Digital Champions' June Networking Event
The Digital Champions Network has been busy all across Kent since our last update helping to tackle digital exclusion. We have been helping people with their digital skills in all districts, working with partners all over the place, running our second marketing campaign and having our first in-person networking event of the year!
Our Digital Champions have put hundreds of hours into helping Kent residents with their digital skills, working with people one on one to support them with whatever they need - they have been helping residents set up grocery accounts to help save them money, helping job seekers make and use their digital CVs in job applications, supporting GP patients get set up on Patient Access, and much more! We've been working with community groups, job centres, independent living schemes, district councils and more to provide a joined-up approach to supporting digital inclusion efforts across the board.
In the past few months, we also ran an incredibly successful marketing campaign to attract new Digital Champions, particularly in areas where we didn’t have as many volunteers. Over the course of a month, we had over 160 applications to become a Digital Champion, which goes to show that Kent residents understand the problems faced by people who don’t have digital skills and want to help! We had a wide range of ages and backgrounds apply, and applicants brought to the table fluency in nearly 30 languages! As one applicant said:
“I'm passionate about showing people how technology can make their lives better. Digital literacy is essential nowadays, and I think we can help bridge the digital divide by teaching people how to use technology effectively. The Network's mission lines up with my passion, and I'm excited to be a part of their efforts.”
We're so glad to have so many new people join us to help tackle digital exclusion!
We also ran our first in person networking event of the year, to great success! We took a trip down to the Digital Innovation Centre in Folkestone, where our volunteers were offered training in becoming ESTHER Ambassadors. It was a fantastic evening, bringing many of our volunteers together for the first time and allowing them to try out new VR technology and see the work being done to use technology to support the health and care sector. All our volunteers who attended are now ESTHER Ambassadors, pioneering a "person-centred" approach to care and support across Kent.
If you know of anyone who would like to become a Digital Champion, or know someone who could benefit from getting supported by one of our fantastic volunteers, you can find details of how to access support at Digital Champions Network | Digital Kent | Digital Inclusion & Capabilities or call us on 03000 410950
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