Dorset 'digital champion' scheme scoops national award
The Council run service has around 1,000 people signed up as advisors
A free training programme to help get thousands of people in Dorset online has scooped a national award.
Dorset Council trained nearly 1,000 frontline workers and volunteers to become digital champions.
It means around 46,000 people in the county can potentially be supported by them every year.
The scheme won the 'Digital Skills' prize at the Connected Britain Awards in London.
In their citation, the judges said:
“The scheme is a proactive and impactful initiative that tackles the digital divide head on, providing digital skills to empower those that need it most.”
Embedded digital champions have been recruited from places such as GP surgeries, libraries, voluntary organisations, Dorset and BCP councils and housing associations.
These recruits support people with digital skills like filling out online forms, accessing emails, password management, as well as signposting people to more specialist support when needed.
Dorset Council’s portfolio holder for Corporate Development and Transformation, Cllr Jill Haynes, said:
“We are absolutely delighted that the Embedded Digital Champions scheme has won national recognition for helping more of our resident access online services.
“Everyone who has become an embedded digital champion has not only enhanced their own digital skills but are also helping their customers to access and use online services.
“As we move more and more into a digital world their support has never been more important and I thank every single one of them for doing this training – this award is for them.”