Trends and Friends: Access, use and benefits of digital technology for homeless and ex-homeless people
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6. LEISURE, ENTERTAINMENT<br />
AND PERSONAL INTERESTS<br />
• ‘[Leisure <strong>and</strong> entertainment is] very important- it is how I engage with the world as it is<br />
comparatively cheap compared to accessing these thing in reality- <strong>for</strong> <strong>ex</strong>ample, buying a<br />
magazine is the same price as a tube fare so I would usually not but I can read online<br />
<strong>for</strong> free.’ 65<br />
Summary<br />
Leisure, entertainment <strong>and</strong> pursuing hobbies <strong>and</strong> interests was the second most common<br />
<strong>use</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>digital</strong> <strong>technology</strong>, <strong>and</strong> was highly valued by respondents. For the most part this took<br />
the <strong>for</strong>m <strong>of</strong> watching TV, films <strong>and</strong> music online, but also included online <strong>and</strong> <strong>of</strong>fline gaming,<br />
keeping up with magazines, gossip <strong>and</strong> blogs, <strong>and</strong> researching things <strong>of</strong> interest. People had<br />
a wide range <strong>of</strong> interests that they pursued <strong>and</strong> researched online, primarily through reading<br />
about things that interest them – such as werewolves, ghosts, history <strong>and</strong> crime – although a<br />
few kept up with, <strong>and</strong> contributed to, discussion on popular topics such as fashion. A h<strong>and</strong>ful<br />
developed their skills online or worked to turn their interest into a marketable skill. Our<br />
respondents were notably less likely to <strong>use</strong> the internet <strong>for</strong> shopping or banking; perhaps they<br />
don’t do as much <strong>of</strong> either whether online or <strong>of</strong>fline as the general population.<br />
Entertainment <strong>and</strong> leisure was the n<strong>ex</strong>t most popular <strong>use</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>digital</strong> <strong>technology</strong> compared<br />
to keeping in touch with family <strong>and</strong> friends. This includes activities such as watching or<br />
streaming music, TV shows, or films online, playing games, looking up in<strong>for</strong>mation relating<br />
to a hobby or interest, or reading magazines <strong>and</strong> blogs online. Of those who answered (113),<br />
67% said they <strong>use</strong>d the internet <strong>for</strong> leisure <strong>and</strong> entertainment (65% <strong>of</strong> under 20s, 47% <strong>of</strong> over<br />
20s). These findings were mirrored in the Groundswell group among whom YouTube was the<br />
second most commonly <strong>use</strong>d site, with 70% <strong>of</strong> those who answered (121) saying they regularly<br />
<strong>use</strong>d it.<br />
65<br />
Female, 18 (Lemos&Crane questionnaire respondent)<br />
36
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