Social Media Exchange Event

The Social Media Exchange is a series of masterclasses, discussion and debates to inspire  online collaboration and networking opportunities for 2009.

• Date: Monday 26 January 2009
• Time: 9am Registration. Prompt start 9.45am – 5pm
• Venue: The Resource Centre, Holloway Road, London N7 6PA

Part of the day will be dedicated to masterclasses on a range of topics related to social media. Participants will also get a hands-on opportunity to learn new skills from setting up a blog, creating a podcast, learning how to twitter etc

Digital Inclusion impacts on social inclusion

Digital inclusion, social impact: A research study by UK Online Centres attempts to show that increased ICT use can have benefits to individuals that build into hard, measurable (and fundable) outcomes.

The report is based upon the findings of 20 case studied projects involving 150 online centres reaching over 12,000 people. Findings include:

• 12,234 people engaged through the projects
• The cost per participant was £163
• 60% of participants said they were now happy using computers and the internet
• 70% of participants said they felt confident at the end of the project
• Data supplied by the projects indicate that around 40% of participants progressed in terms of training, employment or advice and guidance
• Participants were less likely to need help with reading writing and maths after the projects (down from around 30% to just over 10%)
• Participants were more likely to spend time with friends and family and helping out in their community after the projects – 39% were meeting up with new friends and 32% volunteering (up from around 25%).

One of the recommendations from the report is to bring together the lessons learned from these digital engagement experiences and focus on one particular area or town so that the impacts can be measured over a period of years.

Of course, this website may be a bit bias, but Blackpool would seem a good candidate for such a pilot!