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Who are Digital Champions?

Digital Champions are people of all ages and from all backgrounds and communities.
They help others understand the benefits of using the internet and can show them how to do simple things online that can make a huge difference to people’s lives.
You don’t need to be an IT whizz to be a Digital Champion, just have a bit of spare time, an enjoyment of being online yourself and a passion to help others.
Perhaps you are already helping friends and family with various technical problems with smart devices already, or perhaps you just have IT skills and knowledge that you’re not currently using and would like to help people learn to use smart devices for the first time.
You will have at least basic IT skills and be able to problem solve and teach people one-to-one how to use smart devices, phones and tablets.
You’ll be part of a group of volunteer Digital Champions, spread across Central Bedfordshire and Bedford Borough sometimes working together; and at times working individually. There will be scope for supporting small groups of local residents in a community setting and for supporting individuals on a 1:1 basis. Training and supporting materials will be provided.
You’ll be part of the volunteer team delivering Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charities’ “You Can Do IT!” digital inclusion programme. The project helps those needing support to access the internet via smart devices – primarily to access health and wellbeing services activities, such as GP appointments and managing prescriptions. The skills you’ll help them learn will also equip them for accessing other online activities, such as shopping and social interactions.

Ideal volunteers will be:
• Motivated to help others
• A good communicator
• An active listeners
• Patient
• Trustworthy
• Happy to learn and keep your knowledge up-to-date
• Keen to promote the benefits of having digital skills
• Happy to attend / lead You Can Do IT! group support sessions in your local community
• A knowledge and understanding of the challenges people experience using smart devices and how to overcome them
• How to help people with questions or problems with their device or their connectivity.
• Comfortable chatting to learners to establish and then progress participants goals and using smart devices.
• Happy to complete training courses that will support you in helping people to develop their essential digital skills
• Prepared to read and work within relevant policies and procedures relating to working with people, data, technology and particularly online safety
• A commitment to sharing and recording information about the progress of learners