Digital Kent partners with the Positive Wellbeing service
Digital Kent has partnered with Positive Wellbeing, a service by Kent County Council aimed at supporting and connecting members of the community who may be isolated. Positive Wellbeing aims to combat social isolation by helping residents to connect and find purpose with their 'person-centred' approach. The service provides up to 12 weeks of one-to-one support, helping to improve wellbeing, increase confidence, support with getting involved in the community, participate in new activities and connect with services and people around.
It aims to help residents to create an action plan to integrate into their every day routines, with community connectors that have been trained and continually supported to identify people in the community in need, providing them the tools they need to reconnect with the world around them. Connectors are able to come into their homes, providing a tailored service to empower the isolated and support them in their journeys. There is no age limit on those that can receive this support, only that they are lonely or socially isolated, and each individual is assessed on what their needs are.
Digital Kent has always centred individuals, with a holistic approach built into our foundations. Our digital strategy is underpinned by the acronym TECH, creating an approach that is: Tailored, Empowered, Cohesive and Holistic. While we focus on digital exclusion, that is often only a small part of a person's story. Digital exclusion can be exacerbated by a huge range of factors: if they are socially isolated, then they are unlikely to have anyone to talk to when a tech problem arises. They may not have the confidence to learn or step outside their comfort zone, may feel embarrassed in their struggles, they may have physical or mental struggles and not know how to work with those limitations.
Isolation can also be exacerbated by being digitally excluded, as it becomes much harder to find those groups and people within your community to connect with. Particularly following the COVID pandemic, many people were left behind, and technology can be a great route to supporting confidence and connection with the community. We aim to look at all aspects of a person's life, to help make technology work for what they need, and connect them with services like Positive Wellbeing that can help with those underlying feelings of isolation.
Contact them directly on 03000 422 065 (10am to 3pm, Monday to Friday).
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