Libraries play a crucial role in digital inclusion, and there are lots of different ways they can be used to make a difference. Southampton Libraries run a team of volunteer Digital Champions.
The Southampton Set-Up
Southampton currently have a team of seven volunteer Digital Champions. They hold regular drop-in sessions offering one-to-one support in libraries across the city. As part of the "Getting the City confidently online", Southampton also run some shorter structured courses on touch screen devices, loaning tablets to participants if they need them. Staff in the libraries help with digital skills when they can, but time is always a problem, which is where Digital Champions come in...
As for everyone these days, funding is always a problem and COVID combined with the cost of living crisis has made it harder to recruit volunteers - but more vital than ever.
(picture shows volunteer Digital Champion Julie helping a learner)
Working with volunteers
Carolyn Taplin, the Volunteer and Partnership Development Officer, has been with the project from the start, and we first caught up with her just after they joined the Network in 2019. We talked to her at the end of 2023 about some of the things she's learnt in her years of recruiting and supporting volunteers....
Be prepared
It really helps to get your recruitment and onboarding process worked out in advance. There is a lot to it but volunteers often want to start as soon as they can, so you may miss good people if the process takes too long. Including the training and DBS check, it can take 6 weeks before an applicant is ready to start.
Make sure you have a clear role description and recruitment process and once the Champions have started, have a training plan in place.
Carolyn also has handbook for Champions which outlines the role in detail and avoids any confusion in the future.
Make them part of the team
“I always introduce them to the team at the library and get the team to do their induction because if the team looks after them, it’s much more successful."
If they're integrated into the team, the Champions have a much better volunteer experience. The library staff are always there to support the Champions, and if they have customers with computer/ digital queries, they can refer them on to the Champions for extra help.
The Benefits
A good volunteer is a wonderful thing! It goes without saying that you need to value them! For Carolyn, this means making sure their volunteer sessions work for them, that they're kept busy and that she catches up with them as often as she can, depending on their schedule. There's also an annual get together lunch to celebrate the Champions every National Volunteers Week.
It seems to be working incredibly well with the team in Southampton and they're making a real difference. Tim, one of their volunteers in Lordshill Library, won an award from us last year, nominated by the staff for being "kind, patient, helpful, and making sure that people feel confident. People turn up to see him again and again." And you can't make more of a digital inclusion difference than that.
(picture shows volunteer Digital Champion Chris helping a learner)
I have been interested to see how many people I have been able to help with basic things like finding the on/off switch, what to do next and use of the mouse. One lady was so frustrated that she was asking me where the nearest river was, so she could throw her iPad into it!
Chris
Digital Champion, Portswood Library
Roy is lovely older man who has just turned 90. His daughter bought him his new laptop and he brought it in. I was the one who was blessed to work with him. I asked him what he wanted to do... I was amazed by how quickly he picked it up and was able to place what he had learnt.
Julie
Woolston Library
A different way to do it
At Wembley Library, it's the staff who are Champions.
How does the Network work?
How we help you turn your team into Champions with our award winning Network.
