Have you heard of Get Online Week? It is a digital inclusion campaign run by the Good Things Foundation and has been going for over 20 years. For an entire week in October, thousands of events in communities across the UK are curated and organised with the aim of giving everyone the chance to find the help they need to improve their digital skills.
65% of adults
think that keeping their digital skills up to date will be important for their future (Good Things Foundation, 2020)
It’s been a challenging few years and one thing has become abundantly clear; businesses, community groups and individuals need and want to gain more digital skills, knowledge and confidence.
Pre-pandemic, local community group WorthingDigital regularly put on informational talks and events covering a range of topics from blockchain to augmented reality to social media marketing. During the first lockdown period, WorthingDigital teamed up with CityFibre to organise Get Online Week events to support the Worthing business community, delivered by professionals happy to share their knowledge and expertise. You can actually still learn from them too, as they are on the WorthingDigital YouTube channel.
This year, WorthingDigital continue to support this digital inclusion campaign in collaboration with CityFibre and partners with an even wider range of online talks and a very exciting in-person event as well. Topics include Internet safety and security, make your own website, social media marketing and mental health, to name a few.
Mark Ford and John Dalziel, founders of WorthingDigital say:
“After a year when everything went online, digital literacy has never been more important. WorthingDigital is very glad to be supporting Get Online Week again this year.”
Anyone is welcome to join these free sessions, please visit www.gow2021.com to see what’s on throughout the week starting October 18th.
A highlight of the week will be a mental health talk which marks the first in person WorthingDigital event since lockdown. ‘Why I put my name next to death: Art, death and curiosity’ with Louise Harman, winner of the University of Sussex Social Impact Award 2021 is on Thursday, October 21st at 6pm in the new Freedom Works Digital Hub on Stoke Abbot Road, Worthing. It’s free to attend but places are limited so please let us know you’re coming on the event Meetup. We look forward to seeing you!
James Hobson, Regional Marketing Manager for CityFibre in the South says:
“I’m so proud to be a part of this initiative, which has grown year on year. In today’s world, digital confidence and skills are so important, brought into even sharper focus with the pandemic.
At CityFibre we look to leave a lasting legacy in all our full fibre locations across the UK and this is a great example of the difference we can make working alongside dedicated and innovative local experts.”
Guest blog post written by Meg Fenn, contract designer and marketer, champion of creativity, and WorthingDigital committee member.