From: Jane Harrison, Finance director, Women’s Pioneer Housing
Sir – I am struck that much of the publicity and advertising relating to digital inclusion seems to focus on younger people and a rush towards mobile devices for all.
Women’s Pioneer, in common with many housing associations, has a high proportion of older residents. We recognise the importance of digital awareness and have promoted the use of computers and technology for all of our residents, including installing computers with internet links in communal areas in sheltered schemes, but currently the costs of moving much further forward outweigh the immediate benefits.
We are not complacent and undertake regular reviews to identify how our residents communicate with us and with other people. In this way, we understand how many residents use a mobile phone and how many have access to the internet, including email. Our pace of change may seem slow but we favour a steady approach to digital inclusion in line with our residents’ values and aspirations.
