An evaluation of The Hyde Group’s Getting Online programme has found that 80 per cent of learners remained online after training and went on to become regular internet users.
Sarah Thurman, director, Hyde Plus, said, “The Getting Online programme has had a real impact on the lives of participants and is reaching residents who stand to lose the most, both socially and financially, if they are not confident online. It’s great to see that the impact of the training goes beyond the sessions provided.”
The majority (70 per cent) of tenants who received tutoring were under 65, challenging the perception that it is generally older people who aren’t online.
The report provided some insights in relation to universal credit and completing forms online. More participants felt confident filling in forms as a result of training (from 26 per cent of learners to 76 per cent) but only a third of the learners felt they would be able to complete online benefit applications.
Follow-up interviews with nearly 100 learners revealed that the cost of buying IT equipment and connectivity at home were the remaining barriers.
