Full-time Report
“I feel more confident using the internet. I feel more confident to register for and take part in activities online. It’s a way of connecting with the wider world.”
“It’s helped me with getting used to meeting other people. It was great to have some structure to my day and some social interaction during Covid-19 restrictions.”
“It’s unbelievable the confidence I have built up in myself. I now feel I can say how I feel and what I do and don’t want to do with family.”
ONSIDE Launch
ONSIDE Staff Day
“It has really boosted my confidence a lot. It’s a great feeling to know I can do things online now. I feel more confident to talk in zoom meetings in a group setting now. I’ve started writing things down more to help me remember things now that my confidence in spelling has improved.”
“It has given me a purpose to get out of bed in the morning and really helped me mentally through being in touch with others.”
“I am definitely more confident in trying new things and I feel less isolated.”
“It has made me feel I can do something and helped me overcome the fear of meeting new people. The way it was done over Zoom meant I could take part in my own personal space. I would never have been able to meet in a group face-to-face because of my social anxiety.”
Photography Course
Pilot Digital Training
“It has definitely helped my confidence and has given me a purpose. I can see my life moving in the right direction. In the first class I was hesitant to speak, but as the classes went on, I became more relaxed and talked more in the group. The ONSIDE project has given me more belief in myself.”
“It’s given me confidence that I was lacking. I live alone and it’s great to be able to communicate with others online. I didn’t communicate much with others before ONSIDE. Having the tablet has been a godsend to me and has opened up a new world to me.”
“It’s really improved my confidence and made me feel part of a community. I feel like I am part of something, and I haven’t felt that way for a while. Friendly faces on Zoom really helped me. Having classes gave me something to get up for and look forward to.”
ONSIDE Launch
Enable Ireland Workshop
“It has opened up my world. If I want to find something out, I can look it up and it’s there.”
“It has opened up a world that I couldn’t access otherwise.”
“I feel less alone. My tablet is a companion and I can access people if I need to. I realised that I can learn technology and am keen to do more. The project opened a whole new world and I know that I could make new contacts anywhere.”
“I felt quite worthless before and now I can do lots of things online independently and this has helped a great deal. I can download books and magazines from the Libraries NI app and I can shop online with confidence. I don’t have to rely on my children for help anymore.”
Libraries NI Workshop
Versus Arthritis Workshop
“The actual training was great in that, at a time when we couldn’t go out, it gave us something to look forward to each week and gave a bit of structure. Since the training finished, we have had a group zoom meeting each month. I have also joined family and neighbours on zoom calls and quizzes.”
“I think it has helped my wellbeing. I don’t feel as isolated anymore and it has boosted my confidence. I don’t feel as lost. I feel more a part of something and supported.”