Partner Profile: Carers Leeds

Carers Leeds is an independent charity that gives specialist and tailored support, advice, and information to unpaid carers over the age of 16. A carer is an individual who, without payment, provides help and support to a friend, family member, relative, or neighbour who could not manage without their support. This could be due to age, physical or mental health issues, substance misuse, or disability.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Carers Leeds has been committed to reducing digital barriers for unpaid carers through their digital inclusion service. Their aims are to reduce social isolation and loneliness by ensuring all carers can confidently access online resources essential to their caring role and own wellbeing.

“I am not only proud to see the progress we’ve made over the last three years, but I am overjoyed with how far our carers have come on their digital journeys. For a lot of unpaid carers, access to online services is a real lifeline, so it’s great to see the positive impacts it’s had on people’s lives. The sense of achievement people get when they overcome barriers they never thought they would initially get past is great to be a part of.”

Holly Wilkins, Digital Inclusion Coordinator, Carers Leeds

Taking a person-centred approach to digital inclusion

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Carers Leeds identified a large proportion of unpaid carers to be digitally excluded due to a range of barriers including affordability of equipment or internet, lack of confidence, and lack of knowledge or support available from friends or family. With all services closed at this time, the only contact some carers had was with the individual they care for at home. Unpaid caring and digital exclusion are both risk factors for loneliness and isolation, meaning it was paramount their service users were able to engage with online activities, support groups, and online services, to prevent poor outcomes and increased isolation from society.  

‘I’m loving trying to learn to use my new tablet. It helps that I have Holly with the patience of a saint! A big fat thank you to everyone at Carers Leeds for what they do.’

Carer supported by Carers Leeds

Carers Leeds worked in partnership with 100% Digital Leeds to develop their new digital inclusion service and received funding to purchase IT equipment and recruit Holly, their Digital Inclusion Coordinator, to oversee the project. The team quickly recognised that each carer’s digital needs varied from one another, suggesting the need for holistic and person-centred approaches when it came to offering digital support. Carers Leeds did this by developing a digital assessment tool, which is used to help identify the carer’s goals, motivations, and interests for getting connected. This helps shape their support sessions and enables the impact of the project to be evaluated by comparing confidence, standardised loneliness measures, and experience levels at baseline to the end of support. Their goal has since been to integrate digital throughout their organisation to ensure staff are confident in having positive conversations about going online and can identify carers with digital needs.

Digital support as a means to reducing social isolation and loneliness

Over the past three years the Digital Inclusion Coordinator has carried out various means of digital support to digitally excluded carers. Whilst face-to-face services were closed, Holly posted sim-enabled devices to carers with tailored ‘how to’ guides to suit their needs, and offered one-to-one support to carers remotely, via telephone, video, and TeamViewer. Some devices were set up prior to postage to support carers with additional digital support needs e.g. by changing accessibility settings, downloading apps, and posting accessories such as styluses or keyboards.

Since restrictions have lifted, Holly has offered tailored one-to-one and group digital support sessions to carers in various settings:

  • One-to-one home visits.
  • One-to-one community visits.
  • One-to-one telephone support.
  • Group digital cafes.
  • Blended digital and non-digital social events.
  • Online support groups with a digital focus.

Digital support sessions have always had the focus of reaching the carer’s goals from the initial assessment, and have included supporting carers to:

  • Feel more confident using their device.
  • Keep in touch with friends and family.
  • Use technology to enrich individual hobbies and interests.
  • Access essential digital health resources e.g. booking GP appointments and self-managing health conditions.
  • Independently and safely use the web to search for information or shop online.

Key learning points

The digital support offered has had a real positive impact on carers. Carers Leeds have found that the ability to offer tailored one-to-one support has made a difference as it ensures carer-centred approaches have been adopted throughout. Consistent and focused digital sessions have increased confidence and momentum, so carers are more likely to continue using online resources independently once support comes to an end. They have found that, amongst carers, one-to-one support has been the most effective way to deliver support, compared to group digital cafes. One of the main barriers of the digital cafes has been that some carers are unable to leave the house for prolonged periods of time to access group sessions due to caring demands.

“Google has been wonderful as I can search for new carpets and gas fires. Carers Leeds gave me a tablet with free internet and helped me with what to do! The tablet opened up new worlds for me and helps me keep in touch with others. Now I use WhatsApp all the time. I love it!”

Carer supported by Carers Leeds

Carers Leeds have also recognised the most successful digital support comes from keeping things fun and light-hearted. People are much more likely to engage if they see the immediate benefits of technology. For example, The Digital Inclusion Coordinator has supported carers to use various games apps like Wordle, start their family tree with Ancestry, practise mindfulness with yoga guides and videos, and has supported carers to enjoy personal hobbies such stamp collecting.

Over the past few years, Carers Leeds have put on several events which incorporate blended activities. This has included fun nature walks to popular Leeds parks, incorporating an introduction to digital skills and the use of tablets into the sessions by using apps to identify plants and bird songs on their way. Other digital events have included blended arts and crafts workshops supporting carers to create online scrapbooks using Canva, and coffee and digital games mornings.


‘This digital support has been perfect as now I can draw, do something else just for me and it’s been a long time since I’ve been able to do something like that.’

Carer supported by Carers Leeds

Becoming a Digital Health Hub

After working closely with 100% Digital Leeds to secure NHS Health Inequalities Funding Carers Leeds are developing the organisation as a Digital Health Hub. According to the State of Caring Report (2022), carers were more likely to feel that remote monitoring, voice-assisted devices, digital ways of keeping in touch with family, online patient records, and the NHS app made their caring role easier. These findings highlight the potential to adopt digital health-related technology as a means of improving outcomes for carers and is why Carers Leeds is an advocate for digital health as an organisation. Digital health is already incorporated into the digital support on offer at Carers Leeds:

  • Support using self-management tools for health conditions such as COPD, diabetes, and mental health.
  • Help accessing online health services such as booking GP appointments, ordering prescriptions, and submitting e-consultations.
  • Help to confidently search for key health information online and avoid misinformation.
  • Support in accessing peer and online support groups relevant to their caring role.

Digital inclusion befriending service

Following the success of the work to date, Carers Leeds have recently been granted funding from Good Things Foundation, enabling them to expand their digital inclusion service with the addition of a voluntary digital inclusion befriending service. The role involves volunteers offering up to twelve one-to-one digital befriending sessions to carers in their homes or in the community, with aims to build confidence using IT equipment, different apps, and digital health services.

This befriending service has been developed to coexist alongside their traditional befriending service as the volunteers adopt shared training, resources, and peer support groups. Carers Leeds have found this has worked well and enables the two befriending services to share knowledge and experience with one another.  Some of the main positives of the befriending project so far have been:

  • Welcoming and reaching new volunteers from different communities around Leeds to get involved in the role.
  • Widening resources and capacity for the organisation to network more and maintain key partnerships around Leeds.
  • Increased consistent support sessions for carers.
  • Consistent advocacy for digital health offered by volunteers.

Carers Leeds plans to further expand their digital inclusion befriending service over the next year.

Arts in Care Showcase and digital arts programme plans

On Friday 19 May 100% Digital Leeds hosted an interactive event at Leeds Central Library showcasing the amazing work that is currently being delivered in care settings by arts and cultural organisations including Yorkshire Dance, Leeds Playhouse, and Ascendance.

During the session 100% Digital Leeds introduced the plans for the Arts in Care Homes Digital Arts Programme 2023 and attendees were encouraged to offer feedback and suggestions for the programme as we work towards removing any barriers to taking part and making it as beneficial and rewarding for both the staff and care recipients as possible.

“Access to culture is a human right, as much in residential care as when living in the community. The benefits to health and wellbeing of participation in arts and culture, including in older age, are well established.”

Baring Foundation, Every Care Home a Creative Home

An opportunity to sample some of the arts activities open to care homes

The event was attended by care staff who work in an Activity or Wellbeing Coordinator role and attendees took part in taster sessions of the various arts opportunities available to care homes in partnership with local arts organisations. The attendees were able to get a feel for what it would be like to experience the workshops as a participant and also had time to have further conversations with the arts organisations to discuss how they can work together in the future.

Yorkshire dance

Yorkshire Dance ran a movement to music session from their In Mature Company project which saw everyone move and stretch and tap their toes to the rhythm of the music, strengthening and warming up muscles and waking up our bodies. In Mature Company run regular online Zoom sessions allowing staff and residents in different homes to connect and share in a joyful experience with each other.

Leeds Playhouse

Leeds Playhouse introduced us to the work that they do with participants with learning disabilities, using sounds, smell, music and some very exciting props, they brought the theatre journey to life through imagination and interactivity. Leeds Playhouse also run Heydays which is the largest and longest-running arts programme for older people in UK theatre.

Ascendance

Ascendance had us up on our feet, moving to the music with some very snazzy footwork. Their mission is to provide exercise, creative and performance opportunities for individuals with neurodisabilities and those over 55, improving physical and mental wellbeing, coordination, balance and social cohesion. They are committed to supporting the digital inclusion of participants and have worked with 100% Digital Leeds to embed digital inclusion throughout their service. Read more about Ascendance’s work supporting digital inclusion.

Carousel of arts and cultural organisations

There was also the opportunity for participants to speak to other organisations about their work with Leeds’ communities, we were privileged to welcome RJC Dance, Leeds Libraries, Maria Kapsali, The Performance Ensemble and Leeds International Concert Series.

Arts in Care Digital Arts Programme 2023

This year’s Arts in Care Homes Digital Arts Programme 2023 will take place from Monday 25 to Friday 29 September. The programme will be a series of free arts and creative events and activities with a digital element delivered by arts organisations and available for care providers, following on from the national Arts in Care Homes Day on 24 September.

If you are an organisation that would like to submit an interactive digital activity to be included in this year’s programme then get in touch with 100% Digital Leeds and book on to the webinar where we will give more information about how to get involved. The webinar will be recorded and video will be circulated to attendees after the event.

If you are working in a care setting please contact us and we will be able to give you more information about how to take part in this year’s programme.

Arts in Care Digital Arts Programme Webinar

Wednesday 28 June, 12:30 – 1:00pm

Aimed at arts and cultural organisation and any other organisation interested at submitting an activity for inclusion in this year’s Arts in Care Digital Arts Programme. This webinar is an opportunity to hear more about the proposed plans for Arts in Care Homes Day in Leeds, to find out how they can get involved and to also hear about the difference that being involved in creative activity can make to people in care.

Register on Eventbrite

New Digital Inclusion Officer in East Leeds

The Old Fire Station recently appointed a Digital Inclusion Officer who will not only offer support to those who come to the Old Fire Station, but also help the organisations along the York Road increase their capacity and ability to support digital inclusion for anyone living in the York Road area of the city. The 12 month post is supported by NHS Health Inequalities Funding to support the development of the local Digital Health Hub Network.

Chris, the new Digital Inclusion Officer, is passionate about why digital inclusion matters so much in today’s world:

“The pandemic and lock-downs really highlighted the need to help people with their digital knowledge and confidence. Giving people the ability to stay in contact with loved ones and access information about local organisations and healthcare is such an important aspect in terms of health and wellbeing. If we can help people become more confident online – we can open up a whole world of possibilities for them.”

Chris Bamber, Digital Inclusion Officer at The Old Fire Station.

Increasing digital support at The Old Fire Station

The Old Fire Station in Gipton opened its doors as a new hub for the community in 2017 after significant investment and renovation. It now houses six different not-for-profit organisations which, between them, offer support to a huge number of people in East Leeds. The Old Fire Station is proud to be one of Leeds’ Digital Health Hubs, offering a safe warm space, free wifi, access to digital equipment, and a variety of support to improve digital skills and confidence.

Chris has started weekly digital drop-in sessions at the Old Fire Station on Thursdays between 10am and 1pm, offering support to anyone with any queries about how to use a device they have or just want to get started. As well as help and advice, people can make use of free wifi, access laptops and other devices, and be gifted sims with free 4G data. These drop-ins are supported by the Leeds City Council mobile Community Hub which is parked directly outside and can offer assistance regarding benefits, housing, and other council transactions.

From chatting to the different organisations running groups from the Fire Station, it became clear that there were a few big issues that people raise when discussion their digital exclusion and reasons behind it. Costs, the overwhelming nature of the topic, online safety and fear of scams are all areas which Chris wants to help people overcome.

Increasing digital support across the York Road area

Alongside the help sessions provided at the Fire Station, Chris works as part of the 100% Digital Leeds team building organisational capacity to deliver digital inclusion support across the York Road area of Leeds. He is working closely with all current Digital Health Hubs in the area to help expand or improve their digital sessions as well as to bring in other local organisations who want to join and themselves become Digital Health Hubs. Operating as a network across the York Road area means the organisations can highlight best practises and share resources and information.

“Having the ability to link up and share knowledge with other organisations so we can all help each other is wonderful. It means we can all do as much as we can to give our members the maximum amount of help.”

Burmantofts Senior Action

Challenges and opportunities ahead

Chris has spent his first weeks in the role meeting organisations delivering digital inclusion support in the local area, meeting with organisations like Richmond Hill Elderly Aid, St Vincent’s, and Cross Gates and District Good Neighbours. The common theme across all network partners is that, while demand and necessity for digital inclusion support is growing all the time, the capacity of organisations to deliver is stretched to the maximum.

Over the coming months Chris will be working with organisations to secure further funding to support increased access to equipment and capacity to support more people with their digital skills and confidence. Chris is also working with a corporate partner to explore how their corporate social responsibility volunteering offer could offer organisations working across the area support to deliver their digital skills support sessions.

If you work with people living in the York Road area who would benefit from digital inclusion support and would be interested in hearing from Chris Contact us.

Partner profile: Leeds Irish Health and Homes

Leeds Irish Health and Homes (LIHH) have been providing services to the Irish and wider community in Leeds for over 25 years.  Their services range from outreach support to regular luncheon clubs and tea dances, health and wellbeing support, digital inclusion support and more specialist unemployment, bereavement, and mental health support.

“Seeing people’s digital skills increase and broaden their learning is a real sense of empowerment for them and gives LIHH a real sense of pride. People are no longer afraid to ask questions, they have achieved both self-belief and achievement in their learning. It’s great to see the difference it’s making to their lives.”

Sarah McBride, Services Manager at Leeds Irish Health and Homes

Digital inclusion in response to the pandemic

During the pandemic in 2020 LIHH knew that they needed to respond rapidly to needs highlighted during lockdown and enable people to be digitally connected across the city. They were astonished at the demand for digital, especially from many older people in their communities. Through conversations with their members they knew they needed to develop an offer of digital skills support and look at providing many with equipment.

LIHH began working in partnership with 100% Digital Leeds when a successful funding bid from the Emigrant Support Programme meant they were able to recruit a Community Digital Inclusion Officer.  The demand for digital inclusion support was high across the Irish communities in Leeds and LIHH looked at ways the new role could support digital inclusion and build and develop their offer.   

The Community Digital Inclusion Officer, Anne, began delivering online groups, sparking engagement with sessions themed around topics of interest such as culture, Irish radio, online chats and quizzes.

“We have witnessed people emailing each other rather than calling each other which has been wonderful, and carrying out shopping trips online rather than going out to do a grocery shop.”

Sarah McBride, Services Manager at Leeds Irish Health and Homes

She has since then fully developed a face-to-face digital skills offer with a variety of sessions delivered each week.  These are very well attended and are within the LIHH centre, or at community locations around the city such as The Old Fire Station in Gipton. LIHH also have several tablets they use in sessions and lend to members, helping people across the city who don’t have access to a device or wifi.   

Digital access has helped support members’ mental health

The number of people attending the sessions has increased thanks to the fun digital tools and apps during the sessions. Apps like Wordle and Waffle have supported many of their older members to overcome loneliness and isolation and helped them to stimulate the brain. The Memory Lane app has been immensely popular, especially great for members living with Dementia, where they can access lots of resources for reminiscence. Through Anne’s ongoing commitment and hard work, the number of people now accessing digital support through LIHH has increased and demand continues to be high.

Anne also offers one-to-one digital support in the community for those who are not confident in a group setting or who may be unable to leave their property due to challenging physical health issues.

“Having that personal touch always makes a huge difference to our service users and encourages further learning.”

Anne Pearce, Community Digital Inclusion Officer at Leeds Irish Health and Homes.

One member who had struggled with lifelong depression now attends the LIHH Digital session every Friday and it has given him a sense of purpose and something to look forward to each week. Another gentleman who was really struggling with both loneliness and grief was supported by Anne to create a digital book as a legacy for his family. The sessions continue to be life changing for so many, one member in her 80s can now use her tablet to access online mass which means so much to her.

“We have seen people’s confidence grow, friendships develop through Zoom, and online activities delivered. People are feeling less isolated and lonely. People have seen an improvement in their mental health. The eagerness to learn and be digitally connected has been very impressive. We like to be able to offer Zoom and face to face to give people the option and support those that are less mobile.”

Sarah McBride, Services Manager at Leeds Irish Health and Homes

Key partnership projects

Leeds Irish Health and Homes are a key member on the Older Peoples Digital Inclusion Network and regularly share tips and tools in best supporting older people with digital.  This network has created strong working relationships with LIHH and many other organisations across the city supporting older people with digital, which has helped them with resources, sharing ideas and building confidence in delivering digital support sessions. Being a member of the network means they have partnered with 100% Digital Leeds on a number of projects.

Becoming a Digital Health Hub

LIHH are part of the Central North Local Care Partnership and with the support of 100% Digital Leeds are developing as a Digital Health Hub.  There is high demand across their members for support with online prescriptions and self-management apps, and LIHH are really excited to be able to help people manage their health and wellbeing with digital. 

“It’s so empowering to be able to help people manage their own appointments and prescriptions and giving them access to their own care record.  We don’t want anyone to be left behind or excluded.”

Sarah McBride, Services Manager at Leeds Irish Health and Homes

Be Online Stay Safe

LIHH were successful in joining the BOSS project which is a partnership project between 100% Digital Leeds and Leeds Older People’s Forum focused on supporting members to improve their media literacy skills and feeling confident and safe online. This project will run until January 2024.

The sessions have started, and they’ve received such positive feedback on how much they are needed and how much more confident members feel after receiving support around online safety and how to avoid scams. The fear of being online has previously prevented many members from using digital but these sessions are giving more people the confidence to go online and feel safe in doing so.  

Looking forwards

The current challenge across LIHH is capacity as the demand for more digital inclusion support remains high. They are working with 100% Digital Leeds to look for further funding to recruit a second digital inclusion worker. This would enable them to reach further communities in the city and provide more digital support for those that need it. They would like to expand their Digital Health Hub offer and provide more at home support too.  Recruiting this second worker will be vital to supporting so many more people across the city with digital inclusion, enabling them to do the things they want and need to do online

A case study

W, aged 79 is from the West coast of Ireland and has lived in Leeds for 60 years. He is socially isolated and lives, by choice, alone without a TV. He was also digitally excluded. When Anne visited, he explained that in the past he has not wanted to go out and does not want to get like that again, describing himself as a loner. He enjoys reading and is very proud of his Irish roots. He is also conscious that his spelling is poor and this was a barrier to him learning. Together he and Anne worked on building confidence around this and using a keyboard. They also found that a stylus helped with what W referred to as his “workman hands and large fingers”. 

Anne showed W some YouTube videos on her mobile phone and he loved listening to the music. He has a banjo which he would like to learn to play properly. Anne explained about YouTube tutorials and how he could learn at home and develop his skills. This hooked him and through Barca’s Men’s Health Unlocked project Anne secured him a tablet with a data sim. 

Anne visited W and showed him how to use the tablet to access YouTube and she found an Irish tutor who has free tutorials to play the banjo. W uses the tablet every day and it gives him a purpose. He watches videos to learn where to place his hands then practises. Having a tablet makes a difference to him and he enjoys using it. He uses up the data allowance each month as he spends so much time playing. 

W is very practical, having spent his working life doing manual work. He loved using the tablet to find out how to make items from wood and metal and recycling. He was also studying how to fix a battery and how to pick locks. He uses the internet to find information such as song lyrics, he was looking for Rod Stewart.

Feedback from W is that he is loving the tablet and his learning journey. He has a supportive family but does not want to bother them at work, so the tablet occupies W during the day. He is not interested in an email address yet but is discussing it with his daughter moving forward. He has also been introduced to Zoom.

W has gained a lot of confidence using the tablet and is very engaged as a result. When he speaks to his family on the telephone he has conversation to share and is building up his skills. 

Inclusive employment film project

Using money awarded from Inclusion International, a team of people with learning disabilities have created a film to educate employers on how they can make their workplaces more inclusive.

The film explores what’s already happening in the city, how organisations can remove barriers, and how workplaces can benefit from having people with learning disabilities as part of their team. 

Nicky Lines, Autism and Learning Disability Inclusion Coordinator, applied for the funding for this film and supported throughout the making of the film.  100% Digital Leeds’s Autism and Learning Disabilities Digital Inclusion Network has been exploring how digital inclusion can help people with learning disabilities to gain employment and to thrive in their roles.

Inclusive Employment Film Project

The film was successfully launched with a screening at Leeds Industrial Museum attended by funders, partners, and contributers.

Tweet from Cafe Leep

Arts in care showcase: strengthening partnerships between care settings and creative organisations in Leeds

100% Digital Leeds is hosting an event for activities coordinators and managers working in a care setting showcasing the wealth of arts and culture activities on offer across the city for the benefit of care recipients. Care settings could include: care homes, hospitals, day services, supported living, Recovery Hubs, and hospices.

The event will take place on Friday 19 May, starting at 10am at Leeds Central Library. Free tickets are bookable on Eventbrite.

“The encouragement and excitement to use more digital resources in creative ways benefits not only residents’ connections with the community and their families, but digital inclusion also for staff increasing their motivation and confidence with digital resources. Having the support of 100% Digital Leeds has been fantastic for our care homes.”

Iria Cunha, Wellbeing Development Manager, Springfield Care Villages

The event will feature free interactive taster sessions from arts organisations

Attendees will have the opportunity to sample a range of arts and creative activities delivered by arts organisations looking for opportunities to build partnerships with care settings, focussing on highlighting opportunities for digital arts participation.

In Mature Company taster session from Yorkshire Dance

In Mature Company brings dance and music into care homes across Leeds, to improve physical activity levels and reduce boredom and loneliness for older adults living with dementia. This practical workshop supported by a dance artist and live musician will be an opportunity for care staff to experience the programme.

Launch of the Arts in Care Homes Digital Arts Programme 2023

100% Digital Leeds will introduce the Arts in Care Homes Digital Arts Programme 2023 which will be taking place the week of the 25 September. The programme will be a series of free arts and creative events and activities with a digital element delivered by arts organisations and available for care providers. This session will be an opportunity for care staff to feedback about last year’s programme and help shape the offer for 2023.

The Creative Ageing Treasury of Leeds

Pick up your copy of the Creative Ageing Treasury of Leeds which contains 15 step-by-step arts activities contributed by artists and organisations who deliver outstanding work for, by and with older people.

The event will also feature sessions from Leeds Libraries, RJC Dance and other Leeds-based organisations. The Eventbrite page will be updated as content is confirmed.

Register on Eventbrite

Arts and culture participation is beneficial to care recipients

Improved access to arts and culture programming has been shown to support people’s improved health and wellbeing. The Baring Foundation (2011) report An Evidence Review of the Impact of Participatory Arts on Older People summarises some of the benefits:

  • Improving mental wellbeing, increased confidence, and increased self-esteem.
  • Embracing new and positive aspects to their identity and life role.
  • Counterbalancing the mental wellbeing difficulties associated with periods of loss which can increase the risk of low mood, anxiety and social isolation.
  • Improving cognitive functioning, communication and memory.
  • Increased sense of pleasure, enjoyment of life, and creative thinking.

The Baring Foundation published Every Care Home A Creative Home with the purpose of making the case for care home residents being able to access creativity and culture whenever they want, including increasing access to digital channels and tools.

Better Leeds Communities to host place-based Digital Inclusion Officer roles in NHS funded initiative

Better Leeds Communities in Burley Park will host a member of staff whose role is to support the development, delivery, and coordination of digital inclusion across the local area. The Digital Inclusion Officer post is being advertised until Tuesday 2 May with interviews taking place Friday 5 May.

Though hosted by Better Leeds Communities, the new Digital Inclusion Officer will work with a range of partners across the Woodsley and Holt Park Local Care Partnership (LCP) area. They will take a place-based approach to improving and increasing the digital inclusion support available to meet the needs of local communities. The Digital Inclusion Officer will be matrix-managed by 100% Digital Leeds and we expect to see the addition of more place-based roles linked to LCP areas in the near future.

“At Better Leeds Communities we are acutely aware of the rapid rise of digital health technologies and the challenges this poses to people in our community who do not have the skills or means to engage with these technologies. We are delighted to be hosting the Digital Inclusion Officer for the Woodsley and Holt Park area.”

Taira Kayani, Chief Executive Officer at Better Leeds Communities

Supporting digital inclusion for health participation locally

The post supports the continued development of Digital Health Hubs across the Woodsley and Holt Park LCP, community partners supporting the digital inclusion needs of local communities to improve digital health participation and reduce health inequalities.

Forming a network of Digital Health Hubs is part of the implementation of the 100% Digital Leeds community-based approach to digital inclusion for improved health participation, delivered in partnership with Local Care Partnerships. There are currently 27 Digital Health Hubs in Leeds, across York Road and Beeston and Middleton LCP areas.

“Hosting this post affords BLC the opportunity to increase our commitment to enabling people to improve their health outcomes. By enabling us to work with community partners to increase digital health participation, thereby reducing health inequalities, the post will create lasting impact in our community.”

Taira Kayani, Chief Executive Officer at Better Leeds Communities

The city-wide roll out of place-based Digital Health Hub networks

The approach is being rolled-out across the city with Hubs currently in development across Woodsley and Holt Park, HATCH, Central, and Morley LCPs. This development wave has been supported with £220,000 NHS Health Inequalities funding which has seen 15 community organisations receive funding for the purchase of digital equipment or the recruitment of staff to support digital inclusion. Successsful organisations include Moortown Baptist Church, Caring Hands, Moor Allerton Elderly Care, Leeds Irish Health and Homes, Feel Good Factor, Applebox Company, St Vincents, Hamara, Leep1, Burmantofts Senior Action, HAVA, Carers Leeds, and Bevan Healthcare.

This NHS Health Inequalities funding has also supported the recruitment of a Digital Inclusion Officer to support digital inclusion development in the York Road LCP area, hosted by The Old Fire Station, the first community organisation in the city to host such a role. 100% Digital Leeds and The Old Fire Station were pleased to welcome Chris Bamber into the role earlier this week.

A further two development waves will see the roll out of Digital Health Hubs across the remaining LCPs over the next couple of years.

“Local Care Partnerships aim to bring organisations together and pool resources to be able to support communities better together. The new role at The Old Fire Station is a really exciting development, a way of making sure that all of the Digital Health Hubs in the LCP get the support they need for local people.”

Kim Adams, Programme Director, Local Care Partnerships Development Programme

The Digital Inclusion Officer post is currently open for applications. The closing date is 12 noon Tuesday 2 May with interviews taking place Friday 5 May.

Partner profile: Ascendance

Ascendance is a Leeds-based charity working in the Dance for Health sector, combining professional work with a community dance company, weekly classes and outreach projects. Ascendance’s mission is to provide exercise, creative and performance opportunities for individuals with neurodisabilities and those over 55, improving physical and mental wellbeing, coordination, balance and social cohesion. Ascendance is committed to supporting the digital inclusion of participants. The organisation is a member of the Arts and Culture Digital Inclusion Network and has worked with 100% Digital Leeds to embed digital inclusion throughout their service. Most recently Ascendance has been awarded £195,992 from The National Lottery Community Fund for a new digital inclusion programme, ‘No One Left Behind’.

“The class is my only contact with others living with Parkinson’s. That’s a really important part of my coping mechanism.”

Participant

Hybrid programming to support arts participation and combat social isolation

Ascendance’s interest in digital work was sparked during the pandemic with the desire to combat the isolation that many of its participants faced through staying at home.

In 2021, the organisation launched a series of hybrid creative classes and performances with their Parkinson’s groups which attracted people from across Yorkshire. The programme supported members who were unable to join face-to-face sessions to use Zoom to engage with the programme online. 70% of participants were supported to engage with the programme and, at the peak of the pandemic, the number of workshops was increased from one session per week to five.

The performance of Part 1: “Into the Sea”, included the first ever hybrid set up at Leeds City Museum as part of World Disability Day. Parts of this project led them to create “HYBRID – The Film”, a documentary by Flygirl Films capturing creative journeys in people’s homes.

HYBRID the film

Even after the lifting of lockdown and the return to face-to-face programming, Ascendance has continued to offer remote programming, recognising that people can find their digital offer more accessible than their ‘in person’ workshops for a number of reasons. Ascendance currently offers a weekly Zoom dance session which is free to join, and is attended by regulars as well as those who generally attend sessions face-to-face but aren’t able to that week because of their health or any other change of circumstance. Their online neuro dance sessions help people with Parkinson’s, MS and other neurological conditions stay active for longer, delay progression of symptoms, develop new neuropathways
from the mind to the body and help improve balance, coordination and flexibility.

Supporting digital inclusion for care homes

Ascendance has contributed digital content to a number of initiatives using digital methods to reach care home residents who could not otherwise participate in creative dance activity, and supporting digital inclusion. The organisation has run online sessions for Leeds Care Delivery Service as part of the service’s ‘Wellbeing Wednesdays’ programme.

In to the Garden video

Ascendance contributed a digital resource to Creative Ageing Treasury of Leeds – a free activity book created by Leeds Arts Health and Wellbeing Network and partners, full of creative things to do by and with older people. It contains 15 step-by-step arts activities contributed by artists and organisations who deliver outstanding work for, by and with older people.

Ascendance ran an online workshop as part of the city’s Arts in Care Homes 2023 programme, a week-long programme of free creative workshops aimed at care home residents in celebration of The National Day of Arts in Care Homes, a national event that takes place each year. 14 arts organisations hosted a total of 24 workshops over the course of five days with the aim of highlighting the ways that care settings can utilise digital to engage with the city’s arts sector and increase arts participation for care residents.

“It was good to be involved in a wider event which enabled us to market our provision and see who else are working in the sector. We would like to extend our zoom provision in the future and this gives us confidence that there is a demand to keep moving forward with our digital at home programme. Joined up working means that we can involve more people in our online work, and have more impact regionally and nationally.”

No One Left Behind programme

Ascendance has recently been celebrating after being awarded £195,992 over 3 years in funding from The National Lottery Community Fund to build on existing digital programmes and innovate further within the dance and digital arena. Their project, ‘No One Left Behind’ aims to engage more people with neurodisabilities (such as Parkinson’s and MS), across a variety of settings, and address the growing digital divide the older community is facing, especially in areas with little or no in-person provision.

‘No One Left Behind’ will see a series of existing and new initiatives including zoom classes, digital training for the older community, outreach programmes and a digital dance, arts, and wellbeing festival.

The project aims to engage and benefit more people with neurodisabilities to:

  • participate in physical and creative dance activity that will support physical and mental wellbeing and help to delay the progression of their disease.
  • learn how to effectively and safely navigate digital spaces, so that they may access more online.
  • give opportunities to positively showcase their abilities and talents to a wider public audience.

“The energy and personality of Ascendance comes from the profiles of its heroes, Rachel and Emma, who make it possible for us Parkinson’s patients to navigate issues of social isolation through contemporary dance.”

Shafik, Participant

Working in partnership with Leeds Community Foundation and the city’s tech sector

100% Digital Leeds is working with Leeds Community Foundation and the city’s tech sector to increase the amount of funding and resource available to build the capacity of third sector partners and increase digital inclusion for people and communities across Leeds.

Leeds Digital Ball

The Leeds Digital Ball is an annual charity event to raise money from digital and technology companies in the city. The charity ball organisers are made up of a board of members and advisors from across the Leeds region who came together as a collective to help represent the local tech community in supporting digitally excluded communities and driving positive change. The inaugural Ball took place in 2022 and saw £50,000 raised and donated to Leeds Digital Inclusion Fund. The fund supports the ongoing development of the city’s digital inclusion infrastructure across the third sector.

Leeds Digital Inclusion Fund

100% Digital Leeds worked with Leeds Community Foundation (LCF) to develop the Leeds Digital Inclusion Fund, a permanent grant funding stream administered by LCF in partnership with 100% Digital Leeds. The 100% Digital Leeds team worked with LCF to write the funding criteria and grant application process for charities to bid into the fund. The fund supports community organisations in the development of sustainable digital inclusion interventions enhancing the organisations’ core offers, ensuring that people and communities in Leeds have the skills, support and equipment to be active online, now and in the future. The 100% Digital Leeds team is represented on the judging panel and offer support to successful applicants to implement their digital inclusion plans.

“We find it so valuable to work with 100% Digital Leeds. Their knowledge of community organisations, and the practical support and advice they offer, is helping to make Leeds a more digitally inclusive place for everyone who lives here. This makes them the perfect partner for Leeds Community Foundation and our work around digital inclusion.

Kate Hainsworth, Chief Executive, Leeds Community Foundation

The initial funding pot of £50,000 was made up of funds raised by the Leeds Digital Ball. In August 2022 five grants of £10,000 were awarded to charities who have used the money to increase or enhance their digital inclusion offer.

Between them the five funded organisations support a range of people and communities more likely to be digitally excluded:

  • Your Back Yard received funding to expand their well-established digital and social inclusion offer for older people. Using the funding to employ a dedicated outreach worker, purchase more tablets and data, and recruit more volunteers, enabling them to deliver more sessions in Headingly and Holt Park.
  • Smart Works received funding to embed digital skills and access support in their work supporting women to enter and re-enter the workplace by helping clients with workwear, confidence-building and coaching for job interviews.
  • Highrise Project received funding to support the embedding of digital inclusion into their existing creative skills and mentoring offer for people in Armley, including the purchase of equipment.
  • Meanwood Valley Urban Farm received funding to support them to build digital elements into their HOOF (Help Out On the Farm) group.  The HOOF group is a group of people with learning disabilities who learn new skills, work with animals and improve their health and wellbeing in a variety of settings at the farm.
  • Burmantofts Senior Action received funding to build upon their existing digital inclusion offer and expand outreach within the community by employing an Outreach Worker and establishing a tech-lending library and data-gifting service.

Plans for 2023

Press has begun for this Leeds Digital Ball which will take place on 11th May 2023 at the Royal Armouries. Tickets are now on sale.

100% Digital Leeds is working with Leeds Community Foundation to develop the next round of the grants scheme, with the fund due to be announced in early Summer of this year.

Leeds arts in care homes digital inclusion programme

In September 2022 100% Digital Leeds and the Arts and Culture Digital Inclusion Network curated a week-long programme of free creative workshops aimed at care home residents in celebration of The National Day of Arts in Care Homes, a national event that takes place each year.

The programme aims to:

  • highlight the ways that care settings can utilise digital to engage with the city’s arts sector and increase arts participation for care residents.
  • make new and lasting connections between individual care settings and arts organisations in the city.
  • support the improved digital skills and confidence of staff and residents in care settings.
  • support improved arts participation for care audiences.

14 arts organisations hosted a total of 24 workshops over the course of five days. Over 20 locations providing care engaged with the series, with many attending multiple workshops. Some virtual workshops were attended by as many as 10 different care settings. The programme included interactive workshops on music, dance, embroidery, and more, delivered by organisations such as Opera North, Ascendance, and Hyde Park Picture House, incorporating such activities as movement, games, and reminiscence.

“13 residents took part in the workshop with Opera North and described it as ‘different, fun, and informative’. It was easy to join online and we’d be keen to attend similar workshops in the future.”

Seacroft Grange Village

Utilising digital to support arts and culture participation

Participation in the programme enabled arts organisations to engage with audiences in care settings who would find it difficult to visit arts venues by connecting with audiences virtually.

“It was really lovely to be able to deliver a fun, musical session to people we may not otherwise reach – it gave us the opportunity to showcase our offer and engage those who are not able to come and visit us in person, which is great!”

Leeds Libraries

A study on The Impact of Arts and Cultural Engagement on Population Health published by UCL in March of this year explored whether there are differences in how arts participation affects people who engage with in-person arts activities compared to virtual or online activities, with virtual engagement found to be only marginally less effective.

The programme supported care settings in offering residents a range of sessions on different art forms in a relatively short space of time, allowing residents more freedom of choice. Some care settings engaged with five or more workshops over the course of the programme.

“Our Care Home loved the Zoom session today, and we’re going to try the ballet tomorrow!”

Aireview Care Home

The Baring Foundation published report Every Care Home A Creative Home makes the case for residents in care being able to access creativity and culture whenever they want, with content being relevant and person-centred, linked to individuals’ needs, interests, and preferences. The report points out that, ‘realistically, this means access to digital channels and tools.’

Much of the programme was made up of ongoing activity that is available all year round but is not generally accessed by care residents. Taking part in the programme meant that arts organisations could connect with a wider range of care settings to promote their offer. In some instances, partnerships were formed that are ongoing. It helped arts organisations to appreciate the potential for further engagement with care settings should they continue to develop their virtual and digital offers.

“It was good to be involved in a wider event which enabled us to market our provision. We would like to extend our Zoom provision in the future and this work has given us confidence that there is a demand to keep moving forward with our Digital at Home programme.”

Ascendance

Supporting improved digital inclusion for care residents and staff

“Some attention has been paid to the relative lack of digital technology and connectivity in care homes. There is no question that digital tools will become ever more important in a whole series of ways in care homes, including for arts and creativity.”

Baring Foundation, 2022

With growing technological advancements, it is increasingly important that care settings have the access to equipment and connectivity, and staff have the required digital skills and confidence to engage with the digital world. This programme gave care staff the opportunity to develop their skills and confidence and understand the ease and practicality of using digital tools to bring external activity into care settings, thereby supporting the 100% Digital Leeds priority of developing digital inclusion in care home settings.

Each of the workshops in this programme had a digital element with the majority being delivered virtually over Zoom. Poor digital infrastructure in care settings was a barrier to engagement, with some settings struggling to engage and others being unable to engage at all. Some care settings lacked the equipment to engage with the programme and whilst some were able to invest in equipment such as a tablet or HDMI cable, others were not able to. Poor or no connectivity meant some care settings were unable to engage with the programme or to experience the programme fully.

“There were some connectivity issues at two of the care settings and they had to re-join a couple of times and then keep their cameras off, so it was difficult to tell how the session was being received.”

Leeds Libraries

Staff’s digital skills and confidence was also a barrier to engagement. For some it was the first time they had used Zoom to support residents to participate with external programming. While some care settings found joining a virtual session a straightforward process, some did struggle, and more support to develop staff digital skills and confidence is needed.

The initial technical support required to set up the connection to the Zoom session as a barrier for some care staff”

RJC Dance

More support is also needed to improve staff’s and residents’ confidence in engaging with the features of Zoom, such as the Chat function, to get the most out of the session.

“The difficulty in connecting with people watching is that if they did not respond to the chat then it was hard to gauge which parts they were enjoying.  Our experience of the last few years is that this is very dependent on the ability of the person managing the tech at the home. The care settings who logged on stayed right until the end, so they must have enjoyed watching it!”

LiveMusicNow

A small number of workshops were delivered face-to-face in care settings, incorporating digital tools into the session. These sessions appeared to have the most benefit on the digital inclusion of individual care residents as arts practitioners were able to directly engage with individual residents and take a person-centred approach to introducing digital to them.

“Victor hadn’t previously been interested 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.”

Leeds Libraries, about a resident at Knowle Manor

Plans for 2023

Both care settings and arts organisations are keen for the programme to return this year. The cross-sector steering group has been brought back together to take this forward and launch events are planned for May, coinciding with Creativity and Wellbeing Week, Dementia Action, and Age of Creativity Festival month.

100% Digital Leeds is partnering with Yorkshire Dance and other Arts and Culture Digital Inclusion Network partners to develop an arts and creativity event for Care Homes Activity Coordinators. This will be a practical and engaging face-to-face session highlighting the offers of the city’s arts organisations and will launch the September programme to care staff.

We will also host a webinar aimed at arts organisations interested in contributing to the programme. This will share key information about the offer and process, including highlighting potential funding opportunities for arts organisations.

“Participants described our workshop as “cheering,” “invigorating,” and “a real tonic. Thank you for championing the use of digital with the elders, I hope this can be a regular initiative in the city.”

RJC Dance

For more information or to get involved with our plans for this year’s programme contact us.