Digital Solutions for Social Housing Anna Geraghty – Tinder FoundationHelen Davies - Peaks and Plains Housing Trust#Digievol14

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

The Digital Deal – What we know

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

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

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.

Peaks & Plains Housing Trust- getting our customers online

Helen Davies – Digital Inclusion Officer

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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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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

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Improving our customer’s lives

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Asda got almost 16,000 Facebook likes for our story about Angela’s new online shopping skills

Training our Digital Champions

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Organising an online health event

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Delivering training in partnership with local organisations

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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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Questions?

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Time for the practical challenge!

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

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 have 15 minutes!

You will have two minutes to present

Two minute pitches!

Thank you!#Digievol14