Apr 26, 2025
Omo, our Digital Ambassador based at Age UK Croydon facilitated the first of 2 focus groups today.
She wanted to explore the impact our Digital Drop-Ins have in helping people feel more connected to their computer on top of the digital skills and confidence they build.
With the groups we have supported residents to publish a book, set up a knitting group and apply for funding, as well a WhatsApp self-support group in a local sheltered housing scheme.
Most importantly encourage residents to support each other through peer skills sharing and empathy through listening.
Cant wait for the full impact report!
Apr 26, 2025
Earlier in the year we met with our Digital Ambassadors to celebrate the halfway point through their placement to share experiences, challenges and to hear about the individual projects they have been working on.
Our approach has been to marry a combination of working within the community alongside a personal project which helps to achieve a real business goal.
By assigning them each to one of our sessions they have had the opportunity to help digital excluded residents to build confidence or troubleshoot problems for themselves.
They have become been regular and welcoming presence, allowing them to also take ownership of the space.
We shared success stories about helping residents to download an app to scan thus saving a time and money, to learning how to safely remove usb sticks and run updates.
We also shared a story about how one resident was reassured that just because something wasn’t correctly doesn’t mean it was their fault!
Without exception, all of our current intake of Digital Ambassadors have thrived by sitting listening and helping others. The strength and impact by working intergenerationally cannot be underestimated.
Cant wait for the next update!!!!
Apr 5, 2025
Coming into Easter we have a few places left on our 6 – week courses at both Anerley Town Hall (Laptop Self-Care) and Thornton Heath Library (Getting more from Google).
In Laptop Self-Care will learn how to access your settings, run updates and ensure you have a working antivirus whilst with Getting more from Google you get to understand what a Google Account is and how to access the various different apps and services available.
Both help you fill in important gaps in knowledge and help you build confidence to use your laptop or the internet more confidently.
We’ve also extended our Being Safer Online dates at both Woodside Baptist Church and Orpington Methodist Church as well as announcing 4 new dates at Waterloo Action Centre.
These workshops help to understand the fundamentals of keeping your mobile phone safe and how to be more secure and confident in using the internet.
Importantly our Digital Drop-Ins and Online Services Support sessions pause for the week of the 14th-18th April for an Easter break.
See you at one of our sessions
Feb 28, 2025
Well, we didn’t expect this!
On Monday, we hosted our Digital Horizons event to launch our new Digital Hub in Orpington.
We’ve been working there since November and getting to know the community. We now run Digital Drop-Ins every Monday as well as regular workshops to help people be safer online or use their mobile phone better.
We have developed a wonderful relationship with the primary care network and local GP practices and recently registered the project with the Good Things Foundation so we can also add sim distribution and access to devices to the offer – so what better time for a party!
We lined up a range of speakers from the local council, trading standards, NHS, Digital Unite alongside our team members, invited local partners to come and mingle and meet with the community including Age UK Bromley & Greenwich, Bromley Mencap, SEL Mind, Bromley Well, Citizens Advice Bromley, Home Instead, Bromley Experts by Experience and the Rotary Orpington District E-Club.
Throw in some refreshments and a raffle for a donated smart phone and Chromebook (Thank you Good Things!) we expected around 35 but were cautiously nervous as, let’s face it, it wasn’t the best of weather.
At about 1.45 I was called to the front entrance to support a wheelchair user who couldn’t get through the front door and saw a long queue going right round the block.
Wowsers!
I’d been happy with 20 people to be honest but didn’t expect the 200 that showed. What an amazing turnout and a huge thank you to all involved, especially the Rotary Orpington District E-Club who miraculously fed and watered everyone and, most importantly, made them feel welcome.
We are still recovering from this, but it does demonstrate that our approach of combining digital connectivity with social connections, sharing problems or challenges and peer support is a way of bringing along those at the sharper end of Digital Exclusion and having meaningful fun along the way.
