Supporting digital engagement - An intervention with Sheffield Homes

This knowledge exchange project is a collaborative intervention in the area of digital inclusion. The project will support Sheffield City Council and Sheffield Homes in addressing a pressing policy need to increase digital engagement among social housing tenants.
Providers of social and community services currently face major constraints. Digital technology solutions, such as online payments, have been proposed as routes to major cost savings. Users of social and community services include the bulk of citizens who are currently digitally excluded. 
Moving services online may further disadvantage these groups.
 Lack of uptake of digital services by these communities may limit the benefits of digital services.
This project will apply knowledge gained from previously funded RC and community projects. The SHU team has a strong knowledge base in the issues of digital exclusion, digital engagement and community collaboration. The collaboration will focus on case studies in target social housing areas with the following stages:


a survey and review of the current levels of digital exclusion;
analysis of the data to determine which available strategies might have greatest impact; implementation of one or more interventions;
action research based review of the interventions;
report to partners on the effectiveness of interventions and community impacts.