Summary

We have suggested that benefits for residents and housing associations might come in three areas: delivery of online services, community development and social inclusion, and personal learning and work opportunities. However:

• In order to deliver the different Internet benefits for individuals and organisations - see below - different Internet tools (email, web - and more) will be needed.

• Achieving the benefits requires far more than access and equipment - it may involve training, support, development and management of content.

• Some benefits can be realised through public or community access, through digital TV or mobile phones. Others require home access to Internet-enabled computers.

The planning tools offer ways of focussing on specific benefits to be achieved, and then choosing appropriate Internet tools.

Types of benefits

The type of specific benefit achieved by the use of ICTs by individuals, groups and non-profit organisations usually falls within the four categories below. For a more substantial discussion of benefits see http://www.makingthenetwork.org/tools/bene.htm. In summary:

• Information: finding information by searching the web and online forums, participating in forums and email discussion lists, receiving email newsletters, using portal sites.

• Communication and collaboration. One-to-one, one-to-many, and many-to-many forms of communication by email and other tools can be used to exchange information and also work together.

• Visibility. The web and email can provide even small organisations and individuals with a substantial presence and increased influence. This may be through creation of a website, but also through participation in online forums.

• Managing efficiently. Email, group working tools and the web can all be used by individuals and organisations to improve the way they do things.

How these benefits may operate for residents and housing associations - and the barriers to achieving them - is explored here under balancing benefits and barriers >.

Achieving the benefits

Net tools like email and web can only be brought into play when a number of other things are in place, either within the home or office.

• Appropriate infrastructure - the pipes and boxes. This may be the public Internet or specific local systems using wireless or cable.

• Equipment: the computers or other device must be capable of running the necessary software to deploy the tools. Today's mobile phones handle email, text messages and some web. Most computers bought within the last two years will run or can access the tools listed. Digital TV can be used for web and email, but there are limitations.

• Confidence and competence. Even with the necessary equipment and access many people find computers daunting and a completely new and challenging experience. They will often need training and support.

• Public, community or personal access. Online centres can offer free or lowcost access and equipment for people and the support of staff or other users, and as such are an enormously important bridge to the online world. However, they are not necessarily a substitute for home access if people wish to make extensive use of the Net.

• Content. If landlords and residents are to use the Net for housing-related benefits, they will need to develop new content and services. This may range from putting information currently in print on to the web - perhaps without much benefit - to repairs-reporting, exchanges, community information, discussions, self-publishing.

• Information moderators and managers. While many of the tools can be used on an individual basis, many-to-many communication and collaborative working depends upon someone in the online community having some skills in facilitating interactions. In addition, at the organisational level, information will rapidly become unusable unless there is a management strategy which integrates online with print and other information.

More about specific Internet tools >