The European Commission has recently released its proposals for a Directive on the accessibility of the public sector bodies’ websites. As more and more public bodies and authorities ‘channel shift’ service users toward digital channels this kid of directive will become increasingly important to all of us.

The proposal is aimed at

“approximating the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States related to the accessibility of the content of public sector bodies’ websites to all users, in particular people with functional limitations including persons with disabilities”.

The Commission said an example of how the proposals would work in practice would be where public sector bodies’ websites allow visually impaired people to “hear descriptions of images when using a screen reader” and for the hearing-impaired to see “written captions for audio files”. In addition, the Commission said that “all parts of a website” would have to be accessible using keyboards only as well as through using a computer mouse.

The proposal is currently being discussed in the European Parliament and Council. The proposal document is attached as a PDF.  If you have any comments on it or recommendations post them to the site as comments.

The 9th May is Global Accessibility Awareness Day focusing on raising the profile of digital (web, software, mobile app/device, touch screen kiosk, etc.) access for people with a range disabilities. Why not take some time today to pick up some valuable information or guidance about making your website and digital content easier for everyone to enjoy?

Here in Bristol we recently established Accessible Bristol, a cross sector group focused on making this City a centre for best practice, and leading advocate of accessible technology design. Sign up to the group today (its free) and we will invite you along to future events, seminars and presentations. The Accessible Bristol twitter feed will also be sharing useful tips throughout the day so do sign up to follow.

Over three days in May this year, the team members at Artswork Media (part of Bath Spa University) will be showcasing the wide range of work that has been completed throughout the degree, so come along and see exactly what Artswork team are all about.

Artswork Media is a media production company where the third year students on the BA (Hons) Creative Media Practice course can nurture existing skills and learn new ones. Whilst gaining invaluable B2B experience is one of the many skills the students have learnt, keeping a professional, yet friendly, relationship going even after the project has finished, is another.

The showcase will take place in the Paintworks Event Space, Paintworks, Bath Road, BS4 3EH. If you want to go along email Isabel Ayres at isabel.ayres09@bathspa.ac.uk by 23 May 2013.

On Thursday 25^th April, our digital inclusion coordinator, Kerry and 4 volunteers will be hitting the Odeon Cinema in Broadmead with iPads for the Silver Screening of the new Maggie Smith Movie. Before the screening of ‘Quartet’, we’ll be in the lobby offering those going to see the film the chance to use an iPad and see some of the useful features they have.

Come on down at 10.30 for a cuppa and film for only £3.50!  film starts at 11am

The Times has a Rich List, Bristol has a Happy List and our own digital inclusion champion, Kerry Bradshaw has made that list – voted as one of the 50 people who bring smiles and cheer to their fellow Bristolians every day.

Kerry Bradshaw coordinates the Get IT Together project with Citizens Online and the Bristol City Council to offer free computer clubs for the over 55’s and people with a disability in Bristol.

A Blog by Kerry Bradshaw, Digital Inclusion Coordinator

The benefits system is changing. From April 2013 a new Universal Credit will be introduced to replace many current benefits, including Housing Benefit and Job Seeker’s Allowance. The Government wants 80% of applications for Universal Credit to be online by 2017.

Francis Maud, Minister for the Cabinet Office said,

“Central Government where possible must become a Digital Organisation.  These days the best service organisations deliver everything online that can be delivered online. This cuts their costs dramatically and allows access to information and services at times and in ways convenient to the users rather than the providers”

The Department for Work and Pensions though has warned that welfare reform could falter without greater digital inclusion. Mike Shakespeare, from DWP, told a  seminar organised by digital skills body, Digital Unite and others, that digital inclusion work is vital for the government’s flagship welfare reform policy.  He said:

“No matter what other problems we encounter with this benefit, and I think we will encounter one or two, if we can’t get people online it will fall at the first hurdle.”

Helen Milner, chief executive of UK online centres reports that 16 million UK adults are not frequent and competent internet users with 51% of those being over 65.  She went on to state that of the 12 million people affected by Universal Credit its estimated that 6 million people don’t have the skill level to currently interact unaided.

The role for organisations like Get IT Together Bristol is to do something to help those 6 million people.

Our learners sign up for a course in Bristol for a variety of reasons… for communicating with friends and family, pursuing hobbies, from curiosity in what’s going on or of what they might be missing, for playing games or writing letters, for emailing the council and so on.

54% of households without internet access stated that motivation was the main reason they haven’t got connected (they felt they didn’t need a connection) after the reasons of skills and equipment.

So far none of our learners have come with the specific reason of wanting to learn how to access benefits online but I foresee a change in this.

Citizens Online’s aim through digital inclusion is to improve lives. Perhaps we will see some new learners sign up to our courses due to a need rather than a want.  I hope that the knowledge and confidence a learner could gain accessing their benefits online will enable them to reap the other extensive benefits being online can have on someone’s life.

The Get IT Together Bristol Project was set up to tackle the issues of digital exclusion and currently runs 9 computer clubs a week in Bristol.  We offer free courses to anybody over the age of 55 and people with disability and their carers. There are many other providers in Bristol that run courses and training for all sectors of the population.

You can sign up for one of our courses by phoning me on 07785 462 568 or emailing kerry.bradshaw@citizensonline.org.uk you can also find our course locations, information about the computer reuse scheme and a list of other providers in Bristol on our website

Welfare reform will change the way many people in the City apply for, and receive benefits. A Facebook page has been started that will track relevant news and events.

The City Council has also created its own webpage covering financial advice and benefits

New technologies and ubiquitous connectivity is increasingly enabling more flexible and smart working. During the London Olympics many employees were encourages to work in more flexible ways, and this experience has generated some estimates of the potential nationwide impact of smarter working patterns. These estimates suggest that if people worked flexibly two days a week, employers would see annual savings of:

• £15.3bn in increased productivity
• £4.2bn real estate costs
• £3.2bn reduced absenteeism …and employees would save £1.3bn in fuel.

Nationally we would

• Save over £750m a year in imported oil
• Reduce greenhouse gasses by 6.2 million metric tonnes
• Remove the equivalent of 2.5 million cars from the roads
• Prevent 28,000 traffic injuries and deaths a year
• Save over £900m pa in accident related costs
• Reduce road wear by 6 billion vehicle miles a year

You can learn more about Anywhere Working through this website, and there is still (just!) time to follow the events of  Anywhere Working Week (18-22 March).

Two recent articles in Inside Housing have highlighted potential difficulties around access to digital skills and connectivity that could jeopardise the success of the Universal Credit system. The government wants the system to be ‘digital by default’, with claimants managing their payments online. If you want to see what you could be claiming or how your payments might be affected by Welfare reform Bristol’s new online housing/council tax benefit calculator is now online. The calculator offers help and advice to customers regarding current entitlement and will also advise customers of other benefits they may not be claiming.  It also features a Welfare Reform calculator that will help check if customers are going to be affected by under-occupation or the Benefit Cap;

Standard entitlement calculator

Welfare Reform calculator

Findings from 3 early Scottish Welfare reform pilots have indicated that broadband blackspots and low internet access rates could be a significant barrier to claimants applying digitally.

In partnership with BT and Citizens Online the City Council are offering free basic IT courses around Bristol for people aged 55 or over and disabled adults and their carers.  You can sign up for these popular courses through our website.

Bristol Switch and Save is a new collective buying scheme, helping Bristol householders and small businesses to save money on their electricity and gas bills. By joining together and negotiating as a group, they aim to get a better deal from the energy market on your behalf.

Bristol Switch and Save is open to any household (or small business on a domestic tariff). They are particularly keen to reach households who haven’t switched energy supplier for some time (if at all), don’t commonly use comparison websites and/or are confused about their options for buying energy. But any household could benefit – and the more people who join in, the greater the buying power on behalf of everyone.

As well as helping people to get a better energy deal, Bristol Switch and Save is also looking to provide a green energy choice and payment options which boost the local economy through the city’s new local currency, the Bristol Pound. Plus there is an opportunity for people to get other related help like energy advice and insulation offers , ethical local banking services and £Bristol accounts.

Bristol Switch and Save is a not-for-profit partnership between Centre for Sustainable Energy, Bristol City Council, Bristol Credit Union & Bristol Pound
Telephone: 0800 082 2234

Email : info@bristolswitchandsave.org.uk

Bristol Switch and Save, CSE, 3 St Peter’s Court, Bedminster Parade, Bristol, BS3 4AQ