Digital Communities Wales – Digital Confidence, Health and Well-being

Digital Communities Wales: Digital Confidence, Health and Well-being exists to reduce digital exclusion in Wales. They want a Wales where everyone has the skills, access and motivation to be a confident user of digital technology. They aim to ensure that everyone in Wales is able to access technology in a way that improves their lives. They are running multiple innovative projects aimed at widening access to technologies for social good.
Their delivery focuses on reaching anyone who is not online. They work with organisations that directly support them, such as Third and Public Sector bodies and large Private Sector organisations, including health and social care providers.
Examples include a partnership between a care home and local schools, in which residents have been introduced to technologies such as YouTube and virtual reality.
Their role supporting health and care providers is especially important. They are working with all 7 Health Boards to:
Support clinical staff and other health professionals to develop their digital skills so that staff can act as digital champions and recommend digital skills to their patients.
Link health, care and social service organisations with a range of community partners to improve availability of digital inclusion support.
Provide resources and training to establish a network of Digital Champions amongst health and social care staff.
Build a Digital Health Information Network of community providers who can offer face-to-face support to help people improve their skills.
In response to Covid-19 they have rolled out digital devices to care homes to help older people stay connected.

Context: 10% of people in Wales today are not online. As more and more vital public services are being delivered online, these people are at danger of being left behind. Organisations which work with the public, particularly in the health and care sector, need to think about how to increase digital inclusion so that everyone in Wales can benefit.

Stakeholders involved: Wales Cooperative Centre
Good Things Foundation
Swansea University
Health, care and social service organisations

Key learning points: NEI.

Evaluation: No

Information sources: https://www.digitalcommunities.gov.wales/case-studies/
https://www.digitalcommunities.gov.wales/blog/2020/06/16/care-homes-roll-out/
https://www.digitalcommunities.gov.wales/blog/2020/04/13/key-care-providers-given-digital-devices/

Read the full analysis: https://www.digitalcommunities.gov.wales/digital-communities-wales/