Digital Unite (DU) is delighted to announce a collaboration with Capgemini, in a new programme that will help DU’s member organisations leverage their Digital Champion activities so they can reach more people with digital skills support. As one of the UK's main providers of digital skills learning, DU supports organisations to develop digital capabilities in their workforce and with their customers through digital champion models.
The collaboration centres on an innovative Digital Champion Accelerator model that will improve the quality and sustainability of Digital Champion activities – whatever stage they are at – and inject some energy and fresh thinking where it’s needed.
Whilst many organisations recognise the huge potential Digital Champions have in achieving digital inclusion, project teams often need additional practical and strategic skills to maximise the digital skills opportunity.
About the new Digital Champion Accelerator programme
The pilot phase of the Digital Champion Accelerator programme comprises three parts; a diagnostic tool, an Accelerator event hosted by Capgemini in London on 26 March and ongoing mentorship and support. Right from the point of sign up to attend the event, the Accelerator gets ‘under the skin’ of Digital Champion activities, as participants work through the online diagnostic tool to identify personal areas for support.
Capgemini volunteers, trained by Digital Unite, will be ready to work with organisations and their Digital Champions, having understood, the obstacles they face and the help they are looking for. Participants will work with Capgemini volunteers who have experience in areas such as communications, project planning and business development. Together they’ll tackle common challenges such as galvanising new Champions, creating persuasive business cases for funding and internal buy-in and measuring impact.
The Skills Accelerator also features a creative learning session on content co-creation with the opportunity for participants to develop digital championing resources they’d like to use in the future.
This distinctive collaboration combines Digital Unite’s award-winning experience of supporting Digital Champion programmes and Capgemini’s global expertise in helping organisations and communities maximise the use of technology.
Emma Weston OBE, Chief Executive at Digital Unite said: “At Digital Unite we know that it takes all sort of help for all sorts of people to initiate, sustain and grow a successful Digital Champion project. Through our Network we are currently supporting hundreds of organisations and thousands of Digital Champions. The Accelerator is an ‘intelligent’ intervention that will help DU extend the scope of our support by leveraging the skills and expertise of Capgemini employees. It really is a very perfect match! Together, we’ll be helping organisations boost and extend their Digital Champion impact so that more people with the greatest digital skills need can be reached.”
Paul Margetts, Managing Director of the UK Business Unit of Capgemini and Chair of the UK Corporate Social Responsibility Board said: “As a responsible company, our aim is to help make the digital revolution an opportunity for all and provide a bridge between technology and society. We believe the lack of basic digital skills should not limit work or life and we want to help create a digitally literate population, who can stay connected and be the next generation of digital innovators. Staying true to our philosophy of ‘People Matter’ this collaboration will allow us to help accelerate the impact of Digital Unite’s Digital Champions Network, building scale and impact for the UK.”
To find out more about the Accelerator programme email accelerator@digitalunite.com or call 0800 228 9272.