This document discusses channel shift, or moving public services online, and the need for local community infrastructure to support users. It notes that while internet use is widespread, only around half of users have interacted with government services online. Providing assistance through local organizations like libraries and post offices can improve users' experiences and drive more channel shift. The document outlines a trial project in Sheffield to develop a sustainable local support system and identify barriers. It advocates a tiered approach with different levels of support for simple versus complex online transactions. Partnerships and addressing wider community needs beyond government services are also emphasized.

1. Anne Faulkner
Director of Strategy
Online Centres Foundation

2. Section Divider: Heading intro here.
Assisted Digital: Local
community infrastructure to
support channel shift
Anne Faulkner
Director of Strategy, OCF

3. Channel shift: are we nearly there yet?
Tipping point: 42m UK adults have used internet
Take up of online public services affected by
› Quality, ease of use and accessibility
› Issues around privacy/personal data/bank
accounts, trust
› Awareness, habit/preference
› Digital confidence and digital exclusion

4. Only 54% of UK adults have ever used an
online government service
Internet users are more likely to have
interaction with government or their local
council offline (71%) than online (65%).
Around half of internet users have some
concerns about providing personal
information online
Source: Ofcom UK Adults’ Media Literacy Report, 2011

5. Digital exclusion should not be a
reason to delay online channel shift

6. Vision

7. Imperatives for action on community
infrastructure
› Local community support improves experience of
interacting with public services
› Social justice
› Economic benefits
› Improved services and outcomes
› Enables some services to go 100% online
"It used to cost government over £10 to process a
driving license application or a self-assessment tax
form. Online, the cost is less than £2."
George Osborne 16.05.2011

8. Principles
• Designed around needs of people, not
those of government
• Bottom-up, locally developed
• Partnership approach, at both local and
national levels
• Low-cost

9. What can we build on?
› Post Offices
› UK online centres
› Public libraries
› Other organisations supporting digital
inclusion in communities (eg Age UK, Citizens
Online, Digital Unite)
› Citizens Advice Bureaux
› Local Authority One Stop Shops

10. Sheffield Channel Shift Action Research
Project
A scalable, robust, sustainable, measurable community-
based infrastructure to support and drive channel shift
Target audience: potential users of online services in Sheffield
City Council ward areas (urban and rural)
•Develop partnership referral mechanisms, and understand how to make them
work smoothly
•Drive channel shift where appropriate online transactional services are
identified
•Identify/create the resources required
•Identify the barriers and blocks
•Identify the potential scale of impact

11. Tiered levels of support vs service…
Tier 1: Tier 2:
Tier of support / Tier 3:
Supported self-service Mediated
Type of service Provided
Type 1:
Informational
Referral
Type 2:
Simple
system
Transactional required
Type 3:
Complex
Transactional

12. Lessons for Channel Shift models
• Community support to use online public services is
paramount (not one model)
• Tiered offer works best
• Co-location works
• Triage creates efficiency – learn lessons from private
sector
• Using a government service not same as using
internet confidently – need long term support as well
as quick fix
• Collaboration/partnership at local/strategic levels vital
• Consider wider benefits outside government (e.g.
social housing)

13. Further information
Anne Faulkner
anne.faulkner@ukonlinecentres.com