Photo courtesy of Mark Rogers
Tonight, as part of our usual Get Online Week celebrations, we have something extra to raise a cup of coffee to. Thanks to the players of the National Lottery, Starting Point has been awarded an amazing £242,000 to develop a digital champion training hub. Over the next three years, this money will allow us to:
- Employ a much-needed volunteering manager
- Employ an additional digital inclusion officer with a background in health and / or digital and social inclusion
- Purchase and manage a training platform to ensure all digital champions in Stockport get access to high-quality training
- Fund a variety of ways to monitor the work and track the difference it is making in Stockport
Tonight, marked day one of three years of work to help those most in need of support, to enjoy the benefits of getting online. A few weeks ago, we tracked a day in the life as we are now. Each year during Get Online Week we plan to do the same, to measure the changes our hard work will make.
Our operating officer, Nicola said:
“This is such great news and only adds to the work we already do throughout Stockport as part of the DigiKnow network. This stuff only works because of the many people already committed to helping our friends and neighbours understand the world of being online. Obviously we want to thank the National Lottery for their support in addition, Stockport Council, Stockport Homes, Good Things Foundation and so many commitment partners and individuals.”
We are truly grateful for everyone who attended tonight and we hope you enjoyed the fish and chips! Everyone from council staff, fellow social enterprises and charities, Good Things Foundation, Stockport Homes, Starting Point staff past and present, our brilliant board members, the Lottery themselves and not forgetting our wonderful digital champions.
So, this is how you can get involved. We are starting the work by establishing a steering group. Each person in the group will help us shape the work by attending a monthly online meeting and reading through our project updates. We think it will take about 2 hours of commitment a month and we have a budget to pay for your time (2023/2024 rate of £15 p/h). If you would like to get involved in shaping the project please email nicola@startpoint.org.uk with a few lines why you would like to get involved, and what you think you could support us with.
Find out more about our project and others from The National Lottery Community Fund HERE