Why Get Box Matters for Retirement Villages and Beyond
Bev* is living in a retirement village in the UK. There is free internet, but it’s very slow (0.1-0.3 mbps), so when she tries to use it, everything loads so slowly that she often gives up. The retirement village does have the option to pay for high speed internet, but it’s £60/month, which she can’t afford.
Fortunately, Bev spoke to AbilityNet, who sourced her a Get Box through their partnership with Jangala. Using the Get Box, she was able to watch her nephew’s wedding in Jamaica on WhatsApp. Thanks to a free source of internet, even though she wasn’t well enough to travel, she could be part of his special day.
Bev is one of many people AbilityNet work with; mostly people with disabilities and over 65s. So far, AbilityNet have loaned out 300 Get Boxes, getting around 350 people online. Most are struggling with affordability, finding that the internet is too expensive. Often people over 65 are not claiming pension credit, and so aren’t eligible for social tariffs.
“It’s particularly important for people in that retirement village to be online, so they can be part of the 21st century.”
AbilityNet has also found that Get Box is a low barrier to access. Instead of eligibility criteria that are needed for social tariffs, local organisations can help people get online quickly. It helps remove barriers where stigma prevents people seeking help.
“Sometimes people are actually quite embarrassed to go and say, well actually I’m on benefits. They don't want their friends and family to know.”
For younger users, especially those with learning disabilities, the internet gives people the freedom to be active online. Some people are using Get Box to take part in activities that they might not be able to travel for at a support centre, such as online games and socialising.
“That’s the difference you’re making in people’s lives by giving them internet. It gives people meaning in life almost, because they’re able to do so much.”
Like many Jangala partners, AbilityNet gives devices (such as laptops) alongside the Get Boxes. Pairing a device with internet access makes the device more meaningful, and helps engage people especially those who’ve not been online before.
“If you give someone a device and you don’t give them internet, it’s like giving them a car without a key. And with Jangala’s Get Boxes, we’ve been able to do both.”
For people where there’s no internet connection, a Get Box can be a way to connect to the outside world, tackling isolation and giving people a chance to participate in modern life.