What could AI mean to you? Digital Awareness Online discussion

What could AI mean to you? Digital Awareness Online discussion

Sep 23, 2023

We have resumed our Digital Awareness Online Programme with a new set of subjects to help us see a little into the future of Emerging Technology.

Last time we explored using Bard or ChatGPT as a tool to help us to gather information or help us to create templates for important letters so that the internet is less overwhelming, this time we will touch upon used within a care setting as well as some of the ethics around it.

Our aim is to introduce these subjects in a way we can all understand and feel part of the changes around us.

We have been asked to participate in this event on the 30th September, and are keen to get some thoughts and opinions from the group to take there and represent.

If you are interested in joining the debate, then please sign up here. If you are already a member of the group then you will be send a reminder as usual with the link.

Digital Drop-In schedule for Autumn is announced with 2 new venues

Digital Drop-In schedule for Autumn is announced with 2 new venues

Sep 23, 2023

Summer seems to have flown by and now we are back and ready for the Autumn ahead. We have an expanded schedule of Digital Drop-Ins; our friendly and informal spaces for local people to get help with the laptops, mobile phones or tablets.

We ensure our sessions are friendly, inviting and a place where you can ask questions about the things you are unsure about. You can also use these spaces to practice or work on self-learning with the support of our team.

We can also signpost you to other courses, workshops and support we can provide

With the exception of half term (23rd – 27th October) they run each week, are free to attend and no booking is required.

We are now working in 2 new venues in Norbury and East Dulwich

See our full schedule here

Hope to see you there

Engagement is Key!

Engagement is Key!

Jul 23, 2023

When we were starting out, someone once said to me that older people weren’t interested in technology, well I’m glad I didnt listen!

The pictures you see are but 2 of 16 different sessions we ran last week – a quiet week as we are already seeing people starting to peel off before the Summer.

Our programme consists of a range of Digital Drops-Ins, Workshops, Online Services Support, Community Learning courses and our online Digital Awareness social group. We also provide critical support in the home and dedicated work with disabled residents and others with access needs.

We directly helped over 500 local residents on 2022, across a mere 5 square miles in South London. Its only July and we have already exceeded this figure demonstrating both the need and the role the voluntary sector already plays in this area.

This is no surprise to us working on the ground but to broker trust, build confidence and provide access to services to the communities least able to or furthest away then you have to go out there.

Our work demonstrates, over and above anything else, that engagement is key and with engagement you can spark motivation and build confidence.

When reading reports such as the recent one written by the Communications and Digital Committee on digital exclusion and the findings from GetOnLineLondon and in Greater Manchester we must remember that an equal component in change is from within ourselves – and for that we must have a reason to engage, to learn and we must build upon quick wins we can do for ourselves.

If we feel coerced or that all this digital stuff is for someone else’s benefit or cost savings its no surprise there is resistance. When ‘technologies’ such as Test and Trace or the Emergency Alert are rolled out with poor communication or do not work its even harder to bridge this gap.

If people are ‘going digital’ for the first time at the point if crisis it should be no surprise that passwords get lost, vouchers are not claimed or that claim appeals go in late to the DWP.

The community building and outreach work we do is so crucial is helping to understand places, space and people, from here we have fighting chance of helping change happen.

Draw upon the specialism of the voluntary sector to deepen digital inclusion

Draw upon the specialism of the voluntary sector to deepen digital inclusion

Jul 19, 2023

Schemes such as #GetOnlineLondon are a great resource to draw on if they can make access to devices easier and keep awareness in the public eye. However. it decorates a mere wall within the House of Digital Inclusion.

The work of the VCS on the ground, brokering the relationships, building trust and delivering when other projects come to an end (and the shiny tinsel falls from the tree) must both be recognised for the tireless energy piecing things together and, importantly, for the insight gained during and post lockdown.

The rich pool of specialism they provide should be informing the next phase of any London-wide (if not nation-wide) resource or asset. Our experience of working with ‘Big Name’ organizations during lockdown was often one of incomplete delivery and difficult processes.

The stories of donations were great but often the cost of these (in terms of the operation, the setting up and the sending back of items) was higher than if we can funded the data and devices ourselves.

Lessons had to be learned and continue so.

For me it’s a missed opportunity that the VCS leaders throughout COVID in London are not instrumental in the set up, and distribution side of Get Online London. The insights gained by organizations such as Community Tech Aid, CatBytes and Power2Connect could and should be harnessed to make the acquisition, set up and distribution of devices effective and hyper-locally relevant.

These are the types of organization that will fulfil referrals or set up an inappropriate device when the larger schemes can deliver on the ground.

Speak to organizations such as Millennium about how to ignite hordes of younger people hungry to learn coding and inspire the generations moving forward and to learn from hyper specialists such as Paul Clayton and Alex Barker about assistive technology, appropriate device set up and independence for disabled residents.

This is not a grumble, but just a reminder to everyone that there isn’t an end point here, we must and can learn, share and develop from each other – but to do so we must do so!

Have you seen our new Impact Videos?

Have you seen our new Impact Videos?

Jul 19, 2023

We were shadowed for 2 days by The Good Things Foundation; creating footage as part of their Get Online London scheme with LOTI.

A pleasure to be asked, but even more so to see and hear the wonderful stories from the people we work with and the volunteers on the ground.

In 2022, we directly worked with over 500 people across our various programmes. This is within a 5 square mile area of London.

A true testimony to the team making this happen but a clear demonstration of the demand as we have exceeded these figures already for 2023.

We are already pivoting and transforming our delivery to meet this demand, which is both tough and rewarding