Full-time Report

What is ONSIDE?

This photograph shows a group of six women laughing and looking at each other. These women were participants and peer volunteers in the project and most were meeting each other for the first time having only met on-line. Also in the photograph is Elaine Roub Peer Advocate Co-ordinator.

ONSIDE volunteers and participants.

The Outreach and Navigation for Social Inclusion and Digital Engagement (ONSIDE) project had the main aim of improving the health and wellbeing of disabled people in Northern Ireland and border regions by addressing the social isolation often experienced by disabled people.

Evidence shows that positive relationships and shared activities help to improve overall health and wellbeing, but also that physical and systemic barriers and negative attitudes towards disability can exacerbate loneliness and social isolation.

The ethos of the project was to enable and empower people with disabilities to take control of their social connections and become active in their local and online communities.

ONSIDE was designed to engage a total of 2,410 participants in an online training programme. This included volunteers who were also offered training and co-production participants. Those who decided to become involved were issued with a computer tablet, if required, to enable them to engage in a variety of online activities and training.

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