20 Digital Inclusion Wales: 2008 Conference Report
Question and Answer:
Session Two continued
Communities @One projects. Nick Batey added “don’t strategic barrier is around how we
Can we set up a network or club underestimate the expertise that communicate to stakeholders that
to meet on a more regular basis exists in Wales to project work we’re generating benefits and how
to share best practice?” across Europe… Wales is well in are those benefits realised?” Gail
advance in terms of thinking. The then drew on a series of statistics:
Alun Burge opened the panel’s issue is ‘how do we take that
response by saying that such practice and get it replicated
• The ‘silver pound’ – for every
work is ongoing with a number across Europe’… we can make
single older person online
of networks being set up by Wales more visible on a European
there’s a contribution of £229
Communities @One Brokers stage. On the website
to the UK’s GDP, but if an older
person goes into social care it
costs ‘the country’ a minimum
>People are equally happy to engage
£500 per month.
and learn in a way that they would not
• Intergenerational work reduces
fear of crime, helping the
with standard literacy and numeracy police.
• For older people that stay in
as part of their ‘digital legacies’. www.epractice.eu there is a best
work, it saves the country
Meetings of Communities @One practice exchange.”
£9000 per year.
projects are already taking place
in North-West and South-West Gail Bradbrook said it was
Gail cited these as figures that
Wales. Alun added that he had important to share practice, peer
“lead to the fact that if you’re
discussed with Basil Davidson of support helps and it’s important for
engaging with older people and
the Department of Finance and Brokers to help develop this. Gail
making them happy, you’re saving
Personnel in the Northern Ireland added “it’s less about money, more
money... however, it’s tricky to
Executive the idea of a platform about value added; the social
measure and communicate those
to link projects in Wales. justice and economic agendas are
outcomes. I’m optimistic though,
not separable. The problem or
as our colleagues in Europe are
working on this.”