This blog was captured following phone calls and correspondence with Chris Reeve, Administration Assistant and Funding Coordinator, and Jonathan Stephenson, Manager at Yatton House Society, and from feedback questionnaires completed by members.

Yatton House Society are based in North Yorkshire and currently have seven members of staff and two volunteers who support 18 people with a learning disability . The group joined the Let's Get Digital project in January 2021 and received a total of 15 Lenovo tablets through the Good Things Foundation, and a laptop and a digital camera through the additional digital equipment grant.

In October 2020 (when the group first expressed an interest in Let's Get Digital) they felt that historically their digital offer hadn't been much of a priority and admitted they didn't feel they had been using digital technology to their best advantage.

During the pandemic the group realised that only three or four of their members were digitally active which resulted in the need to bring the digital inclusion offer to the Trustee's attention.

Prior to receiving the tablets and connectivity through Let's Get Digital Yatton House were limited to how many of their members they could work with digitally. They only held a couple of iPads to lend people, and many of their members didn't have WIFI at home with others having carers who weren't confident about supporting digital activities.

Woman sitting at desk turning her head to the camera with one of the new laptops on the desk just behind her. Kate at Yatton House enjoying using a new laptop

Getting members connected and able to access online activities became a high priority. Staff were already sending out activity packs to members and, with the arrival of the tablets and connectivity, they were able to run sessions on Zoom so people could interact, socialise and enjoy the activities together.

Chris told us "Over the last year or so there were times when our service had to close completely, when we became more of an outreach service. The tablets and using Zoom were a lifeline. We used it for online games and quizzes and to keep everyone in touch with their friends."

Horticulture is a huge part of life at Yatton House and something the members particularly enjoy. Once members began to access sessions online the staff 'upgraded' the activity packs which they were sending out to make them more interactive and include growing kits which included herbs and seeds. The members were then able to plant them together over Zoom and share how well they were growing.

As time went on members began to use their tablets for other activities such as sending and receiving emails. "We have also used them a lot as part of our blended learning outreach program, a new initiative we introduced for 2021" says Chris, "Members use their tablets to look up information across our various projects" This information included the Mencap funded "Healthier Me" programme where participants were able to start independently looking up things such as ingredients and the sugar content of products.

Yatton House grow and sell plants and members are now able to look up and check the information they put onto the labels of the plants they grow, along with finding advice about when and where to grow certain plants.

Members use their tablets to look up information across our various projects."

Chris - Administration Assistant and Funding Coordinator at Yatton House Society

As COVID restrictions began to lift, staff at Yatton House found that members were really enjoying using their tablets as easily accessible cameras and many were able to use them to take photographs of their negative lateral flow tests to send ahead when joining any in-person activities.

By the Summer, Yatton House Society were running a competition encouraging people to take photographs whilst they were out and about. The winners are featured in the Yatton House 2022 Calendar.

In September, the group put in a successful bid to receive more Let's Get Digital funding to develop their digital inclusion project even further. They received funding which enabled them to purchase two more laptops, two wall mounted monitors and a digital display board.

Jonathan Stephenson, Manager at Yatton House, explained their plans;

"This will be a platform to involve our membership in the digital marketing and communication of Yatton House Society.

Our members will have the opportunity to share their experiences through different media including photographs, blogs, videos, and audio as a means of raising the profile of people with a learning disability, advocating on subjects of their choice.

They will play a key role in generating digital content which highlights their experiences as individuals whilst also helping to promote and raise the profile of Yatton House Society.

Our members will learn about digital content creation, editing of photographs and video and the use of simple tools included within Windows software to produce digital artwork.

It will allow our members to work in small groups benefitting from the use of large screen displays to aid content creation which will be used on our social media platforms, website , digital advertising display and newsletters."

As of December 2021, Yatton House were supporting 10 members who are now happily and regularly engaging with digital technology in their everyday lives, and everyone are gaining in confidence day by day.

Carol sitting at a desk holding a tablet and smiling to the camera Carol at Yatton House using one of the new tablets
Carol's story

Carol was really pleased when she received her tablet, and told us "I had the manager show me how to use it!" She explained that her life is different now because she can use the internet and look things up. Her favourite things on her tablet are using Google, playing card games and listening to music.

Carol says she would encourage others with a learning disability to try and learn digital skills because "it gives you access to other things", and her next goal is to learn how to shop safely online for things like clothes and shoes.

Furthermore, when the local Bilsdale transmitter caught fire in August, Carol was one of the many people in North Yorkshire left without a TV signal. She hadn't previously used her tablet to watch TV, but with support from the staff at Yatton House she found she was able to install apps on her tablet including BBC iPlayer and ITV Hub which made a huge difference to her, allowing her to access and continue to enjoy her favourite TV programs whilst she waited for the transmitter to be repaired.

What is the Mencap Network?

In addition to Mencap, there are over 340 organisations working with us in communities across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, to respond to the local needs of people with a learning disability and their families. 

Many of these Network Partners share our name as a local Mencap group and also may share our Mencap brand. All Network Partners share values while operating as independent charities with their own governance and strategy .

A diverse network of like-minded groups and organisations - both national and local - from large-scale service providers, to small social groups who organise sport activities over the weekends.

All share the same aim - to improve the lives of people with a learning disability and to increase the opportunities available to them in their local areas.

Visit our dedicated webpage to find out how to become a Network Partner.

Follow us on Facebook to read more #StoriesFromTheNetwork 

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