New digital champions scheme launches to support people to get online
23rd Oct 2024
To mark Get Online Week, iNorthumberland, Community Action Northumberland (CAN) and the National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise (NICRE), are launching a call for volunteer digital champions to support people in rural Northumberland to get online and get the most out of digital technology.
Digital champions will get full training and support to carry out the role and become part of a network of volunteers promoting digital inclusion. They will be based in village halls and other community spaces across rural parts of the county, offering drop-in support onsite and partnering with local businesses and community groups to reach more people who need support.
Councillor Wojciech Ploszaj, Cabinet Member for Corporate Services at Northumberland County Council says:
Digital transformation should benefit everyone in Northumberland, and we know some residents will need more support to make use of improved connectivity. The Rural Digital Inclusion project supported by Commsworld works alongside our £22m investment in installation of full-fibre broadband across the county to build digital skills, confidence and engagement in rural communities. We look forward to seeing this important work develop over the next three years and encourage as many communities as possible to get involved.
Marc Johnson, digital inclusion lead at CAN says:
You don't need to be an IT whizz to become a Digital Champion, you just need confidence, enthusiasm and a bit of spare time. You’ll help raise awareness of how people can use digital technology in their daily lives and help them learn how to make the most of it. Being a digital champion is a varied and flexible role – you can offer support in a way that works for you, and at different times of day, including evenings or weekends. Community Action Northumberland will provide free training and support for champions, and you’ll be part of a network of fantastic volunteers making a difference to people’s lives across the county.
People who live, work or are happy to travel to locations within Northumberland are invited to register their interest in becoming a digital champion at www.nicre.co.uk/ruraldigitalinclusion. If you already support people in your community to get online you can still register to share experiences with others, access updates and information, and be part of the wider Rural Digital Inclusion project.
CAN and NICRE are also keen to hear from organisations which can support the project – whether by hosting a digital champion, encouraging staff to volunteer, donating devices, helping raise awareness, or sharing case studies of how they support digital inclusion.
Sarah Best, Project Development Manager at NICRE says:
Our State of Rural Enterprise survey highlights that inadequate broadband capacity is a barrier to growth for 33% of rural firms (compared to 25% for urban businesses). It also prevents too many people in rural areas from having equal access to services and opportunities. It’s great that organisations in Northumberland are working in partnership to look holistically at digital inclusion by tackling connectivity, access to devices and digital skills and confidence at the same time. By bringing new solutions from this project together with other initiatives locally, regionally and nationally, we can make a real step change for rural communities.
To find out more about the Rural Digital Inclusion Project and ways to get involved, visit www.nicre.co.uk/ruraldigitalinclusion.