Devices

We have a small programme to repurpose or loan laptops for those that need them. Plus we can also help with:

• doing a device health check with a client to see whether the operating system is up to date and getting security updates.  This is vital in the work to keep people as safe as possible online
• helping clients set up their email addresses and mail applications so they can access their emails as easily as possible
• creating shortcuts and bookmarks to make essential websites and applications simple to find and use.
• helping organisations choose the right devices for loan and donation projects, according to need and budget

Skills

Where people are digitally excluded because of their skill level, learning in a friendly way is essential. Rather than run lots of formal “lessons” we prefer coaching based on a client’s need:

• we ask what’s most important thing a client needs to be able to do with their device “today” so that the emphasis is on making an immediate difference to the learner
• where possible, 1:1 coaching for those with the least skills is our preferred way to start to bring confidence to learners in their own time without feeling like they are slower than the other learners
• where coaching happens in a group setting, encourage learners to share their skills with their peers – it builds confidence along with a sense of camaraderie
• short, repeated 1:1 sessions are at less risk of overloading the learner who can build on their skills in the gaps between coaching sessions

Motivation and resilience

We know that some digitally excluded people don’t necessarily see it as a problem because they are happy to phone a service provider or care organisation.  But those organisations may see it as a very large problem of managing access to their services.

Motivation is a key way of getting people to get and stay online:

• we often use enrichment activities as a route to building digital skills – starting with fun and engaging activities online could be the difference between someone practicing using their device and never using it
• for in-person coaching we think that learning to take and transfer photographs to a laptop to share with friends and family is just as valid a skill as saving Word or PDF files from a school or college.  The skill set is the same but people starting by saving their photos are more likely to practice the skill
• software and websites change very regularly.  Comprehensive step-by-step instructions often fail at the next update because the software has changed. Using more digital skills more frequently will make the learner more resilient in the face of change and more  able to cope when something changes. This is really where the motivation factor yields the most benefits

Train the trainer

TechResort is a very special, but a very small organisation. With the best will in the world, we’ll never be able to coach or train everyone who needs it.

This is where training the trainer comes in.  We can design and run confidence-building training and coaching sessions for the staff and volunteers of frontline organisations.  This means that they can help clients at the time the help will be of most immediate use.

Clients are coached by people they already know and trust, their motivation can be maintained because they don’t have to book another appointment, or talk to someone else.

We can run train the trainer sessions at our based or travel to yours.