Digital Flintshire Hub

Status: Ongoing

Flintshire Wales

Print this page City population: 15500021.4% over 60Practice started in 2021

Summary

Digital Flintshire Hub is an online resource aimed at supporting individuals to improve their digital skills, or to provide information about services and support available to those who are helping friends, family, others in the community to get online.

In Wales 7% of adults are not online and only 41% of people aged 75 years and older have basic digital skills. As more information and vital public services are moving online, these people are being left behind. The COVID-19 pandemic clearly demonstrated that people who are online fared better than those who are not, benefitting from virtual meetings with friends and family, online shopping for food and essential supplies and access to essential services.

The Digital Flintshire Hub was developed in partnership, working with service providers to ensure the broad range of services available across the county were included, identifying gaps in provision, agreeing the structure and language for ease of use and seeking feedback and potential improvements from older people.

Whilst it may seem counter-intuitive to provide a resource to increase people’s digital skills on an on-line platform, the intention is that the resource will most likely be used by service providers, carers, and family members who themselves are digitally included, but are unaware of the resources available to help them support others to get online.

Digital Flintshire Hub provides information and resources in the following areas:
• Getting online and digital support
• Staying safe online
• Free digital learning, help and advice
The page launched strongly with 2000 page views across the Hub during its first month. It continues to draw in visitors steadily although we are unable to determine how many go on to access the services and support provided.

Website: https://www.flintshire.gov.uk/en/Resident/Digital-Flintshire/Home.aspx

Key facts

Main target group: Older people in general

Sector(s): Education, Information and communication, Other

Other sector(s): Wellbeing

Desired outcome for older people:
Learn, grow and make decisions

Other issues the Age-friendly practice aims to address:

Inequities
Inclusion
Participation
Technologies

Contact details

Name: Helen Jones

Email address: helen.jones@flintshire.gov.uk

Age-friendly practice in detail (click to expand):

Engaging the wider community

Project lead: Local authorities

How collaboration worked: Internal and external partners (including Adult Social Services, Citizens Advice, Aura Libraries and Leisure) were involved in the Digital Hub development meetings, contributing to the content and ensuring that the full range of available services were included.

Older people’s involvement: Older people were consulted during the planning process

Details on older people’s involvement: The Digital Flintshire Hub was developed during the COVID-19 pandemic when face to face meetings were not permitted. Early draft versions of the Hub were shared at a virtual meeting of the 50+ Action Group Flintshire (Over 50’s Forum). Their feedback and comments were incorporated within the live version of the Hub.

Moving forward

Has the impact of this age-friendly practice been analysed: No

Do you plan to evaluate your age-friendly practice? No

Feedback:
There have been 10,500 unique visitors to the Digital Flintshire Hub since inception in June 2021. Feedback from older people who have participated in digital training and benefited from device loans has been extremely positive. “The digital tablet loan provided a lifeline to my elderly parents during lockdown, enabling mum and dad to “see” their grandchildren, and I was even able to support them to do their Christmas shopping online”. (A daughter whose older parents had received a digital tablet device loan)

Expansion plans:
The Digital Flintshire Hub is reviewed every 3 months, adding new services, and amending existing/removing obsolete services as appropriate.

Looking back

Challenges:
Informing people about the Digital Flintshire Hub and the range of services available to help people get online or improve their digital skills: The range of services and support are promoted through Flintshire’s Older People’s network. This includes a regular Age-Friendly e-bulletin, articles in the Flintshire 50+ Action Group’s Quarterly Newsletter (distributed electronically and 2000 paper copies across the County), and through visits to older people’s groups across Flintshire by the Ageing Well Engagement Officer.