Project SIESTA: Final Report: Evaluation and Planning for the Future


What they said	SIESTA Task groups	Looking to the future

"The Internet is a maze without training. SIESTA has made it more accessible. Also the Federation does excellent work and has been the only co-ordinated network of information providers in East Sussex for many years. It has supported workers and their clients and needs a dedicated support worker to draw everything together" Margaret Ross Care for the Carers "Thanks for the seminar on 17 May. I attended to try and clear the complete fog I am in around it and it went some way to doing that's a [parish] councillor who I accompanied on the seminar is very involved in the networking concept and maybe will be contacting the SIESTA project, or at least continue in his endeavours to educate us in using it!' A parish clerk "We certainly support the use of the internet to help resolve communications issues but it is only part of the solution, albeit a very important one which will become more useful and used as time progresses" Janice Hoed Wealden Federation of Voluntary Organisations "Just to say that the SIESTA project - which I was dubious about originally - really has helped a lot of people in the community who wouldn't normally get the chance - I personally know of several who are full of praise" Nan Hacking SRCC Volunteer Support Worker	In order to deliver the project in a coherent way it was agreed to use specific task groups to oversee each element of the project. These groups were mirrored on the internet by using e-mail discussion areas and archived on the eSussex web site. The task groups were: access points equipment communication platform training database development The SIESTA Partnership Board oversaw progress and advised on alternative actions should problems arise. Achievements The Delivery Plan as envisaged at the start of the project has broadly been achieved. The project has been publicised widely through five SIESTA Newsletters sent out to a mailing list of over 800 groups and five online newsletters to 40+ individuals registered with sussex-news@egroups.com - to register just enter your e-mail address on the eSussex homepage. SIESTA partners have promoted the project through their own newsletters, some of which can be viewed on the website, and through other channels to the community sector across the county. Lessons learned Some task groups worked better than others depending on their need to discuss and agree tasks. By using eGroups to share information geographical distance could be overcome but some task groups still found the need to meet up to agree actions. The use of e-mail in the development of the project has been central - one result of which meant less need for a traditional administrator to arrange meetings and write up notes, as these can be done quickly and effectively on the web. The involvement of community based partners and supporters has helped spread the message about the SIESTA project in a very short space of time. There is a lot more development work waiting to be carried out if funding can be found.	As with all things to do with technology as soon as a system is in place it is out of date. Through the SIESTA project it has been possible to help some groups get a first step onto the internet ladder. If they find that it proves to be a useful tool in their work they may then find the funds to upgrade to new and better systems. Funding is being sought to provide more support packages to groups through the New Opportunities Fund and NLCB. With the involvement of Sussex Community Internet Project and BT in the project SIESTA has been able to draw on the cutting edge end of developments in this field. BT in particular has shared some useful lessons from trials they have been carrying out with TV set-top internet boxes which could prove a cheaper and easier way to surf the web. Their work inSuffolk showed how easily people adapted to the technology and engaged in online discussion and ideas sharing. Developments in data sharing and database publishing on the web is just getting going under SIESTA. This has been a long standing problem for groups trying to keep themselves up to date with who does what and there has been a chance to explore some of the practical issues involved along with the implications of the new Data Protection Act. The SIESTA Partnership Board has provided a mechanism over the last 18 months for all parties concerned with the provision and sharing of information to speak and work together. To maintain this at least until the results of funding bids are known a steering group will continue to meet to oversee developments to the eSussex site and explore sustainability. To support these developments, contact: Shirley Cordingly East Sussex County Council 01273 482548 info@eSussex.org.uk