Natpoint upholds a charitable legacy to counter old-age loneliness

SPF Connect, a project started by a former charity to provide easy-to-use PCs for Holocaust victims and refugees, is continuing under the leadership of Natpoint.

The London-based IT company has run the project since March 2016 following its creation by Six Point Foundation  a year earlier. Six Point foundation was a time-limited charity that closed in March 2017., Natpoint’s aim is to install up to 450 PCs in the homes of those with little or no PC experience to improve connectivity with family and friends and allow a simple way to access digital services

With 1.2 million older people reported as chronically lonely in the UK, the SPF Connect project makes accessing the internet, email, video calling and content much easier to do. From mid-March, the project has been driven solely by Natpoint and it hopes to take it much further into the aging community.

Michael Glass, CEO of Natpoint, said: “I’m incredibly proud to continue this project. since being appointed by  Six Point Foundation we knew just how empowering the technology could be for users. Now, we hope to expand the membership and tackle the broader issues of loneliness and isolation.”

The benefits of SPF Connect are already being felt across the country with support extending from London to Inverness. So far, it has reached over 200 individuals and 15 care homes.

The software used on the PCs was developed by SeeYouLink Inc. Its Touch & Connect^TM system replaces the traditional Windows user interface with something far more simple and intuitive. Big, clearly visible boxes allow users to choose different ways to stay in touch with others and the world around them.

“Improving usability”, said Richard Brown, Director of SeeYouLink Inc., “is critical to making technology work for our older people. When creating the software, we focused on making an aesthetic user experience that is easy to support. SPF Connect is the perfect project for demonstrating its ability to reconnect our aging communities.”

The SeeYouLink^TM technology is critical to Natpoint’s delivery of SPF Connect and its continued support. IT issues are minimised because users operate within a controlled environment. The SeeYouLink^TM management console enables Natpoint to message all users and allows content changes to be made quickly and efficiently.

Natpoint’s project research shows how use of the SeeYouLink software dramatically increases a user’s confidence to access to more channels of interactivity. For example, an hour’s use in the first week may lead to a user’s first-ever email ; the following week, the same user may not only make use email but make their first ever video call.

The SPF Connect All in One touch screen computers include a large, high-visibility keyboard for individuals with impaired sight and the project takes care of installation, training, internet connection and technical support. It’s all provided free of charge until the end of May 2020.

Ends

Website: www.natpoint.com,http://www.spfconnect.co.uk/

Tel: 020 8951 0050

Email: spf@natpoint.com

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