Newsletter

We’ve had the last week away from our normal sch

We’ve had the last week away from our normal schedule as its been half term. We always use this time to review and reflect with volunteers and staff alongside identifying further training needs.

A perfect time to introduce our updated Volunteer Guidelines and celebrate the work this year.

In 2022 we worked individually with over 500 residents across all of our programmes, a figure we were very proud of demonstrating both the demand and the welcoming residents receive.

Skip forward to 2023 and in the period January-August we worked with 454 individual residents across 1629 visits through 11 Digital Drop-Ins, excluding our workshops. boot camps and community learning courses.

Can’t wait to see the full impact report for the year.

#Fixthedigitaldivide #GetOnlineWeek #Digitalinclusion #DigitalExclusion #DigitalSkills #VolunteerImpact #Volunteering

It was a fantastic opportunity to catch up with on

It was a fantastic opportunity to catch up with one of key supporters Cellnex and the London Community Foundation as part of #GetOnlineWeek and present to staff some of the stories and impact of the work we do.

We spoke alongside PLIAS Resettlement and the Holborn Community Association about how their flexible support has allowed up to build capacity around the ‘human’ side of the digital inclusion narrative , and from our point of view this has allowed us to really focus on providing new work opportunities allowing us to work with more people.

Looking forward to the next catch up

#supportedinternship #workopportunity #digitalskills #employability

After a summer spell of drop-in support and outrea

After a summer spell of drop-in support and outreach workshops at the Tessa Jowell Centre, we have also started our first regular Digital Drop-in alongside Link Age Southwark at the United Reformed Church in East Dulwich.

Every Friday 2pm-4pm we are there to help build confidence with devices as well as to build awareness about the internet. We sit alongside the Friday Warm Hub and have already started to make friends!

We have more things on the horizon, including a programme if health app workshops and volunteer training, so watch this space.

#Southwark #eastdulwich #eastdulwichlife

@linkagesouthwark Link Age Southwark

Are you passionate about developing projects which

Are you passionate about developing projects which cross generations and bring together older people and the youth of Croydon North-West?

Would you like to build relationships, inject some ideas and help other develop new skills?

We are partnering with Reaching Higher to recruit an Intergenerational Lead Youth Worker to build this programme and help to create some change.

You will work closely with local community builders, youth groups, schools and community projects to help understand and address the needs of the locality

This is an exciting new opportunity, so head over to Reaching Higher and download the application pack
(See Link in Bio)

#YouthWork #Intergenerational #WorkOpportunityCroydon #ReachingHigher #ApplyNow #Croydon #ThorntonHeath #youthworker

@reachinghigheruk

We are finally able to extend our digital programm

We are finally able to extend our digital programme to Southwark on an ongoing basis, providing a combination of our Digital Drop-Ins, workshops and courses alongside some very specific resident support.

First up we are working within the fabulous and newly built Appleby Blue Almshouses providing monthly mobile phone boot camps. From the 25th October we go back to the beginning and deep dive into using settings and helping to customize our phone so it works just right for us.

From the 7th November we also kick off our programmer of 6-week courses with our popular Connect Up course which is open to all.

We have also been providing some individual assistance to residents, newly moved, to change utilities, access council services and ensure benefits are all changed to the new address.

Thanks to support from United St Saviours we have been able to make this happen.
#digitalskills #digitalaccess #lifelonglearner #olderpeoplesouthwark #olderpeoplesnetwork

We have been supporting the Age UK #OfflineandOver

We have been supporting the Age UK #OfflineandOverlooked campaign but encouraging signatures without our Digital Drop-Ins.

This campaign highlights that people who aren't online are being locked out of essential services, yet access to public services should be fair for everyone.

Whilst we help people build confidence with technology and provide digital access we are also firm believers that this also be a choice and we lobby against all forms of #DigitalExclusion

Sign Here:
https://campaigns.ageuk.org.uk/page/135031/petition/1?ea.tracking.id=Website

#DigitalAccess #FixtheDigitalDivide

It has been fantastic to continue our work with yo

It has been fantastic to continue our work with younger people over the Summer. We have been providing both Duke of Edinburgh and work placement opportunities working with in our Digital drop-Ins.

We have firmly believed for a while that working within community settings provides a great opportunity to develop the skills necessary to set up and work within spaces safely, practice problem solving and develop social skills.

I've long felt that by structuring the way we do things to provide these opportunities is the route to longevity and sustainability as a local employer

#DukeofEdinburgh #Workplacements #Employability #DigitalInclusion #SkillsforWork

Today we reached a huge milestone at Age UK Croydo

Today we reached a huge milestone at Age UK Croydon. We have been running our Digital Drop-Ins there since the pandemic eased and were the first public activity back at Brigstock Road after lockdown.

Today we literally reached capacity with a grand total of 30 residents supported by peer volunteers eager to learn, to practice and be included within the digital world.

All credit to them and a huge thanks to Age UK Croydon who support the project continually.

#Croydon #DigitalInclusion #GetOnlineLondon #CR1 #CR0 #olderpeople #isolation #DigitalAccess #fixthedigitaldivide#volunteer #thorntonheath #ConnectingCroydon

@age_uk_croydon
@goodthingsfdn
@croydoncommunityfacilitator
@croydonlibraries