Advice Dorset Partnership:

Accessibility Conference – 8 February 2018

Summary of notes and group work

Table talk: problems and solutions

Problems / Solutions
DIGITAL /
  • Knowledge and skills
  • Cost and availability
  • Behaviour
/ more rural wifi cafes and coffee mornings, access at pubs
more use of support via GP surgeries
money from the private sector
Accessibility Champions
more digital solutions = less travel issues
TRANSPORT / lack of knowledge of services
signposting and raising awareness
infrastructure / community services info
use GPs!
share travel
share services formultiple uses
get supermarkets to provide buses
BAME /
  • trust
  • language
  • culture
  • isolation
  • lack of infrastructure
  • people not involved in planning events that might be about them!
/ One-stop-shop
support at GPs
raise cultural awareness
consistency of services
Don’t assume understanding of systems
Include BAME people in planning events
Champions
There are already liaison groups eg Gypsy, Traveller, Roma
OTHER / Look at the other models that work eg social prescribing
Good signposting

SPEAKERS: slide presentations are available on:

Matthew Piles: Director Environment and Economy, Dorset County Council

DCC spends £240m per year on transport. Integration is key – eg use of DCC’s fleet (90+ vehicles).

Community Transport: How do people know what is available? More info on schemes:

Toolkit – available in pdf full and basic text versions: version:

Grants are available for communityprojects:

Local example: BUS2GO

Focus Groups

Digital

  • Digital is not for everyone
  • People resent having to do thingsdigitally
  • Digital divide is growing eg. between generations
  • Isolation and bullyingif you are not dig-savvy and (seen as) ‘different’
  • Digital is needed within organisations – culture change to encourage ongoing training
  • Need to keep considering non-digital waysof communicating
  • On-line forms must bereviewed and improved from feedback
  • Have to separate digital barriers form other barriers
  • On-line banking is much safer
  • Voluntary sector can fill the gap – or can it?!

KEY POINTS:

Recognise the importance of ‘assisted digital’ – and publicise availability

Training: increase skills and knowledge

Accessing Services: the minority ethnic perspective / interpretation services

If a voluntary sector organisation has a case with a statutory organisation the stat. org. needs to provide interpreter services

If they don’t it is a discrimination case – contact DREC

Most leaflets have gone on-line – but need a variety of tools: on-line leaflets, 1-2-1 discussions

Somepeople cope with an App that reads and writes for them

Produce videosto show services

Easy-read versions to present services

Servicesneed to be flexible in their approach

KEY POINTS

Need a variety of communication tools

Flexibility

Take time

Utilise community leaders

Discrimination: use DREC and Cit Advice services

Transport (detailed flips will be available in due course)

KEY POINTS

Combination of factors including

Cost

Communication of what’s available – need lots of ways

Collaboration – including with the private sector

ACTIONS for the Advice Dorset Partnership to take forward

  • Improving communication and availability of information on services, transport schemes etc, and sharing best practice across the advice sector.
  • Improving links with GP practices.
  • What can we get from the private sector – money, help in kind etc?
  • Combining our evidence from service users of the issues and barriers they face and how these can be mitigated.

Improving Digital Access: Citizens Advice report

Read the full report produced by the Dorset Citizens Advice offices here:

Feedback and comments

Overall, delegates rated their conference satisfaction at 8.52 out of 10. People asked to see copies of slides and flips from the focus groups etc. Other comments:

Is there any action you will take as a result of todays event?
Yes, connect with Bus2Go. Signpost its services
More networking and more services to connect with
Link with integrated transport
Hope to improve working with other organisations
CAB digital inclusion research - very usefulfor our accessibility improvements
Numerous actions
Use similar snapshot model for whole organisation meeting e.g. speakers from CAB to CST staff etc.
Yes, connect with Bus2Go. Signpost its services
Disability groups
Helpful to reflect upon the way forward for our organisation in terms of digital
Publicise transport options and help with costs
New ways to connect/reach BME's
Linking more with other organisations, promoting more other services
Look at referring to Bournemouth interpreters Group
Yes - Wyvern. Find out more
Email contacts with transport team and Penny at Digital DCC for digital champions
Developing links with other organisations. Using learning to help inform action plan for future public engagement work - ensuring equality of access
Review whether our information explains non-digital methods to access services (e.g. 30 hours free childcare application)
Share learning with colleagues. Make direct contact with a couple of people met today to discuss further collaboration opportunities
Several: Referral forms to delegates for connecting people. Weymouth project. Need to consider how to get more info to CAB re:computer support. Working with CAB on UC project, especially in Dorchester library.
Anything you would like to see or repeat at future events ?
Cyber crime - longer session
Would have liked more detail on BME inclusion
Sessions re: BME and transport
Focus groups were a really helpful feature - I think and hope I speak from both a facilitator and delegate perspective!
The positive benefits of digital solutions. National CRB website and initiatives
More opportunities to develop signposting systems between agencies
Anything you would like to raise or receive further info on?
Yes - will make links with other organisations represented at the conference to find out more where needed
We need to consider how we can take some of these ideas forward. Do you engage with DCC councillors much? Do they know what you're doing? Need to incorporate CitA’s digital access findings into the picture of Dorset's offline/excluded population.
Further thoughts on the idea of general champions, ensuring our champions are aware of online info.eg. Joseph's transport info

Did the conference support the objectives of the Advice Dorset Partnership?

Any comments and/or for further information on the Advice Dorset Partnership – contact Caroline Buxton: