Wandsworth Council commissions 5 new digital projects in the borough

Wandsworth Council has recently commissioned us and four other local charities to improve access to digital hardware, data and training for adult residents who are at risk of being left behind, as more and more services shift to digital by default. Here’s a bit more about each project:

Katherine Low Settlement’s “Tech Up Battersea” will support 150 older and vulnerable adults in Battersea by establishing a team of volunteers to assess each individual’s digital needs and provide advice, training and ongoing support.  They will also work with partners to help residents living on low incomes access digital devices and data.

For more information, please contact Sarah Goodall at [email protected] or by phoning 020 7223 2845.

Elays Network will take an inter-generational approach to tackling digital exclusion.  A series of one-to-one and group workshops will reach up to 50 older residents.  These will be supplemented by a series of videos produced by young members of the Somalian community that will show older residents how to go online to do practical tasks such as online shopping, sending emails, completing the census and filling in online forms.

For more information, please contact Abdirahman Xirsi at [email protected] or by phoning 020 7720 6864.

Community Drug and Alcohol Recovery Service (CDARS) works with some of the most vulnerable people in our society who have a range of issues related to substance misuse.  Since lockdown, 10% of their clients have received little support because they do not have access to phones, tablets or data.  CDARS will support 40 clients with IT equipment, data and remote one-to-one training.

For more information, please contact Franco Toma at [email protected] or phone 0203 872 8217.

Age UK Wandsworth (AUKW) is expanding their DigiPals service which offers drop-in digital support for older people in local libraries and sheltered accommodation.  The expanded service will offer a “try before you buy” service which will see 35 older people loaned devices for three months at a time.  These devices will be equipped with remote support so volunteers can continue to offer one-to-one training.

For more information, please contact [email protected] or phone 020 8877 8940.

The Furzdown Project will provide 25 members with broadband and Zoom enabled i-Pads.  Other members will be helped switch to phone and broadband packages which ultimately may be less expensive than their current telephone only tariff.  A number of Alexa devices and plug-ins will also be provided to members who are housebound, allowing them to monitor, control and schedule electrical appliances in their homes.

For more information, contact Mick Morrell at [email protected] or by phoning 020 8677 4283.

We will share more news as the projects develop over the coming year.

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