During July, August & September we willhelping 10 selected isolated residents access the internet for the first time. We have been granted 10 android tablets with data and will be donating these alongside 1 to 1 support from some local ‘Tech Buddies’ who will help them to browse the internet, use video messaging and access email.
They will be shown a range of local activities they can access and be supported to experience the Crystal Palace festival is it goes online.
We will also be looking for a cohort of ‘Tech Buddies’ to exclusively spend time with residents during the Crystal Palace Festival and help them experience an oine festival for the first time.
Please read the descriptions below and if interested fill out an application form here.
We will be running introduction/ induction sessions within the next week
Tech Buddy
We are looking for a team of Tech Buddies to help our selected senior residents over the summer.
You will help them to learn how to use their donated Android tablet, access a range of online classes and groups they may be interested in and support them to access the Crystal Palace Festival online during the weekend of 15th / 16th August.
You do not need to be whizz with Tech!Being comfortable with a tablet or a willingness to learn on the fly with others is key, as is patience and having a sense of humour.
You will be asked to
Set up the tablet to specification (support is provided if needed)
Deliver the tablet and take a resident through a basic guide and some ‘how tos’
Spend up to 6 weekly sessions with a resident to help learn how to use selected apps
Signpost to selected activities and events online
Support the resident to access the Crystal Palace Festival (and maybe even participate!)
Support to resident to be interviewed either by the Upper Norwood Library Hub or Crystal Palace Festival
Support resident to attend a celebration event at the Upper Norwood Library Hub in September (Pending government guidelines)
Ensure media consent forms are signed and case study recorded (if resident is willing)
This project will run through July and August.
Time commitments per supported resident
1-2 hours induction
1 hour tablet set up
6-8 hours 1 to 1 time between now and end of August
1-2 hours in September for celebration event
Crystal Palace Tech Buddy
We hope to provide support for isolated residents and those living in sheltered or assisted living accommodation to experience the Crystal Palace Festival online this year.
This may be helping to set up or tech or sitting with someone during part of the festival. We do have some tech which we will be able to loan on the day, but if you had a laptop or tablet you could use we could help more people access this unique event.
This could be a residents house, garden or in a communal area
Over the last few months we have been working hard to expand our partnership work across Croydon, Lambeth and Southwark. It has been exciting to be involved is a variety of conversations with small charities, national organisation and house association alike and exploring ways in which the so-called digital divide can be crossed.
What is clear is that any considerable improvement or change requires hard work at a local level and a building of trust – key components in all the classes, workshops and 1 to 1 support we provide.
We are partnering with HomesForLambeth to run a pilot for some of their most isolated residents. Each will be loaned an iPAD and a series of 12 online support sessions to help them with the basics of using the equipment, searching for information online, making video calls and accessing other community classes and groups via Zoom.
We are calling these sessions “Digital Horizons” and will run a similar program more locally in Crystal Palace with e group of residents who have been granted Lenovo tablets.
It will be interesting to compare and then share the results of each.
Thanks to Southwark Council and Community Southwark we have recently received support to extend our community 1 to 1 tech support into the borough and we will be working closely with Kingswood Community Shop and Paxton Green Timebank to help some of their beneficiaries.
We are also excited about the prospect of taking our work to Loughborough Estate and extending our support to that part of Lambeth courtesy of Brixton Energy.
Finally, we have set up an account with TrustPilot to handle reviews of classes and workshops. A big thank you to those who have contributed and these can be seen here.
We’d appreciate more reviews so click here if you’d like to add one.
These will be distributed to 10 residents who fit the following criteria:
either self-isolated or classified as ‘vulnerable’,
have no internet access or means to acquire it
over 70 or on low-income
limited local social support
Each resident will participate in a short learning program designed to help then become more independent using things like video calls and searching for information. They will receive some 1 to 1 support to orientate themselves and be signed up to a self-learning program (LearnMyWay).
They will be supported to either watch or participate in the Crystal Palace Festival Online and agree to be interviewed about their experience during lockdown and what they have learned as part of the Audio time capsule project All Alone Together.
The device will be theirs to keep, but will be encouraged to participate in classes at the library either online and when the library re-opens with a tablet oriented digital inclusion class.
We have already identified a few people but have a few places left, so would like to encourage people to put their thinking caps on to see if there is anyone in their vicinity who would be eligible, and if so to contact me directly as we only have this week to get ‘bums on seats’!
Secondly, we are also looking for a couple of volunteers to become ‘buddies’ to these residents perhaps help distribute the devices, help someone to one support, on the phone or doorstep and help them practice video calling
Last week we ran our first Zoom. Learning the basics for Adults with Learning Disabilities or Autism class where we focused on navigating the Zoom interface, some tips for conducting yourself online and we had a little tour of some other classes and social groups using Zoom aimed at adults with an SlPD.
We are running this again this Thursdayand would encourage you to sign up early.
Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or need help getting Zoom.
Our Digital Skills for Seniors class reached a pinnacle of 14 people as we stated the first of a series of sessions focusing on social media. We have focused on Facebook the last couple of weeks and have spend time looking at local and interest groups, privacy settings and how to find someone.
It’s interesting discussing everyone’s point of view, and even seeing some changes as we ‘look under the bonnet’, and for some, show Facebook for the first time.
Finally, we are involved in a new project with the Upper Norwood Library Hub called All Alone, Together. Its an Arts Council Funded project which will see the development of a series of audio time capsules capturing the memories, thoughts and opinions of local residents during lock down.
If you are interested in taking part, then please complete the community survey here.
We’ve been working closely with other local charities to see how best we can help to get people online and to see some of the benefits this can bring. This partnership work is as central to what we do alongside our classes and One-to-One service.
Hope all is well with you. Its been a busy week and we were excited mark the fact we have helped over 100 people get connected online during lock down.
Our friends at #croydondigital published this article explaining our journey.
Following the positive response to our ‘hands on’ Zoom classes we have decided to extend the session and on the 18th and 25th June we have dedicated sessions for “Learning Disabilities or Autism“.
These are design to be fun and informative and to connect people with the valuable support and social groups they need.
We will also provide 1 to 1 assistance for need help downloading and installing Zoom ahead of the class.
2 new dates for the “Learning and practicing the basics” class have been set, so if you missed out n these first time around OR you have more questions then you can book you place here.
