Digital Inclusion Scheme: A Retrospective

Loaning Tech to Tenants

In 2020, FCHA was given the chance to collaborate with Digital Communities Wales and provide tablets on loan to tenants in supported housing.

The project initially involved 4 tablets being given to tenants who felt isolated during the COVID-19 pandemic to help them connect with friends and family online. FCHA also organised weekly quiz sessions and Zoom parties for all tenants, including those who received the technology in the beginning.

Digital Inclusion Scheme

Building on the success of its loan scheme, Digital Communities Wales, with funding from The Senedd, saw the potential to provide additional devices to FCHA tenants. This time, the devices were given as gifts instead of loans, offering tenants more freedom to use the technology as they saw fit.

207 laptops, ipads and mobile devices were provided to tenants with a learning or physical disability who were identified as needing more support with digital inclusion. All were provided with how-to-use guides and were offered support by Digital Communities Wales through their tech support team who could help tenants navigate through any issues they had with the tech. Over 20% of FCHA tenants benefitted from the Digital Inclusion scheme and, from this, FCHA and Digital Communities Wales have been investigating the positive wellbeing outcomes of the initiative.

Feedback: Phase 1

Conducted in 2021, phase one of feedback from Tenantsshowed that more tenants were now engaging online with communities such as GP and local activities, families and FCHA. Over 75% of those who responded mentioned that they wanted the tech to keep in touch. You can see all of the results below:

The participation in the Digital Inclusion project was high and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. You can access a YouTube video featuring interviews with tenants:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdxDmdkh8mA

As well as our own Digital Inclusion Scheme video, ITV interviewed one of the tenants about their experience within the scheme:

https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2022-01-28/how-digital-inclusion-helps-improve-well-being

Feedback: Phase 2

In 2022, a second round of feedback was collected from Tenants. The level of engagement between tenants and their technology had been less than the previous year. A reduction in the impact of the pandemic on communities across Wales meant that tenants who were using their digital tech to talk to their families and friends were able to go out and meet them in real life. Those who were still using their tech however, had learned new skills and engaged in activities that would not have been possible without access to online tools, education platforms and their own email.

7 Days of Digital

Those who provided feedback in the second round shared more in-depth information about the specific activities they engaged in. This encouraged First Choice to start small scale impact assessments on some properties that have been most active in their use of technology.

The 7 Days of Digital saw tenants write diaries about how they use their devices over a 7 day period and how it affected their day to day life. These quotes below show the positive impact of providing people with the tools and knowledge to utilise technology in a digital environment:

We would like to thank Mirus, the support provider for the tenants at a Swansea property, for assisting them with their 7 Days of Digital diaries.

The future of Digital Inclusion

The 7 Days of Digital project is still underway, with Drive supporting 12 tenants at First Choice properties. We're eagerly anticipating the results of this project, as we did with the Swansea participants a few months ago.

The results from the 7 Days of Digital survey will assist us and Digital Communities Wales in determining which technology works best for our tenants. It will enable us to provide customised equipment and support to meet each tenant's unique technology needs.

If you are a tenant or a support provider who has been utilising technology, please reach out to David Bingham at our housing office for a 7 Days of Digital survey to share your experience. You can email him at davidbingham@fcha.org.uk

Looking further into 2023, FCHA is going to be conducting more interviews and more 7 Days of Digital surveys to improve and tailor future digital inclusion experiences for tenants.

With the assistance of Digital Communities Wales, First Choice are also conducting a number of Digital Heroes short courses. A couple of tenant communities were identified as having not used their technology as much as they would like. Because of this, Digital Communities Wales are offering bespoke Digital Heroes training based on specific tenant needs in those communities. This will include things like: how to connect to the internet independently, creating an email address and accessing local online services such as a GP appointment.

To support tenants with a physical disability to develop their digital skills, First Choice has become a referral partner for Clicksilver Connections. Clicksilver Connections is a digital mentoring programme for people who need a hand with technology and are maybe feeling isolated from connecting with others online. If someone wants to learn a digital skill, they will be paired with a mentor who will support them over the phone for 4 weeks and build up their confidence. If you are interested in learning more about ClickSilver Connections, please contact our Health and Wellbeing Coordinator, Eve. Her email address is eveexley@fcha.org.uk

We cannot wait to share more of our progress with everybody interested. If you have an experience with digital tech that you would like to share, or are interested in learning more about the Digital Inclusion strategy, please feel free to contact us.

Keep Wales Tidy: A Retrospective

First Choice Tenants have continued to tell us how important outside space and access to nature is for their wellbeing, and we have continued to listen!

Start of Cardiff Property 2021

Since November 2021, we have completed 13 garden projects worth over £65k through our partnership with Keep Wales Tidy. This is something we are still looking to continue.

Matthew and Chloe

Outside space is so important to our tenants, particularly during the pandemic for fresh air and wellbeing, and Keep Wales Tidy have helped us to enhance this private garden. We had a great afternoon planting fruit trees, a small vegetable garden, and wildflowers across the property; come summer and years to come it will be colourful and full of fruit. A big thank you to Keep Wales Tidy for their support and guidance (who knew there was that much to planting trees) on this project. - Matthew, FCHA Board (Vice Chair)

Keep Wales Tidy runs the 'Local Places for Nature' initiative which offers a range of free garden packages. The intention is to reverse nature's decline and boost wellbeing throughout communities in Wales.

At the beginning, we were supplied with smaller garden packages which included fruit trees, fruit bushes, wildflowers, bulbs, habitat boxes and tools to maintain the garden. You can read about our first projects with Keep Wales Tidy here: https://www.fcha.org.uk/post/fcha-keep-wales-tidy

Since then, some projects have grown to include raised beds, ponds, greenhouses, tool sheds, compost bins and seating areas. All of these were developed with the help of FCHA staff, volunteers from FCHA partners, Support Provider staff and the Tenants themselves getting involved wherever possible.

These garden projects are tailored around the Tenants interests and needs. Feedback has shown that the garden projects have improved wellbeing and the biodiversity of the outside space, enabling better access to nature from the doorstep for Tenants and their support networks.

6 reasons to visit a National Trust site this year

We have been awarded a special pass from the National Trust that will allow First Choice Tenants to visit any National Trust site in Wales free of charge. You don’t even need to pay for your parking! This pass allows groups of up to 50 people to attend any National Trust site.

Here are 6 reasons why First Choice Tenants should visit a National Trust site before the offer expires in November.

First Choice have the pass available for all tenants across Wales, Shropshire and Telford, so please contact if you are interested!

Email: customerserivces@fcha.org.uk

Phone: 029 2070 3758

1. To help with your exercise or wellbeing goals.

Whether you want to get out in the fresh air more or to see how far you can push yourself on a walk, the National Trust sites are the perfect place to do that!

Walking keeps our bodies and minds healthy, giving us a breather from the stresses of daily life and the space to gather our thoughts. Exploring open countryside also brings us closer to nature, giving us time to notice what being outdoors has to offer. You can read more about the health and wellbeing benefits here.

2. Creating or joining a group for Photography or Wildlife Spotting

If you enjoy taking photographs or love to spot wildlife, the National Trust sites are definitely some of the best places to put your hobby into practice.

The scenic routes throughout Wales might inspire you to get your cameras out and take photographs. Maybe of the sun breaking through the trees, or taking a selfie in front of the rolling Welsh hills.

We know there were many Tenants who took part in the Big Garden Birdwatch event in 2021. Tenants made a note of all of the birds they spotted nibbling at their bird feeders in the Autumn. Now is the perfect opportunity to take those new bird spotting skills out into the countryside!

3. To meet friends and family outdoors.

Up to 50 people are allowed to attend the National Trust sites so why not take your family and friends? There are some lovely places for a cup of tea or a picnic.

This is a fantastic opportunity for your loved ones too! COVID-19 has stopped us all from doing the things we enjoy and seeing the people we care about. Using the National Trust pass is a good way of bringing people together.

4. To learn about the history of the site.

Some of the National Trust sites are home to some of the most beautiful buildings in the UK. There are many opportunities for you to take a guided tour to learn more about the history of the place.

Each tour doesn't take long and will help you understand what these buildings were used for many years ago. You can also walk through the gardens and beside the rivers.

5. To join in with some volunteering.

Help look after a community garden, allotment and orchard by joining the Friends of Felin volunteering group. Sessions run every second Saturday of the month and welcomes anyone from aged 14 and above. Join one of National Trusts' clean ups and help give the estate a good tidy up by collecting rubbish and checking for any damage to the signs and gates. If you’ve joined one of their active groups, take things one step further and help out on sports volunteering days, where you can help to restore the pathways to ensure they are fit or many more trainers to walk, run and jog along in the future. If you’re looking for a great way to spend your time, there are a range of regular volunteering opportunities, from welcoming visitors in the house to outdoor conservation in the garden and on the estate.

6. Because more and more sites are accessible!

Although some of the walks may be more difficult if you have issues with your mobility, a lot of parks are improving their accessibility. This means that Tenants with wheelchair requirements and other needs will have access to a number of these beautiful sites. Why not use the pass to experience what’s on offer?

If you search on the internet for a National Trust property or site, you will find their ‘Access Statement’ on their website. These Access Statements help people to understand the facilities available and help people to make their own decisions about visiting. The National Trust is developing their accessibility and making improvements. This means that more people with a disability should be able to enjoy the sites and have a more positive experience.

If you feel like some exercise, you can find a full list of the National Trust accessible walks here: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/our-top-accessible-walks

So which of the 6 reasons are you most interested in? Let us know!

Email: customerserivces@fcha.org.uk

Phone: 029 2070 3758