DigiKnow puts out call for volunteers to support Stockport residents with digital skills

For over two years, Stockport’s ‘DigiKnow’ Alliance has been helping digitally excluded residents to gain digital skills and confidence through regular face to face sessions with Digital Champion volunteers.

Since the lockdown, the organisation has adapted the ways it supports people, re-training Digital Champions to deliver sessions via Zoom and introducing a new DigiKnow Helpline for telephone support, but DigiKnow needs more volunteers.

DigiKnow has also been working hard to provide devices and data for those residents who don’t have the means to access the internet. Through a combination of projects supported by the Department for Education, the DevicesDotNow scheme and Stockport Council funds, it has already distributed several hundred devices to Stockport residents in need. A further award has also been made by Stockport Local Fund: Community Support to fund a digital device lending library.

Councillor Kate Butler, Cabinet Member for Citizen Focus and Engagement says

We are continuing to do all we can to help?our?residents benefit from the internet, by increasing access to devices and connectivity and introducing new methods of delivering digital skills support. Whether to complete school work, order shopping online, find information or maintain your social connections, digital skills are essential.

“We couldn’t do this without the help of our community partners and volunteer Digital Champions who have been working hard to adapt their ways of working during the Coronavirus pandemic. We’re looking for more volunteer Digital Champions to be trained to help people get online. If you could spare some time to help people, please call our DigiKnow Helpline.”

To volunteer as a Digital Champion you only need basic digital skills as there’s video training to teach you ways to support learners. Many of our volunteers find it rewarding, such as Paddy McDonald, who says:

You get a kick out of teaching them and they get a kick out of learning. It works both ways. You feel so good at the end of it when someone’s learnt something. Everybody can learn, can’t they? It’s just a matter of getting the right help.”

You can read more of his story on our DigiKnow web pages.

If you could volunteer some time to help people develop digital skills by phone or video call, please call the DigiKnow Helpline on 07537 127095.