Digital Scouts are community champions

IDEE DE PROIECT

http://www.scouts.org.uk/news/382/digital-scouts-are-community-champions

Scouts across the UK are signing up for an initiative to help change lives with the click of a mouse and it's not too late for you to get involved. 

Race Online, the UK-wide campaign to get people using the internet, has recruited 100,000 volunteers to act as digital champions. You can help someone in your community to discover ways to save money, learn a skill or communicate with a family member.

Simple skills  

Jonathan, an Explorer Scout from Pembrokeshire, was one of 40,000 Scouts to sign up and he appeared on BBC Breakfast to spread the word.

'I'm going into a residential home to help the people there to get online,' he said.

Jonathan explained that being a digital champion is just a matter of passing on skills that you already have including 'simple stuff like how to use a mouse or a keyboard'.

Trusted volunteers

Nine million people in the UK have never used the internet and a lack of motivation and skills is often cited as the main reason for this. Many who have recently got online said they did so because they were guided by someone they trusted.

Your Scout Group can spearhead this in your community by signing up to the Digital Champions network on the Pass IT On website. There are many ways to be a Digital Champion and make a real difference to someone by demonstrating something which is second nature to you.

'We would think nothing of communicating through the internet,' said Jonathan. 'But a lot of older people don't. We can help them to keep in touch with family or friends abroad online.'

Get involved

If that sounds like something you'd like to do, join the Race Online and Pass IT On.

Media links

Watch Jonathan on BBC Breakfast (BBC)

'Volunteer force' of 100,000 to get millions more online (Daily Telegraph)