Digital Inclusion – Digital Gathering 2023 report
Session summary from day one of our Annual Digital Gathering 2023.
On Wednesday 22 February 2023 the ALLIANCE’s hosted an online session to highlight digital inclusion initiatives across Scotland. Digital inclusion has a direct impact on health inequalities, helping to create a healthier and more connected society. It can enable people to save money, keep in contact with their peers and learn more about their health and long term conditions, whilst also tackling loneliness and isolation. This session was attended by 43 people across health and social care backgrounds.
Presentations
Dr Tara French, Programme Lead on Digital Inclusion for the Digital Health and Care Directorate
Tara presented on the Scottish Government’s Digital Inclusion programme which focuses on mental health and housing.
The programme aims to develop, test and implement a range of digital inclusion models that enable people to access mental health and housing supports (and wider services) and feel empowered, digitally confident and experience improved wellbeing through the wider opportunities and connections to communities that digital inclusion brings.
The programmes outcome and impacts.
- People have greater access to digital solutions that can support them in their health and wellbeing and have increased awareness of available supports.
- Health, social care and housing culture/practice is increasingly digitally connected, strengthened in enabling digital choice and in developing digital inclusive services.
- A shared understanding of digital inclusion across health, social care and housing is created through learning with appropriate, sustainable models and approaches developed.
Nigel Gallear, Digital Inclusion Programme Manager, the Simon Community
Nigel presented on the various digital inclusion initiatives of the Simon Community, a charity that supports people experiencing homelessness.
The Simon Community has a national programme called “Get Digital Scotland” where it supports its own community and orgs across the country in Aberdeen, Perth, Fife, Dundee and Ayr.
Get Connected 500 is under this programme. The project aims to get 500 people getting connected, who are experiencing homeless, to the digital world. Just about there with 500 and now moving into thinking about next phase of work.
Nigel explained they work on removing people from extreme exclusion and crossing the digital divide by providing a bridge. So people can be included in health, in education, in democracy, in public services, financially, socially culturally etc.
The Get Connected Model 1. Device (suitable for the person) 2. Data (unlimited) 3. Support (that is person-centred) & 4. Framework (signposts for the frontline worker and support staff to feel supported).
The Quick Wins Framework helps a person to get the most out of their device. It covers communicating, finding information, money matters, health and wellbeing and entertainment and learning. With funding they have been able to digitise this framework into an app, support staff can use this and can be preloaded onto devices. It includes trusted info (that people they have supported have needed in the past) all in one place.
By My Side app – digital app designed to be a one stop shop for harm reduction resources for people using drugs. About them looking after their physical and mental health.
Maisie Peebles, Discover Digital Development Officer, the Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland
The Digital Health and Social Care programme.
Discover Digital project (raises awareness of digital tools and resources that can support health and wellbeing.) It has funded organisations in 2021/22 and 2022/23 to uncover and tackle barriers to digital inclusion and digital health and social care.
It also launched Discover Digital Roadshow and Workshops aimed at supporting communities and organisations to understand more about digital health and social care.
The Digital Citizen Panel hears the voices of people with lived experience on their needs and preferences on digital servicesacross health, care and housing. Conversation Cafesallowing members to share knowledge and learning.
The Human Rights Principles in Digital Health and Social Care. 1. People at the centre 2. Digital where it is best suited 3. Digital as a choice 4. Digital inclusion not just widening access 5. Access and control of digital data
The ALLIANCE has launched two SSSC Open Badges for the Discover Digital and the Human Rights Principles offering opportunity for people working in social care to receive recognition for further learning.
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