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Submitted by Mike Grenville on Fri, 29 Aug 2003 15:55 |
A Scottish local authority is using text messaging to spread information on a range of services as it has realised that a high percentage of people living in disadvantaged areas have mobile phones, while the Internet usage in disadvantaged households is comparatively lower.
Over the next six months a pilot in Renfrewshire (on the edge of Glasgow), is to use text messages to communicate with a variety of groups in the community. The project includes:
- interaction with the deaf community,
- information to young carers,
- promoting events at Paisley Arts Centre,
- contacting members of the Young Tenants Forum,
- arranging housing management inspections from the Paisley neighbourhood office.
"This is an innovative approach which we hope will bring people information in a way they will find easy and informative," said Councillor Mark Macmillan, Renfrewshire Council's spokesperson on Modernising Government issues. "Initially, we've targeted specific groups of users, such as young people or people with a hearing disability who will benefit most or be most likely to pick up on a text message service. In the longer term, we hope to use the experience gained to develop message services for more people."
The text messaging scheme has been launched as part of the Council's 'Reaching Renfrewshire' strategy which aims to use information technology to improve access to Council services.
Renfrewshire Council is working with Justfone and BT to deliver the text messaging service. Apart from being able to quickly target particular groups of customers, the Council believes that the service will also offer a relatively cheap way of communicating, potentially generate income, for example through people buying tickets to arts events, and also promote social inclusion.
The pilot will be evaluated in two ways. One approach will assess its effect on services, such as whether it increases attendance at meetings and art centre events, and time saved in administration. The other will involve evaluating the response from the participants at the end of the pilot. In the longer term, the Council hope to use the experience gained to develop message services for more people.
www.renfrewshire.gov.uk
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