Working in Partnership:
Research into using online public services
Sheffield Channel Shift Report
Who should read this report?

Government departments, local authorities, social housing providers and other bodies with an
interest in online service provision for their customers
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Organisations who work with those in society who could be isolated, vulnerable and have concerns
about ‘Digital by Default’ plans for online public services

Community groups, organisations or lobby groups with an interest in ensuring that disadvantaged
groups in society are not left behind with ‘Digital by Default’ plans for online public services
In partnership with:
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Foreword from our Chief Executive
As the Chief Executive of an organisation that promotes the benefits of technology for all, you might expect me to
be a believer in the benefits that channel shift can have in opening up the internet to many more people, and of
ensuring we can all access better public services.
The great thing is, following the Channel Shift project we’ve run in our home city of Sheffield, I'm even more
convinced that there is so much to be gained – not just for the service users themselves, but for everyone who
helps to deliver them.
When I talk about digital skills, I always say it's just all about people, and this Channel Shift project is no different.
It’s all about encouraging front-line staff to see the benefits of promoting online tools to their customers, not just
as it makes it easier for government but because the internet can open up doors, and make people's lives bigger.
Shifting services online can be a scary proposition, but I think this report shows that rather than getting caught up
with the technology, it's important that we focus on the people involved. Technology is fantastic, but it’s so
fantastic because of the huge impact it can have on the lives of individuals, so keeping people at the centre of your
channel shift plans is really vital.
While the discoveries made during this channel shift project are really important, we also know it’s had a real
impact on shifting transactions online, proving the real financial motive of the project. 75% of respondents to our
survey said they could now access government services online, with 23% estimating they had reduced the number
of calls or face-to-face visits by 10 or more per month. So not only are people choosing services that are better for
them, but they are also driving a huge cost saving in terms of delivering these services, which is a huge
achievement - and one that I think could and should be replicated elsewhere.
This report offers a scalable model, so you can see the lessons we've learnt carrying out this pilot project in
Sheffield, and I hope this will make it easy for you to encourage people in your community to make the most of
online channels. Do get in touch if you have any questions.
Helen Milner,
Chief Executive, Online Centres Foundation
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Executive summary
With around 8 million UK adults still offline, and a further 14.5 million people identified as having only basic digital
skills, it isn’t surprising that only 54% of UK adults have ever used a digital public service. As more and more
services move online, there is a pressing need to support people with little or no digital skills - especially as they
are often the highest users of these services.
The Sheffield Channel Shift project was an amazingly effective project that demonstrated how the government’s
‘digital by default’ agenda could be applied by bringing a whole city together to tackle public service delivery. This
pilot was a simple, low-cost and practical exercise in channel shift, and it didn’t need any new technology.
The focus of the project was to:
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Develop a network of partners who shared common goals across the city of Sheffield
Motivate and educate front-line staff within each partner organisation about the opportunities to transact
online across a range of services in the city
Provide a clear signposting and referral process should additional help be needed
Provide simple support in the form of a single printed leaflet
Delivered by an innovative partnership of organisations as diverse as Citizens Advice, Government Digital Service,
Heeley Development Trust (UK online centres’ Community Hub in Sheffield), DWP’s Pensions Service, Jobcentre
Plus and Sheffield City Council, this hugely successful project saw both hard and soft outcomes realised. Almost all
partners reported more highly motivated staff and customers and perhaps crucially, we have already seen
increased traffic through partner websites, such as in increase of 25% to the Citizens Advice site, and 53% increase
in their self-help area online.
The Sheffield Channel Shift project was able to demonstrate that there are already, right now, low-tech and
low-cost actions that can be undertaken to encourage channel shift.
Our key findings for all cities wishing to learn from this project and deliver one in their own area are:
1. Identify a lead partner with the vision, contacts and resources to drive forward the project. This might be
someone from a local authority, a DWP/Jobcentre office or a well-connected community group, for
example
2. Have a clear plan for publicising your project regularly throughout its duration.
3. Focus your effort on customer-facing staff. They are the public face of your project and, without involving
them and ensuring they are fully aware of the aims of your project and methods of signposting, you are
unlikely to succeed. Empowering them with lots of information about the signposting possibilities means
that your customers will be offered assistance that is fit for purpose.
4. Listen and adapt. Your plans may not reap the rewards you initially anticipated, or you may find a hidden
gem that should be replicated wider. Ensure you adapt to what you learn on a daily basis to ensure
success.
5. Embrace different approaches but one goal. Each partner has different strengths and different ways of
doing things. Embrace these different approaches, but remain true to the central goal you have set for
your project.
6. Identify your advocates. Many of your staff will be more enthusiastic than others to get involved. Allowing
these people the space to shine within the project will enhance your likelihood of success.
7. Don’t delay! Large scale partnerships can often be difficult to manage, leading to a lack of momentum and
drive. Agree a timetable and stick to it. With the right foundations, your partnership project will be able to
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deliver results even though some individual aspects of your plan may be delayed. The goodwill of your
partners and customer-facing staff will carry you through as long as they are well informed and
empowered. It doesn’t matter whether an organisation is starting from scratch or has already begun
promotion of online services, a partnership model would provide benefits of equal importance, giving
either a strong starting point for all or a re-energiser or booster to work already undertaken.
8. Access to IT should not be a barrier for organisations working towards channel shift. There are many grass
roots organisations that provide free or low-cost access training and access to the internet such as the UK
online centres network as well as organisations that provide low-cost refurbished computers to help
someone make their first steps online.
We have been privileged to have this fantastic opportunity to work with all of the partners involved to raise
awareness of the services available. The project has been a huge success - providing a catalyst for developing a
city-wide strategy and creating strong local partnerships that will outlast the project itself.
Due to the generous support of all the partners, the project has produced a scalable, sustainable, communitybased infrastructure to support and drive channel shift, transforming the way in which individuals and
communities engage with online government services now and in the future.
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1 Background
Digital by Default
The government is clear that channel shift is a priority:
“To make this happen, we need to encourage more people to go online and hence be able to access information
and services. In addition to the many benefits to people themselves – including making connections with other
people, consumer savings, increased employability, and access to public services – this will also help us to drive
down the cost of delivering public services.”
David Cameron, Letter of Appointment to Martha Lane Fox, 18 June 2010.
In November 2010, UK Digital Champion, Martha Lane Fox, published her review of Directgov which argued for a
channel shift towards public services being delivered ‘digitally by default.’ In response the Government Digital
Service (GDS) was established with the core purpose of ensuring that the Government offers world-class digital
products to meet people’s needs.
This principle is now being adopted across Government. However, a key consideration is how to ensure those
without digital skills are not disadvantaged. Currently, around 8 million UK adults are still offline, and these people
are often the heaviest users of public services. A further 14.5 million people are classified as having basic digital
skills. Take-up amongst the online population is uneven, with only 54% of UK adults having ever used a digital
public service.
Therefore, customer engagement strategies for digital services need to consider three main groups:
1. Those who can’t use digital public services because of temporary or permanent barriers such as severe
physical or learning disabilities, or literacy and language issues.
2. Those who could use digital public services, but may need to build their digital skills and confidence.
3. Those who should use digital public services, who are already online and have digital skills and confidence.
UK online centres
UK online centres is the organisation responsible for getting one million more people online and using online
public services between April 2010 and March 2013, delivering estimated cost savings to the government of £157
million.
There are 3,800 UK online centres across England providing people with help and support to develop digital skills.
UK online centres are located in 84% of England’s most deprived communities and have expertise in supporting
those who could use digital public services but need support to develop digital skills and confidence.
Evaluation shows that 68% of the 500,000 people UK online centres help to get online each year go on to use
digital public services. Furthermore, 43% of centre visitors report a shift of 3.8 government contacts per month
from face-to-face or telephone to digital.
Given the support that already exists from our 3,800 centres, UK online centres maintains that digital exclusion
and lack of digital skills should not be a reason to delay channel shift but that adequate support and community
partnerships are fundamental.
No single organisation has the capacity or capability to deliver the full spectrum of support that these different
customers need to access all types of online government information and services, and so partnership and
collaboration is key. Technological advancements towards the ‘digital by default’ vision need to be underpinned by
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building the digital skills of local communities, and developing a strong local partner network that can support the
implementation of these new services.
2 Sheffield Channel Shift Project
As leaders in digital skills and community impact, UK online centres had a simple vision that by encouraging and
helping partners within a community to work more closely together with the common goal of moving customers
to online channels, collectively more could be achieved.
The innovative Sheffield Channel Shift project, led by UK online centres, ran from September 2011 to April 2012. It
was a unique city-wide project that encouraged, inspired and mentored organisations to embrace a collaborative
approach to digital by default service delivery, as well as supporting individuals to use online services. The project
strived to produce a scalable, sustainable, community-based infrastructure to support and drive channel shift,
transforming the way in which individuals and communities engage with online government services now and in
the future.
Sheffield was selected as the host for this project as a result of the wider range of partners with the desire to
engage in this unique activity. Sheffield Channel Shift partners included:
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Citizens Advice and CLASSY consortium (Community Legal Advice Service South Yorkshire)
DWP / The Pensions Service
DWP / Jobcentre Plus
Government Digital Service
Heeley Development Trust (UK online centres’ Community Hub in Sheffield)
Sheffield City Council
UK online centres
The Sheffield Channel Shift project built on the success of the previous Go ON Sheffield campaigns (February 2010
and October 2011) whilst providing a new focus by placing channel shift and staff at the heart of the project with
less impetus on campaigning and targeting of the offline population. This different approach has proven to be a
powerful companion for the legacy of the previous Go ON Sheffield campaigns.
3 Methodology
The Sheffield Channel Shift project aimed to facilitate partnerships, increasing awareness of online services and
referrals, whilst building a sustainable city-wide network. To achieve this, the Sheffield Channel Shift Project was
based on three guiding principles.
1. Partnership and collaboration
Across Sheffield a strong infrastructure exists through Post Offices, Citizens Advice Bureaux and UK online centres,
as well as the local authority. However, partnership and collaboration on the ground amongst these organisations
was fragmented as partners were not aware of the full spectrum of support and online services available to
customers. Furthermore, when referrals and collaboration did take place, they were not focussed on shifting
transactions or contacts online. From the outset, all organisations on the project team acknowledged that the
various partner services were useful and relevant to their customers, and that strengthening relationships and
increasing referrals was of mutual benefit to partners and in the best interest of customers.
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2. Identifying online services and information
The project aimed to identify key online services and information, increasing knowledge amongst partner
organisations - and their staff - of the local availability of online services and the benefits to the customer of using
them. The project team identified key online services and information (see Appendix A) to be highlighted to
partner organisations, staff and customers for the duration of the project. This information was collated and
included on a customer information leaflet (see Appendix B).
With a few exceptions, most partner organisations did not have end-to-end online services. However, they all
shared a desire to promote online services where relevant, encouraging people to find information and access
services online rather than by telephone or face-to-face channels, freeing these channels for those customers who
may be more in need of supported services. Partners agreed by taking part in the Channel Shift project and
focusing on the online services identified, they were starting the process of laying partnership foundations early,
inspiring culture change and raising awareness amongst their staff and customers.
3. Channel shift and support for customers
The project aimed to identify local support for customers in developing digital skills to enable them to access
online services and information. One of the key barriers highlighted was the lack of awareness of where to
signpost customers who needed help and support to develop digital skills. Once staff had made a customer aware
of an online service or piece of information it was essential that if that customer did not have the skills required to
access that service - falling into the ‘coulds’ or ‘can’ts’ customer categories - they could be signposted to places to
find help and support.
All partners agreed that building and establishing more robust referral partnerships with the UK online centres and
library networks across Sheffield was a key component to aiding channel shift that should be developed
throughout the project. To measure customer engagement with channel shift during the project, UK online
centres created an online customer survey for customers to complete once they had received help to develop
their digital skills.
4 Project phases
The Sheffield Channel Shift Project delivery included four phases as outlined below.
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Phase 1 - Planning (September 2011 to November 2011)
Phase 2 - Preparation and launch (December 2011 to January 2012)
Phase 3 - Project delivery (03 January 2011 to 31 March 2012)
Phase 4 - Evaluation (April to May 2012)
See Appendix C for the project plan activity summary.
5 Resources
The Sheffield Channel Shift project achieved significant outcomes with minimal expenditure. The project costs
were attributed to UK online centres with partner organisations providing their time, expertise and resources inkind.
The only significant cost incurred was the time and focus of a dedicated Project Manager provided by UK online
centres. Due to the wide range of organisations involved this role was essential in driving and championing the
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project and coordinating the partners, all of whom had different priorities, demands and restrictions. Without this
pivotal role from the outset, the project would have failed to deliver. It is therefore crucial that when
implementing the framework outlined in this report, resource must be allocated for a dedicated manager to drive
and coordinate the project. Minimal additional cost was incurred for the production of the Customer Information
Leaflet (see appendix B), meeting room hire and the online survey (see Appendix E).
6 Channel Shift Project Delivery - Partner activity
Due to the diversity of partner organisations involved in the Sheffield Channel Shift project, each organisation was
responsible for delivering unique activity relevant to their organisation, staff, customers and channel shift plans.
Below is a summary of activity and outcomes for each partner.
6.1 Heeley Development Trust, UK online centres’ Community Hub for Sheffield
With funding awarded by UK online centres, Heeley Development Trust (HDT) is the Community Hub for Sheffield.
During the project they help coordinate the wider network of over 60 UK online centres in Sheffield, signposting
learners to a dedicated learning page www.go-on.co.uk/yorkshire and the online customer survey. HDT was
instrumental in driving the delivery of digital skills and inclusion activity throughout the city during the Channel
Shift Project. This resulted in four exceptional partnership projects.
Sheffield Homes: Helping Social Housing Tenants and Residents Develop Digital Skills
Activity
● During the project, HDT started to deliver training to tenants and residents of Sheffield Homes, the city’s
largest social housing provider.
● Sheffield Homes website allows residents to pay rent, report damage and get financial advice and support.
Usage of the site is very low, at around 1.5% of all tenants and residents.
● During the Channel Shift project, HDT delivered training to representatives of three Sheffield Homes
Tenants and Residents Associations (TARAs). The training started with Online Basics, getting an email
account, with learners then being introduced to the Sheffield Homes website, which make everyday
transactions and activities for tenants and residents happen more cheaply, more quickly and more easily.
Outcomes
● HDT is now delivering a series of ten-week classes supporting TARA representatives to cascade what
they’ve learnt to other tenants and residents.
● HDT is now using its successful PC recycling project to create low-cost IT suites in as many Sheffield Homes
sheltered schemes and communal rooms as possible.
Jobcentre Plus: in-reach sessions for job seekers
Activity
● During the Channel Shift project, HDT began delivering in-reach sessions within two Sheffield Jobcentres.
Working with ten jobseekers each week, HDT delivered engagement sessions that introduced them to the
benefits of the internet, and got them started with Online basics. After this, they were referred to their
nearest UK online centre for further support.
● The sessions benefited Jobcentre customers by not only providing them with essential digital skills, but
also helping them engage with a wide range of free and low-cost ultra-local services, increasing their
employability.
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Outcomes
● During the Channel Shift Project, HDT applied to Sheffield Jobcentres’ Flexible Support Fund. If successful,
HDT will expand the project to deliver six sessions each week across three Jobcentres.
● The Sheffield Channel Shift project provided an excellent way for UK online centres across Sheffield to
build relations, and has resulted in the formation of a working group of key stakeholders to plan for the
coming changes to labour market services.
First Point: Making the channel shift to online local government services
Activity
● A further collaboration emerging from the Channel Shift project has been HDT’s involvement with staff
from First Point - Sheffield City Council’s ‘one stop shop’ walk-in service for local people needing Council
services.
● An increasing number of First Point services are now offered online. First Point have installed internetconnected computer terminals in walk-in centres so that Digital Champion staff can direct customers to
quick and easy access to online information and services for things like Council Tax and Housing Benefits,
housing services, and disabled parking badges.
Outcomes
● HDT has helped to raise awareness of online Council services with a number of in-reach sessions in the
main city centre First Point, and are working with First Point staff to develop marketing and information
material to direct First Point customers to local UK online centres across Sheffield.
● As a result of the Sheffield Channel Shift project, the Council has asked HDT to deliver ongoing
engagement sessions within First Point, to help local people find out how they can save themselves - and
the Council - time and money by doing it online.
The Northern Refugee Centre
Activity
● The Northern Refugee Centre (NRC) works in Sheffield with recently arrived migrants from many countries
with diverse needs, severe barriers to achievement, and usually with English as a second language.
● As part of Channel Shift project, HDT established three outreach sessions per week dealing with new
arrivals with different levels of experience with computers and spoken English. Many users of the
Northern Refugee Centre are also living in social housing managed by Sheffield Homes, and/or in receipt
of JSA, so this project joined together support for a demographic with exceptionally high levels of digital
exclusion and multiple barriers to achievement.
Outcomes
● Most recently, HDT has created a permanent IT suite at the NRC’s Sheffield offices, which can be used for
refugees and asylum seekers on a drop-in basis.
James Richardson, Volunteer Manager at Heeley Development Trust, explains: “The aim of the project was to
establish strong links with major public service providers and community organisations in the city, especially those
working with digitally excluded people. This approach has led to a joined-up strategy, since the work of many of
these organisations overlaps, and has significantly raised the local profile of Heeley Development Trust and the
local UK online centres network. The next move will be to increase delivery across all of the projects detailed above,
and continue to streamline and integrate processes by referrals between organisations, and the creation of new
local outreach and in-reach sessions based on a regularly updated picture of digital exclusion across the city.”
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6.2 DWP / Jobcentre Plus (JCP)
Key activities for Jobcentre Plus
During the Sheffield Channel Shift Project, Jobcentre Plus implemented the following activities:
● Increasing awareness-raising and educating of frontline staff to understand the wide-ranging benefits to
the customer of digital skills and channel shift.
● Increasing signposting of JCP customers to UK online centres for help and support to get online and
increase digital skills
● Promoting channel shift and online services through all six Jobcentre Plus locations across Sheffield using
staff briefings and the Customer information leaflet
● Incorporating channel shift and digital engagement into wider digital district plans
● Working with Heeley Development Trust to establish weekly digital skills sessions for customers in
Jobcentre Plus venues, local pubs and other key places in city locations.
Anne Stafford Shaw, Business Manager, Jobcentre Plus, explains: “I think we (JCP) have come a long way since
September 2011. However, there is still a considerable distance to travel. We have made inroads into changing our
culture in terms of promoting and wanting to promote to our customers the benefits of going online. Getting
Jobcentre Plus customers online in Sheffield is now a ‘must do’ rather than a ‘would be nice to’. The project has
helped increase awareness with staff and customers that channel shift is not just about saving money by getting
customers doing things online, but that a life online has a variety of benefits for customers, both social and
economic. However, raising awareness is just the start. Digital channels have to be fit for purpose, easy to use and
reliable. People also need to be able to access these digital channels with ease and have the skills to use them.”
Key outcomes for Jobcentre Plus
● An increased understanding of the background of channel shift and the benefits of digital inclusion
amongst staff resulting in a culture shift
● The Jobcentre Plus Digital Champion network in Sheffield has become more active and proactive, now
holding central quarterly meetings that all local UK online centre managers attend to share knowledge,
expectations and the latest developments within both organisations.
● The relationship between local UK online centres and JCP venues has been strengthened, resulting in
increased numbers of customers being to be signposted to help, and digital skills sessions being delivered
in Jobcentres and local outreach venues by UK online centres tutors.
● The take-up of Jobseekers Allowance Online, Digital Champions activity and the Channel Shift Action
Research plans for Sheffield have been co-ordinated and now have a shared agenda.
Jobcentre Plus customer: “I'd never even used a computer before... I did try applying for jobs by taking in my CV by
hand or phoning up, but I got frustrated because I never heard anything back. Before long I realised almost all the
jobs were asking for online applications so I knew I'd have more luck over the internet. I just needed to learn how. I
am very proud of what I have achieved with my new skills. I feel like I've improved at everything. It makes me feel
really positive that I'll find the right job for me."
6.3 DWP / Visiting service
Summary of activity
The DWP visiting service works with customers who cannot engage with DWP through other channels in their
home. They implemented the following activities:
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A presentation was given to the visiting service officers, increasing awareness and understanding amongst
staff of the wide-ranging benefits to customers of digital skills and channel shift.
Sheffield Channel Shift information leaflets were supplied to visiting service officers and given to
customers where appropriate.
DWP visiting service officers raised awareness and signposted customers to local UK online centres for
help and support to get online
A review of the telephone script is now being undertaken nationally to look at ways of promoting digital
skills and channel shift on a wider basis with their customers
Sylvia Bryan-Peach, DWP Area Partnership Manager, North East of England and Yorkshire and Humberside,
explains: “We have DWP visiting teams across the country who visit vulnerable customers in their own homes.
These individuals are often disabled, aged, immobile or geographically isolated and cannot engage with DWP via
the normal channels.
“For the duration of the Sheffield Channel Shift Project, the visiting officers across the city have been issuing the
customer Information leaflet to appropriate customers, carers and appointees – raising awareness of the benefits
to people of being online and the services and support available to them. The feedback on this activity has been
extremely positive. DWP is looking at ways to engage with their customers to promote digital skills and channel
shift so this project has provided some helpful feedback”
DWP visiting service officer: “The gentleman I went to see was in his early 60s and had just been made redundant
from work. He had been unable to secure alternative employment. He lived on his own and did not have a circle of
friends and family members to visit him. He was lonely and keen to fill the long days. I asked if he used the internet
to which he said that he could use a computer but not the internet. I told him about UK online centres and the help
and support that he would receive to learn new skills and get started online. He was over the moon and called to
find his nearest centre straight away. I left the visit feeling very upbeat as the gratitude the customer had shown
was overwhelming.”
6.4 Sheffield City Council
Summary of activity
Sheffield City Council was the largest organisation to take part in the project, with over 8,000 employees in the
area. They implemented the following activity:
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A strategy for digital inclusion was developed and ownership was assigned at a strategic level within
Sheffield City Council
Members of staff at First Point, the council's main face-to-face customer enquiry point, were designated
as Digital Champions.
At Sheffield City Council, staff were moved from the counter onto queue managing, where they could
inform customers of online services, move customers on to the self-serve bank of computers in the venue
and signpost them to a local UK online centre if they needed further help and support.
Channel shift and the benefits to customers of digital skills were promoted through the Council’s internal
communications channels - including a dedicated intranet page - reaching in excess of 8,000 employees.
The customer information leaflet was distributed to customers at over 147 Council locations including
Housing Offices, Reception points, Tenants and resident associations, Children centres and libraries.
The Annual Council Tax leaflet (April 2012) was changed to highlight the online services as the primary
channel.
Practical changes were made to support channel shift by piloting an online shift of face-to-face blue badge
enquiries.
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Fayzeh Mohamed, Customer Services Manager, Sheffield City Council, explains: “Sheffield City Council has been
actively involved in the Sheffield Channel Shift Project working alongside UK online centres and other partners to
improve digital inclusion in the City. We are working together with partner organisations who we might not have
met without the project and we intend to maintain the links we have developed and ensure that there is a
coordinated strategic link of the continuing work across the City.”
Sheffield City Council customer: “The staff at First Point were very helpful, as always. I was helped by a member of
staff to apply for a Blue Badge online which saved me a lot of time! All in all a very, very good experience of using
the Internet Point. Whatever can be done to minimise travel and waiting time is a real bonus for me personally.”
6.5 Citizens Advice Bureaux and CLASSY consortium
Summary of activity
During the Sheffield Channel Shift Project, Citizens Advice Bureaux implemented the following activities:
● 840 Customer information leaflets were distributed across the CLASSY consortium including Citizens
Advice Bureaux, the Law Centre and AdviceUK
● Online channels were promoted, with staff targeting and encouraging customers with the appropriate
level of digital skills to access services online, enabling advisers to dedicate more time to spend with those
customers that needed immediate and face-to-face assistance
● It was ensured that www.advicesheffield.org.uk was being used as a key tool for the telephone service as
well as www.adviceguide.org.uk, which provides national resources.
Carol Moonlight, Service Development Consultant for Citizens Advice, explains: “Working in partnership is
integral to the work of Citizens Advice to extend its customer base, increase the uptake of its own digital services,
and to support the digital inclusion of our customers. For Citizens Advice, a key element of that work is about
encouraging digitally capable individuals to access and use the online resources they need, allowing our Citizens
Advice Bureaux to focus on those people who need our help the most in getting what they need from online
services. Participation in the project has proved valuable for exploring what can work within such a partnership
initiative. During the project, visits to both the Advicesheffield and Adviceguide websites have increased
significantly and we are keen to build on this success.
“The project has provided Citizens Advice with a timely opportunity to share details about the organisation’s
contribution on digital inclusion issues, to provide a clear steer on its ongoing role and on the value the
organization can bring to the development of digital services by local and central government.”
Key outcomes
● A significant increase in visits to Citizens Advice websites during the project period including: a 25%
increase to www.advicesheffield.org.uk, a 53% increase to the self-help sections on
www.advicesheffield.org.uk, and a 144% increase in visitors progressing from www.advicesheffield.org.uk
through to www.adviceguide.org.uk
● Increased insight into channel shift and the digital inclusion issues and challenges that other organisations
face, as well as finding ways to work together that could be replicated elsewhere
● The opportunity to explore what can work within such a city-wide partnership initiative, and how Citizens
Advice can integrate this with their own channel shift activities.
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7 Key findings
The Sheffield Channel Shift project helped to drive and support significant collaboration, and resulted in
exemplary partnership working across the organisations involved. As a result of the project, Sheffield City Council
are now developing a channel shift strategy and will be a key driver in future activity. The UK online centres
network, led by Community Hub Heeley Development Trust, is going from strength to strength in continuing to
provide exceptional digital skills delivery. Exciting and sustainable partnerships have been formed between UK
online centres and Jobcentres, Sheffield Homes, Sheffield City Council, Citizens Advice Bureaux and DWP visiting
teams.
All organisations have benefited from the project, gaining an insight into how to deliver change for their
customers in the right way for the right services at the right time, leaving no-one behind and allowing resources to
be focused on those most in need.
Furthermore, the project has left a legacy with relationships flourishing, partnerships being strengthened and
ongoing commitments to digital skills and channel shift made at both strategic and grassroots levels by all the
partner organisations, which will ultimately be of benefit to the people of Sheffield.
In addition, the below key findings and recommendations have been identified.
Focus on customer-facing staff
One of the strongest findings from the project, that, for those organisations seeking to achieve channel shift,
meeting those ambitions required them to put emphasis not only on strategy and technology, but on
understanding their customer-facing staff’s perceptions of channel shift and ensuring they know the benefits for
customers and the local support available to them.
Furthermore, the organisations must understand what customer-facing staff do on a day-to-day basis and be
prepared to make small changes in staff roles to support channel shift. These changes may be subtle or significant.
For example, Sheffield City Council moved staff away from the counter onto queue management, where they
could make people aware of online services, move people on to computers, and point them in the direction of
their local UK online centre if they needed further help and support. DWP’s visiting officers were given training
and information leaflets to enable them to promote the benefits of being online to customers, the online services
available, and refer them to local UK online centres for support.
Prioritise staffing resource
Organisations that are serious about successfully delivering channel shift must allocate appropriate and dedicated
staffing resource at strategic and operational levels. The project highlighted the need for organisations to reprioritise staffing resource to ensure it supported the delivery of channel shift.
Culture change
The project enabled partners to make significant inroads into changing their culture with staff promoting and
wanting to promote the benefits of going online to customers. A number of partners recognised that the project
had significantly increased awareness with staff that channel shift is not just about the government saving money
by getting customers doing things online, but that a life online has a variety of benefits for customers, both social
and economic.
Different approaches for different customers
The project findings highlighted the benefits for organisations to identify and deal with different customer groups
in different ways. Citizens Advice Bureaux, for example, have a long-established practice of tailoring their advice
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and support to the needs and circumstances of their customers. By promoting online services to customers who
were more digitally skilled and able to resolve their issues using online services, staff resources were freed up to
concentrate on those customers who weren’t online and/or were most in need of their advice and expertise.
Empower staff with knowledge
A key finding from the project report was that when making customers aware of online services, frontline staff
needed to be empowered with the knowledge of where to refer the customer to should they need additional
support to develop digital skills to access those services. During the project all partners raised awareness of the
help and support provided by UK online centres, building more robust relationships and referral partnerships
between their staff, UK online centres and Library networks across Sheffield.
The sessions delivered by UK online centres’ Community Hub, Heeley Development Trust, at Jobcentres, Sheffield
City Council and Sheffield Homes were as much about engagement with staff as with the customers. Staff
volunteered to help at these sessions and gained knowledge of the benefits to customers of being online. They
also built a rapport with the staff and volunteers from the centres increasing the likelihood of them promoting
channel shift and referring customers to a UK online centre.
The project also revealed the need for UK online centres to publish current centre opening times and further
details of their sessions. This would provide frontline staff with the appropriate information to refer their
customers with confidence to a session that is right for them. From July 2012, UK online centres will be displaying
additional centre information nationally on its online centre search facility at:
www.ukonlinecentres.com/centresearch.
Resourcing digital skills delivery
The Sheffield Channel Shift project has been achieved at very low cost, using volunteers, free venues, and
signposting people to the wider UK online centres network. This community-level model provides a cost-effective
alternative to Jobcentres and councils contracting with large commercial training providers.
However, careful consideration needs to be given as to how UK online centres and other organisations that
support customers to develop digital skills are funded to ensure their sustainability. UK online centres across
England are feeling the pinch of government funding cuts at a time when there is increased demand for
organisations to refer customers to local places where they can find support. The demand for such signposting and
outreach activities was a key finding of this report with the work of Community Hub, Heeley Development Trust,
and the wider UK online centres network being critical in the successful delivery of channel shift.
Evidence of channel shift
The responses from the Sheffield Channel Shift customer survey highlighted the importance of the UK online
centres network in delivering channel shift. 57.1% of respondents stated they had access to the internet at a UK
online centre, compared to 42.9% at home and 16.7% at work.
Of these respondents, 81.3% stated that now they could access public services online, they had made fewer calls
and face-to-face visit to access government services. 23% of people estimated that they had reduced the number
of calls or face-to-face visits by 10 or more per month. A further 23% estimated making savings of 2-4 calls or visits
per month.
Don’t delay
One issue the project raised was that of its timing, given a number of partners had not yet developed all of its endto-end online services. At times it felt the project was happening before the services were fully ready. However it
was felt that raising awareness of channel shift with both staff and customers was important to ensure enough
time was given to drive take-up and usage once those online services were in place. By laying partnership
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foundations early, inspiring culture change and raising awareness and expectations, we anticipate the eventual
delivery of these newly created online services will be much easier to promote.
Access to IT
Although there are many organisations and locations for individuals to find free or low-cost access to computers,
such as the UK online centres network, by working in partnership in Sheffield it emerged that local partners were
not always aware of the help that was available. As such, the partnerships formed during this project have helped
to forge promotion of the services available to the benefit of the local people of Sheffield through UK online
centres and the Library network.
8 Conclusion
We have been privileged to have had the opportunity to work with partners across the city to develop a strategy
for channel shift, creating partnerships that will far outlast the project itself. Not only this, but the project has had
a real impact on promoting the benefits of the internet, and ensuring that many more people can take advantage
of all it can offer, not only to access better online services, but to improve their lives in many ways.
Sheffield was selected as the location for the project due to its wide range of partners who wanted to engage in
this unique activity. However, any local authority, town or city could emulate this project and we hope that this
summary acts as a catalyst to inspire other projects to form.
As part of this project, we have put together a toolkit which provides steps and considerations to follow should
organisations wish to create a similar partnership model in their area which can be found on
www.ukonlinecentres.com
The UK online centres network has a strong record of tackling digital exclusion, and this project has been key in
achieving this. We’re working with central government and local authorities to bring alive their digital by default
plans. We’re also keen to support local authorities to increase usage of online services, and promote access to a
much broader group of people. We would be delighted to discuss ways that we can help to develop and support
your local strategies.
Anyone seeking further information or help with their project management or service delivery for their projects
should contact [email protected]
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Appendix A
Key online services and information, identified by partners, to be highlighted to staff and customers for the
duration of the project.
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
Directgov (www.direct.gov.uk)
DWP Benefits Advisor (www.direct.gov.uk/benefitsadvisor)
DWP Jobseekers Allowance Online (www.direct.gov.uk/jsaonline)
Sheffield City Council (www.sheffield.gov.uk)
Citizens Advice Bureau - Advice Sheffield (www.advicesheffield.org.uk)
Citizens Advice Bureau - Adviceguide (www.adviceguide.org.uk)
Go ON learn (www.go-on.co.uk/yorkshire)
UK online centres centre search, 0800 771234 or www.ukonlinecentres.com/centresearch
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Appendix B
Customer information leaflet:
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Appendix C
Phase 1 - Planning (September - November 2011)
● UK online centres identified key partners and invited them to an initial project workshop on 14 September
2011 where the idea for collaborative working was introduced and explored
● The Sheffield Channel Shift project team was formed.
● The three guiding principles of the Sheffield Channel Shift project were identified by the project team and
finalised.
● Partners formulated the Channel Shift referral process diagram, highlighting the services available to
customers in Sheffield and opportunities for increasing effective partnerships.
● The project plan was developed. Partners formulated internal plans for their activities and involvement in
the project.
Phase 2 - Preparation and Launch (December 2011 - January 2012)
● The Mid-progress Sheffield Channel Shift partner meeting was held on 14 December 2011.
● The project team identified online services to be promoted for the duration of the project (see Appendix
A).
● Content for the Customer information leaflet was gathered and the leaflet produced (see Appendix B).
● The project customer landing page www.go-on.co.uk/yorkshire and online survey were developed.
● Partner organisations started communicating and disseminating information about the project and their
activity to frontline staff.
● Presentations about the project were given to frontline staff across partner organisations.
● Customer information leaflets and libraries insert leaflet (see Appendix B) were distributed to 218
locations across Sheffield (See appendix D for a map of the locations).
● The Sheffield Channel Shift Project was launched on 3 January 2012.
Phase 3 - Project delivery (03 January 2011 – 31 March 2012)
● Partner organisations began their activity. For a summary of partner activity see section x.
● The final partner meeting took place on 21 March 2012
Phase 4 Evaluation (April - May 2012)
● Collation of partner activity and evaluation summaries
● Analysis of customer survey data
● Sheffield Channel Shift final report
● Sheffield Channel Shift video
● Sheffield Channel Shift toolkit
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Appendix D
Map of partner locations
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Appendix E
Where do you have access to computers and the internet?
Do you think you may use any of the following public services online in the future?
Directgov
47.4%
NHS Choices
39.5%
Jobseekers Direct
26.3%
Jobseekers Allowance
5.3%
Benefits Advisor
28.9%
Pension advice and guidance
28.9%
Don’t know
21.1%
Do you think you may use any of the follow local council online services (transaction or information) in the future?
Council Tax
35.1%
Housing
45.9%
Refuse and recycling
18.9%
Children’s services
18.9%
Leisure centres
37.8%
Libraries
43.2%
Planning applications
13.5%
Don’t know
21.6%
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Because of visiting public services or using public services online, have you made fewer phone calls or actual visits
to a local office of a government organisation (e.g. Jobcentre, Benefits office, local council, GP surgery etc.)
Yes
No
81.3%
18.8%
How many phone calls or visits would you guess you have saved in the last month?
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