Go On NW Partner meeting August 6th 2015 09:30 – 13:30
Wigan Council Town Hall G03
Agenda:
Chair: Shelley Heckman from iNetwork.
Shelley welcomed all present and explained agenda. Charlotte Evans explained
housekeeping in the building.
Partner updates: (Highlights for past three months)
Charlotte Evans (Digital Inclusion Officer – Wigan Council)
Charlotte gave her highlights; Pi in Space project with primary school children, six months of
class visits, including coding, science etc which was embedded into the curriculum. They
were unable to launch, however a new launch date has been set. Another highlight was
winning the NW partnership award at the ‘I made a difference awards’ in Manchester for Go
On NW.
Georgina Bentley (Business Manager – Digital Services – Wigan Council)
Georgina explained she is lead for the ‘MyAccount’ project, website, report it app and Wigan
Council’s digital services. MyAccount now has 30,000 users and report it app just launch and
doing well. Web Chat also introduced over a few services and MyAccount, Report it app and
web chat will be including more and more services in future.
Lesley O’Halloran (Assistant Director – Customer Services – Wigan Council)
Lesley explained there is a big push in Wigan for Digital Inclusion. Their councillors are on
board, launch of digital strategy, regular courses delivered in libraries, more and more
customers using their online services.
Mike Ashton (Digital Inclusion Officer – Wigan and Leigh Homes)
Spoke about a pilot project called NEDO, this will give the tenant cheaper heating/electric
and broadband, this will be connected to wifi so the tenant also gets wifi installed as part of
the pilot. They are also a pilot for a telecore system, they regularly do tea, toast and tinternet
at sheltered schemes, they are testing a pilot for wifi being installed into a sheltered scheme
in Leigh to see how it works.
Jayne Sherwood - (Joining Communities, Leigh)
They deliver training courses to help people find work and get them work ready, Grass Roots
funded through Wigan Council’s community learning fund. Work in the community with
partners and alongside Wigan Council.
Anneliese Jones – (Barclays Bank - Manchester)
Deliver Tea and Tech sessions working with external contacts, running sessions for libraries
and in the community. Offering all sorts of courses and sessions including coding playground.
Jason Clarke - (Community Leader Director - Barclays Bank)
Explained areas he covers, they have a big agenda in the digital area – October the big event
linked to 20 schools which will reach 200 children aged 12-16yrs. Day 1 life skills, Day 2 they
have free reign of the branch, Day 3 out of the branch and into a bigger space. They will be
asked to devise an app as part of the BIG quiz. They are partners with BT to put this into
communities, libraries etc. The BIG kids programme. They have been working on linking the
tell us once with public and private sectors and he encouraged any help/advice/info with this.
Laura Foster – (Peaks and Plains Housing)
Only been in the role for two weeks, they plan to get sheltered tenants online and deliver
courses to housing customers – Interested to see what she can get out of today’s meeting.
David Burdis – (New Charter Homes – Financial Inclusion Manager)
They launched their digital strategy last year in Oct, they are currently still seeking
momentum and trying to get the company digitalised. David does the training. Go On
Thameside have done a lot of work with O2 and local businesses. They have two events
planned; 1st Residents with Age UK about safeguarding. 2nd Small businesses to help get
them online.
Kirsty Watkinson – (St Helens Council – Consultation Manager / Customer Intelligence)
They have a welfare reform board which includes a Digital Inclusion Team where a mapping
exercise is taking place to form a find my nearest. Working on Merseyside connect, putting
broadband into rural areas. 30 digital champions. Working with young people (some out of
care) how to be a good tenant. BBC – 50 young people – into digital employment. University
of third age for older people – digital inclusion.
Karen Gillis – (St Helens Council - Customer Relationship Manager)
They have a new website and online services. Website for youth services – waryas.co.uk . A
mobile app for St Helens Council.
Laura Robertson–Collins - (Union Support Officer – TUC Union Learn)
Involved with Go On Liverpool. 50 healthcare hubs. Funding inclusion (TUC Supporting).
They work with Henshaws and digital champions.
Norman Hunter – (Tutor – Mersey Learn / Mersey Travel)
Work closely with TUC, part of a learning team up skilling people with low skills using learn
my way.
Mary Keane (Collections Access Manager – Bolton Libraries and Museums)
Now have 32 self serves in one stop shop. They work closely with Barclays Bank and BT and
have funding for wifi in libraries.
Alex Grundy (Customer Contact Manager – Warrington Borough Council)
Lead for Go On Warrington. They have digital champions working in neighbourhood groups.
The mayor is digital and a great advocate for digital and great at getting the message across
about digital. Website due to go live (with partners) and a relaunch of Warrington Council
website and webchat. Ask Ollie – Warrington’s local offer – Website.
Nathan Renison – (Regeneration Officer – Halton Borough Council)
He is the digital lead for Halton Council, staff are going through a cultural change to think
digital first. Contact centre promoting website, online services and digital offer.
Shelah Semoff (Partnership Officer – Halton Council)
They have a partnership approach – working towards the digital charter. They have O2
training sessions running on social media. They have a portal for advice.
Gordon Hempton (Director – Communities in Action North West and Social enterprise
communityi
Lead for Go On Lancashire, digital skills amended to Go On’s targets. They have a steering
group which is well supported but they’re still finding their feet. Website communityi funded
through the big lottery a website with partners and 3 rd sector (around 500) looking at creating
streeti.
Pam Holstein (Digital Inclusion Officer – West Lancs Borough Council)
They have a digital inclusion strategy which is going to cabinet. They have a 12month access
plan and are currently undergoing a mapping exercise. The Chester tenant involvement team
are to shadow her.
Helen Williams (Partnership Co-ordinator – Knowsley Council)
Digital inclusion is one of the priorities in Helen’s job role. They now have intelligence and
done research is completed with 2,500 surveys returned.
They have 5 strands; Supporting growth, Channel Shift, Access and Motivation.
Rachel Bailey (Director’s support office - DWP)
Rachel said she was new in post and covers the whole of the NW. Focusing on customer job
search, skills gaps for staff and delivering tea and tech parties.
Time was very short so the agenda swapped around a little.
Alison McKenzie-Folan - Presentation (Wigan Council Digital Inclusion and The Deal)
Presentation will be sent separately.
Shelley Heckman – Go On NW update.
Shelley gave an update on behalf of Sarah Bridges from Go On UK (presentation will be sent
separately) Shelley also played the ‘I made a difference awards’ video.