Go ON: National Digital Event 2011

Measuring the Well Being of the Nation: The internet makes you happy

UK online centres Report

11 May 2011

Full report at: http://bit.ly/fpC3ma

On 25 Nov 2010 David Cameron commissioned the Office of National Statistics to start measuring the well-being of the nation.

This report examines the impact IT has on well-being.

It draws from UK online centres’ own research, undertaken with research agencies ICM, Ipsos Mori and Freshminds and other reports including the BCS’s ‘Why IT makes you happier’.

The internet makes you happier than money

› The BCS research found that:

‘IT has a direct positive impact on life satisfaction, even when controlling for income and other factors known to be important in determining well-being’

Source: The Information Dividend: Why IT makes you ‘happier’, BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT by Trajectory Partnership, September 2010

96% of UK online centres users say the internet has made their lives better

› When surveyed on the day David Cameron made his announcement about measuring wellbeing, 96% of UK online centre respondents stated that the internet had made their life better in some way.

Source: UK online centres, Quick poll, 25th Nov 2010

Internet and peoples lives

3.00

3.50

4.00

4.50

Self Confidence

Overall happiness

Quality of life

Ease of organising social gatherings

Informed on current affairs

Skills to get a new job

Confidence talking to different people on different subjects

Confidence expressingviews to key

decision makers

Connection to family andfriends who aren't local

Informed on local affairs

Internet user Internet non-user

“Does the internet improve lives?” Freshminds April, 2009

More confident

Happier

Better quality of life

More informed

Comparison of Internet Users and Non Users

Confident of their skills to get a new job

UK online centres users lives – before and after

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

I do not feel concerned about my levels of qualifications ,training or skills

n=75

I do not feel concerned about my work position

n=51

I do not feel concerned aboutmy health

n=75

I felt part of my local community

I communicated as much as I would have liked

with my family

I communicated as muchas I would like to with friends

"Yes" Before "Yes" After

“Does the internet improve lives?” Freshminds April, 2009

Communicate more

Feel more connected to local community

Feel less concernedabout skills, workand health

Comparison before and after using the internet

Women derive social benefits to being online, as they find it easier to maintain social networks

Source: The Information Dividend: Why IT makes you ‘happier’, BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT by Trajectory Partnership, September 2010

Internet users state that easier access to information increases their life satisfaction

Source: UK online centres, Quick poll, 25th Nov 2010

Most happy in first two years getting online

› The biggest uplift in life satisfaction is achieved by people getting online for the first time

› The first couple of years online the difference in improving life satisfaction is most noted

› The BCS research also found the biggest benefit to wellbeing from being online would be achieved by providing access to those on low incomes and with fewest educational qualifications Source: The Information Dividend: Why IT makes

you ‘happier’, BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT by Trajectory Partnership, September 2010

Conclusions

› Access to IT brings benefits to overall wellbeing› And not having access to IT brings a

disadvantage which could lead to lower happiness and wellbeing

› Internet users who would feel at a loss without the internet

› Offline people feel excluded from certain benefits – such as savings and information - by their lack of access

Now read the full report:

at: http://bit.ly/fpC3ma

Thank You

hmilner@ufi.com

Twitter - @helenmilner

www.ukonlinecentres.com

www.slideshare.net/helenmilner