Cornwall Council’s digital inclusion team is celebration recruiting 140 “digital champions” to help support its work to offer digital skills training to people across Cornwall.

The champions are not technical experts but offer support for:

Basic and advanced digital skills linked to their particular service.

Identification and assessment skills to identify the needs of the service user.

The benefits of being online.

With an estimated 69,000 people across Cornwall who have never even switched on a computer, the champions aim to help develop skills and confidence, enabling people to do things such as use email to keep in touch with friends and family, take advantage of online services or save money.

There are 140 digital champions working in a service-based role and providing skills support as part of their front-line role, often working in a charity or public sector, often providing services to vulnerable people.

The scheme runs in conjunction with the Device and Connectivity Lending Scheme, which involves 44 organisations that have been given access to more than 345 devices which people can borrow.

Cllr Richard Pears, Cornwall Council’s portfolio holder for customers, said: “I am proud of our digital champions, who are not IT technicians, but community members who have a little spare time to help others use the internet and to improve their skills.

“It can make a huge difference to people’s lives if they are able to use the internet, allowing them the ability to access online banking, housing and benefit services, for work and for social media as well.

“One of our key priorities as an organisation is to create a thriving, sustainable Cornwall, and ensuring all of our residents have the skills to make the most of the digital world we live in is a vital part of that work.”

If you would be interested in becoming a digital champion, you can find out more information on the scheme at www.cornwall.gov.uk/people-and-communities/digital-inclusion/becoming-a-digital-champion