Genesis Housing Association has become the newest member of Digital Unite’s Digital Champions Network.
With over 33,000 properties and around 100,000 residents across London and the East of England, joining the Network forms an integral part of Genesis’ drive to help more of their communities to be online.
Digital Unite’s Digital Champions Network is a flexible online platform that provides Digital Champion training and a support community for people who go through that training. There are currently 24 member organisations including 18 housing providers and over 900 Digital Champions.
The Network includes structured and self-study e-learning courses on how to help and inspire new learners to use the internet and peer-to-peer support through a friendly, moderated forum. The courses are also linked to the national Open Badge scheme for professional verification and access to 44 downloadable resources and 400 online guides provides the essential teaching toolkit. Critically all of the Digital Champion activity on the ground can be tracked and evaluated.
Margaret Roffe, Financial Inclusion Manager at Genesis Housing Association said: “We are delighted to be part of the Digital Champions Network. In these technological times it’s so important to help our residents engage with and enjoy life online. We’re excited about having a supported team of Digital Champions who can inspire our communities to get digital, now and for the long term.”
Kathy Valdes, Managing Director at Digital Unite, said: “We are thrilled to be welcoming Genesis to the Digital Champions Network. Our experience has shown that the best way to support people with being online is by having trained volunteers and staff who can provide local support over a long period of time. With nearly 1,000 Digital Champions using our courses and resources to support hundreds of learners across the UK, our Network is providing an effective way to deliver meaningful digital inclusion.”