Digitall has now come to an end but if you're aged 18-25 and would like to be a volunteer mentor, we have a new project Parents First which you might be interested in. You'll mentor a disadvantaged parent, supporting them to get online so they can play a more active role in their child's development. Find out more
How it works
We match you (volunteer mentor) with someone who wants to increase their computer skills and get online (your mentee). As a mentor you’ll guide and signpost the way on a one-to-one basis.
You don’t need to be an expert in IT either. You probably use computers every day – so you have more experience than you realise. As long as you’re patient, open-minded and willing you’ll get a lot out of being a volunteer mentor.
We pride ourselves on making good matches. We take our time to match interests, personalities – that kind of thing, to make sure you both get the most out of it. And, we support you throughout your time together, so if you’re not happy with how something is working or you’ve got a query - we’re available for a chat.
How often and where do we meet?
It’s really flexible - so long as you meet for 12 hours in total, it’s up to you and your mentee when you meet and for how long. We’d suggest you meet for about an hour or two a week for up to 12 weeks but it’s really up to you.
We’ve got partnerships with organisations in Kensington & Chelsea, Woolwich and Soho that provide IT centres for you to meet in.
Who are the mentees?
Mentees are all ages and backgrounds. One thing they all have in common is they’re keen to get online and use computers. For some people, they might need to start from the basics - switching on a computer. For others, they might need support to write a CV or find job websites.
The great thing about Digitall rather than going to a class is that mentees get one-to-one support tailored exactly to their needs and can learn at their own pace.
What will I get out of it?
Not only will you be doing something worthwhile but you’ll also develop quite a few skills that you can add to your CV.
You can also get an AQA Unit Award (Assessment and Qualifications Alliance Unit Scheme accreditation) in mentoring once you’ve completed the training and 12 hours of mentoring. AQA Unit awards are great to add to your CV because they are a formal recognition of achievement across a wide range of subject areas and activities. They’re used across 1000 centres throughout the UK (schools, charities, colleges).
