Eyres Monsell & Gillmorton Estates
A multi-neighbourhood trial of participatory behavioural systems mapping to develop new approaches to tackle digital exclusion of people over 60.
About Eyres Monsell & Gillmorton Estates
Eyres Monsell Estate
Population: 11, 155 people.
Age: Residents aged 60+ make up 20.6% overall
Ethnicity: 80.6% of people of White ethnicity, 7.0% of Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African ethnicity, 6.8% of Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh ethnicity and 5.6% are of mixed, multiple or other ethnic groups.
Household composition: 31.9% of households are one person households
Health and wellbeing: In 2021, most residents (82.2%) reported good or very good health while the remaining were in fair (12.7%), bad (5.9%) or very bad health (2%). Fewer (23.5%) residents have a disability and 9% identify as an unpaid carer.
Deprivation: 34.8% of households are deprived in one dimension, 23.3% in two, 9.6% in three or more.
Gilmorton Estate
Population: 1, 388 people.
Age: Residents aged 60+ make up 22.7% overall
Ethnicity: 71.6% of people of White ethnicity, 8.0% of Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African ethnicity, 14.5% of Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh ethnicity and 5.9% are of mixed, multiple or other ethnic groups.
Household composition: 29.6% of households are one person households
Health and wellbeing: In 2021, most residents (79.1%) reported good or very good health while the remaining were in fair (15.1%), bad (4.4%) or very bad health (1.5%). Fewer (19.5%) residents have a disability and 9.8 identify as an unpaid carer.
Deprivation: 37.5% of households are deprived in one dimension, 16.1% in two, 8.1% in three or more.
Digital Inclusion Challenge
Work by the Leicester City Council highlighted a potential challenge for people aged 60+ on Eyres Monsell and Gilmorton estates being able to utilise digital tools and services to meet their daily needs. The Leicester City Council Public Health programme Let’s Get Digital is active across both neighbourhoods and has previously funded community outreach to drive engagement with NHS online, but partner insights and work by the stakeholder group highlighted potential behavioural and attitudinal barriers to for the cohort.
A key part of the engagement for this work was to explore through Behavioural Systems Mapping the Drivers of attitudes including feelings of being too old to learn digital skills and low confidence and skills in using online services for older people. Both neighbourhoods also benefit from established relationships with local third sector partners which are active across the area.
Eynsham Monsell & Gillmarton Estate Behavioural Systems map
Each neighbourhood stakeholder group defined a system objective for their behavioural system map. In Eyres Monsell and Gilmorton, mapping was undertaken to explore gaps in how technology is used, and where low skill levels may be creating barriers:Each neighbourhood stakeholder group defined a system objective for their behavioural system map. In Horn park, a key focus of mapping was to XXX and XXX.
Over the course of four in-person and online workshops stakeholders co-designed a behavioural systems map of digital exclusion:
Mapping highlighted 6 key behavioural clusters:
- Strategy and Influencing: This cluster illustrates the overall direction of digital inclusion efforts in the neighbourhood, but is currently constrained by limited insight flows and competing priorities.
- Accessing Services: This cluster captures how behavioural barriers can translate into disengagement from essential services, reinforcing digital exclusion over time.
- Community Support: This cluster represents the local support infrastructure, which is valued and trusted but faces both capacity and capability challenges.
- Training and Learning: This cluster illustrates the primary mechanisms for building digital capability, but current provision may not fully align with older people’s needs or motivations.
- Devices: This cluster reveals how device access and connectivity are gateways to several parts of the system, but are constrained by affordability, complexity, and knowledge gaps.
- Health and wellbeing: This cluster connects digital inclusion to broader health and wellbeing outcomes, which are presented as both a Driver and an entry point for digital engagement.
“With the clinic’s support, our home has gently transformed into a sanctuary of calm. We now communicate with care and clarity, leaving all past conflicts so far behind.”
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“Through the center’s guidance, our family has slowly grown into a refuge of peace. We speak with warmth and honesty now, letting all former tensions drift away today.”
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“Thanks to the clinic’s care, our space has softly evolved into a place of balance. We communicate with gentle respect now, leaving every old frustration well behind.”
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Geospatial Mapping
Geospatial mapping was undertaken to explore national and local datasets that may help to describe the nature of digital inclusion at the neighbourhood level, and to understand how this may support or conflict with insights from Behavioural Systems Mapping. Geospatial mapping revealed:
- Limited digital skills and confidence of older people.
- Connectivity and infrastructure - weaker broadband.
- Affordability barriers - devices and broadband speed may be limited.
- For some - distance to key assets.
Digital exclusion is driven by a combination of psychological barriers surrounding confidence, anxiety and identity, as well as capability and skills gaps. This together with lack of adequate broadband speeds and fragmented support offer can have significant impact on residents’ digital inclusion levels. Physical distance to assets is of significant presence in parts of the estates. This could link to exclusion from day-to-day tasks and connection opportunities and ultimately digital exclusion.Geospatial mapping was undertaken to explore national and local datasets that may help to describe the nature of digital inclusion at the neighbourhood level, and to understand how this may support or conflict with insights from Behavioural Systems Mapping. Geospatial mapping revealed:
Intervention Blueprints
Behavioural systems mapping was used to generate a set of intervention ideas that were refined through spatial data. Find out more about these in our final report.
Health-Service Entry Points for Digital Skills and Support: health settings are used as trusted, low-barrier entry points into digital inclusion, using GP surgeries, pharmacies, and public health outreach (e.g. at the Pork Pie Library) to introduce older people to digital tools and support.
Intergenerational Digital Skills Exchange Programme a structured, socially embedded digital skills exchange programme, using intergenerational interaction as a way to build confidence, motivation, and sustained engagement.
Digital Inclusion Coordination and Referral System: strengthening of coordination across organisations by establishing clear, consistent, and resident-centred referral pathways into digital skills support, particularly the Let’s get Digital programme.
Conclusion & Next Steps
The trial of behavioural systems mapping was undertaken at a good point in time for the Leicester City Council stakeholder group, where new funding was secured to provide some clarity on the resources and continued skills support in the medium term. This includes the ‘Let’s Get Digital’ programme, with three-years of delivery ahead. There is therefore an excellent opportunity to utilise outcomes of the Behavioural Systems Mapping to inform and shape near-term and future delivery.