The document discusses digital inclusion strategies for social housing providers. It describes a past initiative called the Digital Deal that engaged over 64,000 tenants across the UK. Key lessons learned included the need to integrate digital inclusion across initiatives, form partnerships, and gain staff buy-in. The document then discusses the digital inclusion strategy of Peaks and Plains Housing Trust, including providing access to technology and training, and challenges around connectivity and changing perceptions. Attendees were split into groups to develop pitches on supporting digital inclusion initiatives for housing providers.

1. Digital Solutions for Social
Housing
Anna Geraghty – Tinder Foundation
Helen Davies - Peaks and Plains Housing
Trust
#Digievol14

2. During this session we’ll…..
• Learn about some best practice in digital inclusion in
social housing
• Learn about some of the challenges facing the sector
• Put some practical solutions together to address these
challenges

3. The Digital Deal – What we know

4. What was the Digital Deal?
• 12 projects across the UK
• Tested a wide variety of approaches
• Ran from September 2013 – May 2014
• 64,000 tenants engaged
• 5,500 took part in learning
• 2,000 transacted online for the first time

5. What did we learn?
• Digital inclusion needs to be integrated
• Inclusion cuts across digital, social and financial
• Referral processes need to be put in place
• Partnerships are important

6. Challenges
• Many tenants are online but don’t use digital channels
• Infrastructure and connectivity can be problematic
• Things can take longer to organise than anticipated
• Need to see projects as a change programme rather
than a technology project
• Staff buy in, particularly front-line, is vital.

7. Peaks & Plains Housing Trust
- getting our customers online
Helen Davies – Digital Inclusion Officer
7

8. What is our Digital Inclusion strategy?
• Making sure the web is truly for everyone:
– Access to broadband services
– Finding the right, affordable computer equipment
– Gaining the skills, motivation and trust to go
online, be digitally capable and to make the most
of the internet
– Provide accessible, useful online services
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9. DI rationale for Social Housing providers
• Welfare reforms – Universal credit applications will all be done
online by 2017 (risk to rent income)
• ‘Digital by default’ government services
• Job searches and employment applications
• Saving money
• Children’s educational performance
• Ease of communication
• Keeping in touch with family and friends
• Staying healthy and independent
9

10. Improving our customer’s lives
10
Asda got almost
16,000 Facebook
likes for our story
about Angela’s
new online
shopping skills

11. Training our Digital Champions
11

12. Organising an online health event
12

13. Delivering training in partnership with local
organisations
13

14. Learnings:
• Don’t expect learners to flock to you, you have to go to them
and make it relevant
• Don’t expect passers by to stop and register
• Customers will say ‘I’m too old’
• Poor wi-fi availability in rural areas
• Affordability for equipment and connection
• Limited awareness of Universal Credit
• Home phone line vs. mobile broadband access
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15. Questions?
15

16. Time for the practical challenge!

17. Split into groups – go to the left if you
work for a housing provider, or right if
you’re hoping to work with social housing
providers

18. You have 15 minutes!
Group 1 – Put together a pitch to your Senior Management
Team of why your organisation should support digital inclusion
Group 2 – Put together a pitch for your local social housing
provider of how you can support them with their digital
inclusion activity
You will have two minutes to
present

19. Two minute pitches!

20. Thank you!
#Digievol14