Partner profile: People Matters

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.

People Matters continue to work closely with 100% Digital Leeds and regularly attend Autism and Learning Disability Digital Inclusion Network meetings where opportunities, funding and good practice related to digital inclusion are shared on a monthly basis.

“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.”

Elissa Matley, CEO, People Matters.

If you are interested in hearing more about the Autism and Learning Disabilities Digital Inclusion Network or would like to join a meeting, please contact nicky@pyramid.org.uk