally access free activities including dance, craft, music, and theatre.
100% Digital Leeds hosted an information webinar in July, featuring Ascendance and Headingly Hall Care Home. The webinar recording is an opportunity for artists, arts and cultural organisations, and other interested parties to hear about the plans for the 2024, including how they can get involved by contributing an activity to the programme.
Arts in Care Digital Programme 2024 information webinar
Arts and creativity can motivate residents to build their digital skills and confidence, leading to future engagement with digital learning. This can result in increased wellbeing outcomes through using digital to enable increased social interaction, engagement with the wider world, and the ability to access information and to make decisions about their own care.
“Victor hadn’t previously been interested in doing activities but after talking to him I learned that he was interested in how to watch different channels in his room, so I showed him how to use iPlayer. He really enjoyed watching Frozen Planet 2 with subtitles, as he is hard of hearing. As a result, the staff said he would be able to borrow the iPads they have at the home.”
Staff member, Knowle Manor Care Home
The Arts in Care Digital Programme takes place in September as part of the National Day of Arts in Care Homes, organised by the National Activity Providers Association. For the first time 100% Digital Leeds will partner with NAPA to organise a national digital event taking place on 24 September which is open to care homes across the country.
There will be a webinar during the week highlighting some of the digital inclusion best practice work taking place in care settings in Leeds. The webinar will be especially useful for care staff, including those in Activity Coordinator roles.
To find out more about the programme, or contribute an activity, contact us.
Pyramid is an inclusive arts collective working with people with learning disabilities and autistic people in Leeds. Pyramid also plays a lead role in driving digital inclusion for people with learning disabilities and autistic people.
Since 2021, Pyramid has hosted an Autism and Learning Disability Digital Inclusion Coordinator who works with organisations supporting people with learning disabilities across the city, building their capacity to support digital inclusion for their members. The Autism and Learning Disability Digital Inclusion Coordinator facilitates the Autism and Learning Disability Digital Inclusion Network (ALaDDIN) which brings together organisations to embed digital inclusion support within their service offers for people with learning disabilities and autistic people. Pyramid also hosts a consultation group of people with lived experience whose thoughts and opinions inform the work of the Coordinator.
Most recently, through schemes such as Multiply, Pyramid has worked with members to support their digital skills, confidence, and connectivity for increased employability and financial resilience in the face of the cost of living increase.
Pyramid
Pyramid has over 30 years of experience working with autistic people and people with learning disabilities. They support their members to build their skills and confidence and to advocate for themselves.
Pyramid use art activities as a tool to engage members with digital activities in creative and engaging ways. They support their members to use a variety of digital equipment, supporting some of those furthest away from digital inclusion to embrace digital.
Pyramid support their members to make art in a wide variety of mediums and display their work in exhibitions and public spaces all over Leeds. They do this through collaborative art groups, including a programme for people with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD), as well as providing one-on-one creative support and professional development opportunities. Pyramid’s focus is helping their members to create art, however their projects also help members to increase their confidence and interpersonal skills, and to help them to live more independent lives.
Supporting people with learning disabilities and autistic people to overcome the barriers to digital inclusion
Many staff at Pyramid have known their members for many years, and have excellent, trusting relationships with their members which are based on mutual respect. They understand their members needs and interests, and how digital can be used to enable them.
Many people with learning disabilities and autistic people face complex barriers which can limit their digital inclusion. They vary between individuals, but include:
Many people struggle to afford digital equipment and connectivity due to low levels of employment in this community.
Many people with learning disabilities find commonly used digital devices are not accessible for them, and many apps and websites are not designed for this user group. 70% of UK websites are not compliant with accessibility standards.
Many people with learning disabilities miss out on the life-enriching experiences that the internet can provide if their carers, support workers, or families think they are too vulnerable to the potential dangers that the internet can present, and therefore restrict their access and usage, limiting their personal choice and freedom.
Some people with learning disabilities lack the confidence to try digital activities, or do not understand how they might be relevant to them.
Pyramid has embedded digital inclusion support across their service. Their staff are trained in digital inclusion awareness, helping them to understand how digital skills can help their members to make art, access opportunities and live fulfilled and balanced lives. They have also received training from AbilityNet to help them understand how devices can be made more accessible for members. Pyramid is a member of the National Databank and is actively giving out SIM cards to members in data poverty.
Integrating digital inclusion into arts activities
Pyramid find that using art, music and creative activities is a fantastic way to engage their members with digital activities, particularly those who are nervous about trying new things. An example of this may be running a session where artists create physical artwork, but encourage members to use tablets to take photographs of the work afterwards. Alternatively, members may practise drawing on paper but also be given the opportunity to use drawing apps to create art work. This makes using digital more relevant for members as they can see how it relates to their interests.
Pyramid began embedding digital inclusion support into arts sessions in 2019 with their ‘Next Steps’ group’s self-portraiture project.
Most recently Pyramid has used a stop motion studio app to embed digital skills and awareness into in an arts project, working with a group of artists with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD) at Aspire. They explored sensory objects found in nature to make abstract 2D art, alongside creating experimental stop motion films. Some of these artists had never used digital technologies before, and can be a little resistant to trying new things. The facilitator’s knowledge of the group and their particular needs and interests meant that she was able introduce digital into the project in a way that was enjoyable and accessible for members. The project involved collaging objects from nature, making it very tactile, which suited the needs of the members. Using the app meant that the members’ collages were captured into short films which could be shared far more widely with others. The facilitator ensured that artists with PMLD were involved in every stage of the process. They were encouraged to use the app and have autonomy on what they wanted the finished films to look like.
“The group are very nervous about engaging with digital tasks. By making digital activities a very small part of a much bigger project we got even the most unwilling group members pressing buttons on a screen and managed to create some beautiful artwork in the meantime. Using the app was so easy and enjoyable that it has made the members, and us as facilitators, much more excited to learn new digital skills in the future.”
Wendy Robinson, Artist, Pyramid
Facilitating the Autism and Learning Disability Digital Inclusion Network
The network was formed in response to the pandemic with member organisations initially coming together to support each other to move their delivery online. The necessary closure of physical spaces. left many autistic people and people with learning disabilities at risk of social isolation, boredom, and mental health issues.
Since the pandemic the network has worked to explore shared barriers and solutions, share best practice, and partner to access additional resources and funding. So far ALaDDIN member organisations have been supported to apply for and secure £300,000 of external funding to support digital inclusion. Beneficiaries include Advonet, LEEP, Slate, People Matters, The Bridge (Health for All,) Meanwood Valley Urban Farm, and the Halo group at Hamara.
Hosting the Autism and Learning Disability Digital Inclusion Coordinator
As well as co-facilitating the ALaDDIN network, in 2021 Pyramid began hosting an Autism and Learning Disability Digital Inclusion Coordinator. The Coordinator works with organisations citywide to embed digital inclusion support within their service offers for people with learning disabilities and autistic people.
This post is matrix-managed by 100% Digital Leeds and was originally funded by NHS Leeds. The post is currently funded by UK Shared Prosperity Fund with a focus on supporting digital inclusion to increase financial inclusion for people with learning disabilities and autistic people.
“The matrix-management arrangement and the relationship with 100% Digital Leeds has meant that the Coordinator has been able to act as a neutral broker for new partnership work. It really feels like the ‘neutrality’ of the post and the city-wide focus created by the association with 100% Digital Leeds gives greater traction and impact to projects than would have happened had the projects been done by Pyramid working in isolation. The partnership with 100% Digital Leeds has allowed Pyramid to make new friends, partnerships and projects across the city which have benefited individuals and organisations in many ways. It has also had a really positive impact on the way that we do things at Pyramid ourselves.”
James Hill, Director, Pyramid
Consultation
It is very important that people with learning disabilities and autistic people have a chance to express what they need and want from support services. A group of autistic people and people with learning disabilities meet up once per month to inform the work of ALaDDIN. The group have the chance to share their questions and concerns about doing things digitally and they can get the help they need.
“I love being a part of the ALaDDIN consultation group because I feel listened to there. We learn new skills while doing fun activities and the other people in the group help me when I get stuck. I am getting more confident with my digital skills all of the time and I enjoy showing my mum and dad the things I have learned.”
Stephen, member of the ALaDDIN consultation group
The group supports one another to learn digital skills such as using Google maps and making their devices more accessible, which they pass onto their peers, workers, friends and families. The group continue to meet at Pyramid once a month and are reimbursed each meeting for the important work they do.
Digital inclusion and financial resilience
Pyramid are a Multiply delivery partner and have worked with 30 members to help them to improve their numeracy and digital skills for improved money management in the face of increased cost of living.
Many of the members at Pyramid have traditionally found it challenging to learning maths, or have not understood how maths is applicable or useful to their own lives. However, staff at Pyramid made sure that activities were engaging for their members by making them relevant to their interests and day-to-day activities. Tasks included members creating their own money and using this to ‘buy’ imaginary things. Members also spent time trying to find art materials at bargain prices online with the support of artists and volunteers.
Each person who took part in the Multiply programme was gifted a device which was suited to their needs. For instance, members who don’t have access to the internet at home were given devices with data on them, and members who struggle to read and write were given smart speakers which they can control with their voices. Some of the members had parents or carers who also needed a little extra support to use the devices. A session was organised by the Autism and Learning Disability Digital Inclusion Coordinator for group members and parents and carers to practise setting up and using the devices together. The members have been using these devices in a variety of ways, from helping them to create art to helping them to access social media and apply for jobs.
“Ella would normally be intimidated by maths activities. As someone with a learning disability, she had historically found learning maths very challenging and frustrating. However, when she came to us, she really enjoyed learning maths skills in an environment where she felt comfortable, alongside workers who she felt comfortable working with. This had a really positive impact on her confidence and self esteem. She feels very confident using her new tablet and the internet now, and enjoys using this to be able to join social groups.”
Nicky Lines, Pyramid
Digital inclusion for employability
Pyramid has been working in collaboration with Leeds City Council, People Matters, and United Response to support employability for people with learning disabilities and autistic people by embedding digital inclusion into their Developing You course. Developing You is a free, twelve-week training programme for adults with learning disabilities and autistic people, which explores issues around wellbeing and work. The group takes part in a range of activities to learn about the world of work, identifying their own skills and interests, thinking about what jobs they might be suited to, and identifying the steps they could take to get there.
100% Digital Leeds has worked with Pyramid to ensure that digital skills have been embedded into the Developing You course. The Autism and Learning Disability Digital Inclusion Coordinator has attended sessions to ensure that bespoke digital interventions are planned to support the needs of students and has worked closely with tutors in the planning of the course. The Coordinator has also worked with tutors so that they feel confident signposting members for further digital support where required.
Pyramid has received funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to deliver a project which will support autistic artists and artists with learning disabilities to make money from their work. The course will involve practical training such as sessions on how to organise a craft stall and how to facilitate a workshop. It will also teach people how they can use digital skills to promote their work, from setting up a successful social media account to creating their own webpage.
Next Steps
Pyramid continue to embed digital technologies in the work they do in ways which are creative and relevant to their members. They are planning on running another cohort of Multiply for seven of their older members who are not currently confident using digital technologies. They will be recruiting members to their new employability project over the next few months.
The Autism and Learning Disability Digital Inclusion Coordinator will continue to coordinate digital inclusion projects throughout the city, with a focus on supporting people with autism and learning disabilities to use digital in ways that can help them to manage their finances independently and move closer to employment.
“I am building confidence and doing things I never thought I would do… I knew hardly anything before these sessions and was scared of putting things on my phone. Now I can order medicine, make appointments, send photos as an attachment, I am practising emails, I can use an app to see when the buses are coming. I was worried about ordering online before, but I have started to do this with ones I can trust and got the apps. I am going to do the Tesco one next.”
Leeds Older People’s Forum recruited a Digital Inclusion Coordinator to drive and deliver BOSS. This involved:
Delivering face-to-face digital skills support sessions, tailored to the needs of each partner’s service users.
Exploring the use of digital tools such as Google Translate to overcome additional barriers faced by diverse communities.
Developing tools and resources to support others to deliver skills sessions.
Adopting a ‘train the trainer’ approach with delivery partners, to support staff and volunteers to feel more confident running sessions themselves.
Leeds Older People’s Forum partnered with five community organisations working with diverse communities within the 10% most deprived areas of the city:
100% Digital Leeds supported the delivery partners to develop their digital inclusion support offers alongside BOSS. This included:
Delivering digital inclusion awareness workshops with staff, to better understand the digital inclusion needs of the communities and the right support to put in place.
Supporting organisations to access additional resource to support digital inclusion, such as joining the National Databank to access SIMs with free 4G data to gift to members struggling with data poverty.
Supporting organisations to embed digital skills support into their existing services going forward.
Project objectives
BOSS focussed on supporting older people more likely to face additional barriers to digital inclusion and media literacy, including cultural, language, and literacy barriers. The project worked to empower older people more susceptible to online scams to feel more comfortable and confident navigating the online world. The project supported older people who are currently not online due to lack of confidence and skills as well as those who are already online but who may not be aware of online safety measures.
The key objectives were:
To increase older people’s confidence and digital skills in using digital technology.
To enhance older people’s knowledge and skills in key media literacy areas.
To strengthen the capacity of organisations to provide media literacy support.
To support older people to develop an understanding of the risks and benefits of engaging with others online.
Leeds Older People’s Forum worked with the delivery partners to co-design skills sessions to work towards achieving these objectives, taking a holistic approach to further understand the needs across each organisation.
A few snaps from our very first BOSS (Be Online Stay Safe) course yesterday with @LeedsOPF – we covered online scams, phishing emails and fake websites.
— Leeds Irish Health and Homes (@leedsirish) March 31, 2023
Developing the approach
Leeds Older People’s Forum adopted a person-centred approach, introducing older people to BOSS through existing activities, building the sessions into their existing services.
Trusted people and spaces
The chosen delivery partners had existing trusted relationships with their members so were well prepared to understand and meet their needs. They had an existing understanding of additional barriers people may face. People were more willing to engage in the sessions if they were held in familiar community settings, so ensuring the learning environment was a safe, recognisable, comfortable space was a priority. The sessions were promoted to members by workers with whom they had an existing relationship. Feedback from participant’s highlighted the importance of feeling at ease, that they were comfortable to ask questions, and that they enjoyed the sessions in a comfortable setting. The Digital Inclusion Coordinator at Leeds Older People’s Forum received positive feedback on her kind, patient, and approachable demeanour, which meant people kept returning to the sessions each week.
Social elements
Leeds Older People’s Forum built a social aspect into the sessions. This attracted older people who appreciated the informal, interactive learning environment over a traditional classroom setting, helping with reducing further barriers and increasing confidence. Interactive and offline activities were included and discussion encouraged, embracing a blended approach. Incorporating refreshments and time for discussion into the sessions gave them a social feel.
Digital skills assessments
Leeds Older People’s Forum developed a skills assessment to identify the needs. This enabled a deeper understanding of the support needed by individuals and their different digital skill levels, supporting the development of the sessions.
Supporting older people with low-level digital skills highlighted the importance of starting with basic digital literacy, such as setting up email accounts and using search engines, before advancing to more complex topics like digital media literacy and online safety. This enabled people to build foundation digital skills and confidence before exploring more advanced themes.
Games and quizzes
Building online games into the sessions helped keep people engaged, boosted confidence, and sparked enjoyment from learning new skills. Quizzes were developed to gather participant feedback. Price comparisons and product reviews were also popular in maintaining engagement and learning.
Translation tools
Most of the older people attending the sessions were from ethnic minority backgrounds and had English as an additional language. Having cultural references within sessions that members could connect with was a useful hook to help improve engagement and solidify learning. Building the use of translation tools such as Google Translate into the sessions helped to make the sessions more accessible. This also left learners with the ability to use such tools going forward, to great personal benefit.
Smaller group sizes
Staff working at community organisations faced some challenges to delivering the sessions due to varying digital skill levels and language barriers. This highlighted the need to adapt the sessions, often working in small groups or one-to-one rather than in one large group. This led to the need for extra staff and volunteers to support the sessions. Peer support was effective in encouraging further participation and maintaining an informal atmosphere, and empowering participants to share their own digital skills.
Certificates
The final part of the course was giving out certificates to celebrate the participants’ achievements. These certificates became as important as the workbooks, and everyone wanted one.
Delighted to see our HongKonger's group receiving certificates from Sam Haggart(LOPF) for completing BOSS(Be Online Stay Safe) sessions. pic.twitter.com/SVuDUsSZuh
During the first two months Leeds Older People’s Forum and the delivery partners tried different ways of delivering the sessions then gathered participant feedback. From this process six core sessions were developed focusing on key themes:
Phone settings.
Sending and receiving emails.
Internet searching.
Managing your health online.
Media literacy online safety.
How to use translation apps.
These sessions were turned into workbooks that could be printed and given to participants to practise at home. Printed session plans were also used to support the organisations to continue delivering these sessions beyond the project end date.
“I feel that we have tested and tried lots of different methods to deliver BOSS and now we have streamlined the process and been able to concentrate on what has worked best to meet the need of members. I will be using these materials in my sessions in future.”
Anne Pearce, Digital Lead, Leeds Irish Health and Homes.
Leeds Older People’s Forum then adapted further sessions to prioritise practical digital skills support such as internet searching, opening links, and uploading photos. They then built on these skills in further sessions such as online shopping, online safety, media literacy, and health literacy.
“I have taught many people on this course and was so pleased when a learner told me proudly that he had booked his hospital appointment using an NHS link. Prior to the course he was afraid to open links on his phone and would have to wait for his son to visit to do it for him. He was so happy that he could do this independently himself within the session.”
Samantha Haggart, Digital Inclusion Coordinator, Leeds Older People’s Forum.
Leeds Older People’s Forum and the delivery partners were careful not to overwhelm participants. They offered bite size themed taster sessions to encourage people with really low skills and confidence, and they simplified and scaled back sessions as needed. They invited external speakers, such as Virgin Money, to discuss digital safety in a practical way.
English as an additional language
Involving the delivery partners’ staff or volunteers who spoke the same language as the learners helped to reduce barriers for those with English as an additional language. Translating the workbooks and using digital translating tools made the sessions more accessible. This was essential in supporting people to overcome their initial fears of digital technology. Learners appreciated the supportive environment with familiar peers and staff members who spoke their language. They reported that it helped to boost their confidence to ask questions without feeling embarrassed.
“If a service user got a letter from the NHS, they could use Google Translate to read it in their own language. It could even read the letter out loud for them if they had trouble reading it. This was a big success!”
Nizamud Din, Project Leader, Hamara Centre.
Next Steps
Leeds Older People’s Forum commissioned an external evaluation for BOSS. The Be Online Stay Safe Final Report found that BOSS has been successful in achieving positive outcomes and impacts for older people, including those with low digital skills who have been able to apply their learning to stay safe online. The programme has also helped delivery partners to build capacity to continue applying what they have learned, particularly in terms of literacy knowledge and embedding digital support across their services.
To continue to enhance BOSS, suggestions in the final report have been made to:
Define digital media literacy.
Explore funding options to strengthen capacity.
Encourage quick wins through activities to promote online safety.
Share good practices.
Capture the impact for future funding applications.
Identify any opportunities.
Applying these suggestions will ensure the BOSS workbooks and resources can be used successfully when organisations are delivering online digital literacy sessions in future.
Feedback from organisations evidenced a need for more volunteers to provide digital support within future sessions, particularly for those with very low skills or cognitive impairments, who benefited from one-to-one support. To meet the demand for more sessions the organisations are looking to recruit and train more volunteers to build capacity.
Using the resources across the Older People’s Digital Inclusion Network
The ambition is for BOSS to connect delivery partners with the city-wide Older People’s Digital Inclusion Network, sharing the BOSS learning and resources across the network to enable more organisations to deliver and adapt the content.
All of the BOSS resources, including workbooks, session plans and YouTube videos have been shared on Leeds Older People’s Forum website and are available in the 100% Digital Leeds Older People’s Google Drive. There will also be a toolkit developed, which focuses on top tips for delivering digital media literacy for older people using the learning from BOSS. Once this toolkit is finalised it will be shared widely.
The project resources will be shared at the next Older People’s Digital Inclusion network on 25 July. Contact us if you would like to attend or would like more information. If you would like more information on the BOSS project, please contact samantha@opforum.org.uk.