The team at Digital Unite was pleased to be part of the CHS Housing and Support Congress which took place between 12-13 July.
Here one of our team, Chris Mahoney, Digital Champion ITQ Tutor/Assessor talks about his experience there:
"Kathy Valdes, Digital Unite’s Business Development Manager and I had an excellent time at the CHS Housing and Support Congress in Cheltenham earlier this month. We were in a prime position having a market stall next to the entrance/exit, where we were kept busy by delegates at registration, lunch and the two coffee/tea breaks.
"We were able to generate much interest in our online courses, using Kathy’s business hat and myself as Tutor assessor for our Digital Champion ITQ. The WOMBAT (Word Of Mouth Best Advertising Tool) principle proved a key point, backed up by quality posters, literature, etc. Many of the key housing providers were impressed with what we had to offer, the management of their respective organisations were now really pushing the ‘Inclusion Agenda’ and at the frontline many schemes were putting IT equipment in a range of provisions, but lacked trained staff to take on the ‘Digital Champion’ role.
"I think one of our key strengths is the ability to provide quality training and support for Digital Champions in these schemes where IT support is geared at a strategic level, not at the frontline. Delegates we spoke too liked the idea of training that supported their own staff and enabled them to gain a skills base to sustain digital literacy activities in-house.
"Delegates were given the DU ‘sizzle’ and left ‘smokin’…. Which will, we hope, turn into a ‘blaze’ of commitment?"