Cornwall Rural Community Charity’s Digital Together project is part-funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and is delivered in partnerships with Cornwall Council, University of Exeter, University of Plymouth and Citizens Advice Cornwall to deliver a service that has benefitted countless individuals across Cornwall.

From April to June 2024 the Digital Together programme held 54 workshops; supporting 93 new and 184 returning individuals. The project reaches all over Cornwall with Jane and Jay (CRCC’s Digital Together duo) travelling around Cornwall providing support and education to reduce digital exclusion. This August they led a support session with the Mullion Carers Group. CRCC have had a presence in the Mullion community since 2019 and have been working with this group on a pilot digital project since March 2024.

In August over 10 carers attended to learn and develop skills. The sessions are group led, with Jane and Jay reacting to the needs of the individuals. In this session the group needed support on:

• Tips on using different apps- such as how to use tabs on internet browsers
• How to access and send emails
• How to connect to a new Wi-Fi
• Moving, transferring and deleting photos
• How to print from a phone
• Help with applying for a bus pass online
• How to add images to online adverts
• Using portable hard drives

Additionally, they gave tips on how to identify scam calls and how to stay safe online, giving guidance for staying safe has helped a lot of individuals feel more confident using their devices.

One of the participants who attended the session explained that when they first bought their mobile phone they were ‘scared to press any buttons in case I was running up a bill’ but after attending the Digital Together sessions and getting support from both Jane and Jay and the other attendees they felt the sessions were ‘giving me confidence to have a go’. They went on to explain all of the benefits of using their mobile that they would not have been able to access before: mobile banking, online shopping and keeping in contact with friends and family, they state: ‘it’s been a lifeline’.

‘I do well to turn it on and off and charge it … You come away a little more confident’ one of the carers group attendees from the session. They explain that learning to access online banking and online forms is the biggest difference attending Digital Together sessions has made to their life. As a member of the Mullion Carers Group, they explained that due to the nature of their caring role they have very little time to prepare for these sessions, so the ability to just turn up, ask questions and get advice there and then is the best way to learn alongside their caring role. Others agreed that being able to turn up and learn is a great way of socialising and taking a break from their busy lives.

Some of the attendees have benefitted from the Cornwall Council Device and Connectivity Lending Scheme and the University of Plymouth to access new tablets and laptops. One person has been attending Digital Together sessions for over 4 years now, since before the COVID Pandemic, and through the programme have accessed an updated laptop so that they could use Zoom to keep in touch with family throughout the lockdowns. They attended the August meeting and got support with adding images to and listing an advert online.

This specific group have benefitted from CRCC’s support and have now decided to create their own peer digital support group so that they can continue to meet and learn together.

Learn more about Cornwall Rural Community Charity:

CRCC is dedicated to supporting and strengthening Cornish communities through our three main categories of work: Rural & Coastal, Education & Training and Carers & Wellbeing. To learn more about our work and the support we provide visit https://cornwallrcc.org.uk/