Are you a digital volunteer looking for support or you would like to become a Digital Buddy? You are in the right place. The Digital Buddy volunteer role at Bury Council involves helping individuals improve their digital skills through 1:1 sessions in libraries and digital hubs across the community.
We dedicated this page to Digital Buddy volunteer support for existing volunteers and those looking to become one.
Applying to become a Digital Buddy volunteer
The role of Digital Buddy volunteers is to assist residents with a range of basic online skills such as browsing websites, using email, online shopping, video calling, job applications, Internet security, and effectively using laptops, tablets and smartphones.
We are looking for volunteers, 18 years or older, with key qualities including friendliness, patience, good communication, and enthusiasm for digital technology to inspire people to use the Internet with confidence.
If you feel like this is a role for you apply to be a Digital Buddy today.
Volunteer Support Resources
At Bury Council we make sure that the Digital Buddies are offered adequate and informative training in order to be able to inspire the residents who you help out feel confident in using digital technology.
Below we have included some useful resources to help you with your training and supporting service users whether you volunteer at the library or community centre.
Good Things Foundation
- Offers a collection of resources for Digital Champions, available at this link: Resources | National Digital Inclusion Network.
- Include simple, informative one-page guides on a range of digital skills that Digital Champions can use with learners. Click this link to see their learning guides: Digital Skills Learning Guides | Good Things Foundation
- Have advice on introducing Learn My Way to learners. Click this link to see their Guides for Digital Champions on using Learn My Way with learners: Guides for Digital Champions on using Learn My Way with learners | Good Things Foundation
Starting Point
- This offers free e-learning courses for Digital Champions.
- These courses are designed to support professional development in a fun and engaging way, enhancing digital skills and literacy for individuals aiming to help their communities.
- You will have to create an account to access their courses. To do so, you will need an email address and to pick a secure password.
- Their course catalog is available at this link here: Courses with Starting Point
Bury VCFA
- Bury VCFA provides a range of support to help residents find, access and enjoy volunteering opportunities across the borough.
- Volunteer role matching through an online role search, helping people find opportunities that suit their interests, skills, availability and location.
- Volunteer registration and support via the Bury Volunteer Centre and Volunteer Bank.
- Regular volunteer bulletins and notice boards promoting local opportunities, events and community activities.
- Access to one-off, short-term and flexible volunteering opportunities for those unable to commit to ongoing roles.
- Advice and guidance from the Volunteering Development Officer to help people identify suitable opportunities and get started.
- Training and development opportunities to build skills, confidence and employability.
- Support for volunteers throughout their journey, including signposting and referrals to suitable organisations.
- Promotion of volunteering across Bury through partnerships with charities, community groups, faith organisations and public sector services.
Wider Digital Support
Visit Bury Council’s community groups and residents digital support and digital skills learning courses to find out more about tools and resources available to service users and organisations across Bury, GM Network and online.
For more information or questions about Bury’s digital inclusion support offer please email us on digitalsupport@bury.gov.uk.