Swansea Council for Voluntary Services offer vital digital lifeline during Covid-19 pandemic

People who lack the confidence to use digital devices or the skills required to use the internet confidently, are at an increased risk of loneliness and isolation. This issue was particularly highlighted through the COVID-19 pandemic, when many digitally excluded people found themselves cut off from friends and family overnight. But thanks to volunteers from Swansea Council for Voluntary Services (SCVS), people were able to get the support they needed to get online.

SCVS volunteers, trained by Digital Communities Wales, supported people to develop their confidence to use technology to access medication, contact their GP, find health information, and stay in touch with relatives and friends.

One lady who needed their support was ‘M’. M’s family lived far away and she was particularly isolated during the lockdown. Although she had an iPad, she didn’t really know how to use it at all. M wanted support to be able to video call and stay in touch with her family, especially her son in Canada and her grandchildren.

M was matched with digital volunteer Suzanne. Each week, Suzanne called her and helped her get started on her iPad. Although it took time and patience, with just 3 months of weekly support from Suzanne, M had learned how to send emails, use FaceTime, and take and file photographs. Suzanne had talked M through how to use the main apps on the iPad as well as teaching her how to use YouTube.

M says, “Suzanne was extremely patient and explained everything in a way I could understand.  It was harder learning over the phone but Suzanne was the perfect teacher.”

M can now keep in touch with her family through FaceTime and emails. She can see photos of her children and grandchildren regularly which makes her feel more involved and less isolated. She also gets updates from her local church which means she feels part of the community and stays in touch with friends from the church.

M says, “The Digital Support project has been excellent. Without Suzanne’s help I would still be in the same boat. She’s helped me learn a lot and the support has kept me in touch with outside world.”

To find out more, to get support or to find out more about volunteering visit https://www.scvs.org.uk/scvs-digi-supp-proj