#StoriesFromTheNetwork - Leighton Buzzard Mencap

This story from the Network was captured in a video call and through correspondence with Carol Harris, a Trustee, at Leighton Buzzard Mencap an entirely volunteer led organisation supporting between 70-100 people with a learning disability .

In this blog, Carol shares group member; Shelley's views about the new technology which was brought into Leighton Buzzard Mencap after she sent an expression of interest to us regarding funding for our digital inclusion project called 'Let's Get Digital'.

Background

Leighton Buzzard Mencap joined Let's Get Digital in March 2021 and received 20 Lenovo tablets and connectivity through the Good Things Foundation.

When she first expressed interest in the project, Carol told us "COVID has definitely made the need for technology much more important. As the organisation is mainly led by volunteers it hasn't been a priority until now." She also explained that lack of equipment and devices was the main issue for them during the first lockdowns; "Most service users don't have tablets, laptops, smart phones etc. Those that do often have to share them and can only use them for a limited amount of time."

Prior to joining Let's Get Digital they had invested in two laptops which went to the supported houses where many of their members live so that people could be supported to access the online sessions they were running.

When they joined Let's Get Digital, Leighton Buzzard Mencap had around 16 people participating in these sessions and the need for more devices for individuals was becoming more and more apparent. Carol also admitted that as they are volunteer-based they were using their own personal devices and phones constantly, which was far from ideal, and explained that being able to purchase equipment for the group from the seed funding would be hugely beneficial.

In September Carol explained that as they don't have any premises delivery up until this point of the project didn't feel as though it had achieved as much as she would have liked. Although they had managed to distribute all of the tablets to individuals, the reliance on volunteers meeting up with them (often in socially distanced and in outdoor locations for COVID safety purposes) to help support them to use their tablets independently, was proving to be a more difficult process than they could have anticipated.

"Slowly members are gaining confidence in using them" Carol explained, "but most of our members are people who have never engaged digitally before at all really, so this has all been very new to them"

"COVID has definitely made the need for technology much more important. As the organisation is mainly led by volunteers it hasn't been a priority until now."

In October Carol successfully bid for more funding from Let's Get Digital to develop Leighton Buzzard's digital inclusion project further. She wanted to create a short term paid "Digital Outreach Officer" role to do some intensive digital training with members.

As she said in her bid; "This funding would enable us to really embed and develop our digital skills. We have secured funding for a room hire and we have volunteers, but we need a dedicated designated person to lead this learning between now and the end of March."

Through feedback from service users Carol had already identified the need for a designated person to support them to develop their digital skills further. The ability to provide paired and group learning in a safe and secure environment with a trusted and familiar volunteer taking on this role would also bring a layer of socialising and peer support to the project which had largely so far been done one-to-one.

Making a difference

Talking about the impact of the project so far, Carol told us about one man who loves going to the Costa coffee shop. When he first got his tablet his favourite thing to do was to take it to Costa with him and take it out of his bag and simply put it on the table.

At first, he wouldn't use the tablet, but said having it with him where people could see it made him "feel like everyone else."

He is a regular customer in this coffee shop and people know him. When a few people commented on it he said he felt "really proud" to tell them it was his new tablet. He is gradually beginning to develop confidence in using it more independently.

Another lady was so surprised that the tablet was hers to keep that to begin with she wouldn't take it out of the house as she didn't want anything to happen to it. The volunteers at Leighton Buzzard worked to support her in incremental steps (such as having it in her bag with her but not taking it out of the bag) so that she will, hopefully, eventually feel confident enough to use it independently when she is out and about. The team don't want to rush this however, and they recognise that this may be something she is never comfortable doing and she may use it solely in her own home to stay connected and online. "The tablet just means so much to her and she wants to take good care of it"

Carol told us "This is another reason why we need a short-term digital outreach worker - this lady will need regular one to one support in her home if she is to continue to make digital progress."

The final example Carol gave of how the tablets have had a positive impact on the lives of individuals (and those around them) was of a lady who lives with her parents and loves watching CBeebies.

During lockdown often all she wanted to do to stay relaxed and occupied was watch CBeebies and as the family only have one shared television in the living room this was far from ideal and was causing quite a lot of tension and upset at an already challenging and difficult time.

When the lady got her tablet and found she could watch CBeebies on it "it changed everything" According to Carol, "her parents can have time alone watching television in their living room and she has her own independent device on which to view her favourite shows!"

Over the last few months alone Carol has seen the project develop even further; "A number of our volunteers, and many service users, were reluctant to start any face-to­ face work, and some still are.

We now run a weekly private Facebook room which is popular, we hear stories all the time of someone for example booking swimming online, cinema, dance class, yoga, shopping. One small example is one service user enjoys bottled water and diet fizzy drinks. She was unable to carry her shopping so used a taxi but now she orders the drinks online for delivery and walks both ways for the rest of her shopping. The delivery cost is more than offset by the savings in taxis and she gets more exercise!"

Carol has really come to appreciate over the last few months that digital inclusion truly is a journey; "We are finding we need to repeat the learning and consolidate each stage.

Just turning the device on for some is a big achievement. We couldn't have done any of this without this funding. We feel it is starting to change the perception of people with a learning disability. If you give the opportunity without pressure of time the outcomes are amazing. This is a brilliant project and whenever I've needed support or questions the response from the Let's Get Digital team has been excellent."

Shelley using the new technology