Not everyone has a computer - 9 more ways to learn about the Melksham Campus
Archive - Originally posted on "The Horse's Mouth" - 2012-06-03 10:21:40 - Graham Ellis
"Not everyone has a computer" ... written, by hand, on a notice about the Melksham Campus which gave the URL of the website as a source of further information.
I agree - "not everyone has a computer" - and indeed the hard-to-reach groups that the town needs to engage as they move forward and change things for the future are the very groups of people who might not have a computer. But - hang on a minute - there are lots of ways of getting in touch with the people in the town (such as myself and other members of the SCOB) and of reading about what we're doing which don't depend on owning your own computer.
1. If you don't have your own computer, there's free access to computers and the Internet in Melksham Library
2. If you're not confident in using a computer, Wiltshire's Digital Champions scheme can help you with that - and use computers at your home, at the library, or at another public access point such as Well House Manor where you're welcome to use the internet and our computers for free, provided you buy at least a cup of tea or coffee.
3. If you can't get out of your home / go to the library, your relatives / friends / care and support team will be able to help you.
And you don't need to use a computer at all, anyway
4. Notices are posted up from time to time at the points where people congregage at wait - places like the library, doctors' surgeries, and at the council facilities already used by people / groups who will become customers of the campus.
5. There are updates in many issues of the Melksham Independent News, which is distributed free to almost every household in the Melksham area. And copies are available at facilities such as Christie Miller, where they can be picked up by council facility users who don't get copies at home
6. Updates are regularly submitted to the Wiltshire Times, and often published there; this newspaper is available over a wider area than the Melksham Independent News, although (as you have to opt to buy it), it has far lower circulation in Melksham itself.
7. The very sign that was graffitied with "not everyone has a computer" also has a phone number on it that you can call. Now, I appreciate that not everyone has a phone ... ;-)
8. All members of the SCOB are listed by name on the same sign, and all welcome contacts / inputs / comments. We're listening and learning and hopefully making good decisions - currently we're talking design principles as we get towards the end of meeting user groups / potential user groups, hearing their requirements and hopes, and also reviewing all (and I mean all) of the suggestions made at consultation. Addresses / phone numbers of each person are not on the sign, but we should be easy to find. My contact details will be on the banner on this post (and printout if it's printed), for starters.
9. There are updates (and experts you can talk with) at Area Board meetings - the next one is next Wednesday. A member of the SCOB is at seniors meetings. At Chamber of Commerce Meetings. At Community Area Partnership events ...
There's a limit to the options and opportunities we should and can provide, and I think we've got about the right balance. We could end up spending all our time communicating and consulting, to the extent that our real work on the new campus got diluted and sidetracked, the project delayed, the end result not as good for Melksham as it should be (or all of these).
I know a gentleman (from another town) who - on principle - won't use the Internet. In another role, I need to keep him informed on certain issues. Frankly, I'm less than pleased at having to spend my extra time and money in meeting his principles.
I think the SCOB should have routes available and open for talking with everyone. And I think it has already I don't think we should start adding in more communication routes to the 10 mentioned already in this article, diluting our work and burning into our budget for people who won't use any of the already-good range of options. But we're not blinkered about this - if you are Mr / Mrs "not everyone has a computer", and none of the other options can be used for some reason, please get a message to us and we'll make arrangements to ensure you are informed.