Helping Residents to Live Well in the Digital Age. Greater Manchester takes major step towards closing the digital divide with new Digital Champion volunteer training programme

• Nearly 93,000 adults over the age of 75 in Greater Manchester are considered digitally excluded – a third of these have never used the internet
• Around 170 Digital Champions currently support residents in Greater Manchester communities to develop essential digital skills and confidence
• A regional Digital Champion volunteer training programme launches today, offering tools and training to new and existing volunteers across Greater Manchester
• The programme, developed and delivered by current Digital Champions, will provide sustainable, long-term support for volunteers
• Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA)’s Digital Inclusion Action Network, has brought community training provider Starting Point together with local authorities to provide standardised training across all 10 boroughs

The launch of an innovative volunteer training programme marks a significant milestone in Greater Manchester’s commitment to fix the digital divide across the city region.

Its aim is to ensure volunteers in our communities are well equipped to support residents so they can benefit from technology and access essential services online, helping them to live well.

Community volunteers play a key role in bridging the digital and social divide in Greater Manchester.  They provide residents with support and advice to help improve digital literacy and give them the confidence to use technology safely.

Tackling digital exclusion helps people make the most of technology, connecting them to others and making their lives easier. It can also positively impact on local services such as primary care by helping people to learn simple tasks like booking GP appointments, managing their healthcare online or finding alternative support from groups in their local community.

The Digital Champion training programme will provide standardised training for around 170 Champions already volunteering across the ten boroughs of Greater Manchester. This will help them confidently support residents, new community volunteers, and each other.

The programme is a cross-sector collaboration between GMCA’s Digital Inclusion Action Network, global telecoms provider Cellnex and Stockport community organisation Starting Point.  It is funded through a £30,000 investment from Cellnex, and Starting Point will lead delivery of the 12-month bitesize training programme across all 10 boroughs.

This is part of Greater Manchester’s wider ‘GM Live Well’ ambition that will ensure everyday support is consistently available in every neighbourhood across Greater Manchester. This brings together a wide range of public services, community organisations and other partners to provide simple support and advice that helps residents live as well as they can and deal with the problems they may have.

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said: “We want to ensure that everyone across Greater Manchester can access everyday support in every neighbourhood to live well. In an increasingly digital world this means anyone ,regardless of age or background, should have the opportunity to build their digital skills and confidence.

“Our Digital Inclusion Action Network is committed to tackling the digital skills gap in our region and empowering our workforce and volunteers, so no one is left behind in this digital age. By addressing the digital skills gap we can help more people into good work, we can help them find activities in their community to keep them healthy and happy, and we relieve pressures on other services so that these in turn can help more people.”

Cellnex and Starting Point are members of GMCA’s GM Digital Inclusion Taskforce, a group of more than 250 organisations across Greater Manchester who work together to tackle digital exclusion in the region. It brings together public sector partners such as local authorities, schools and health services with the voluntary and community sector and industry.

Nicola Wallace Dean, Co-Founder of Starting Point said: “We are thrilled to launch Starting Point’s Greater Manchester-wide digital champions training, generously funded by Cellnex. With over 20 years of experience supporting residents, we understand the evolving needs of our communities.

“This programme is a game-changer, addressing the realities faced by those unable to access technology or the internet. The Greater Manchester Digital Inclusion Action Network, coordinated by the GMCA, has been instrumental in enabling collaboration between Starting Point and the ten boroughs of Greater Manchester. This coordination ensures that our efforts are unified and impactful across the region.

“You don’t need to be a digital expert to make a difference; even basic digital literacy can empower individuals and foster a more inclusive community. This foundational programme ensures that everyone can contribute to fixing the digital divide and supporting those in need. Together, we are building a digitally inclusive future for Greater Manchester.”

Jonathan Freeman, Strategy and Regulatory Director for Cellnex UK, said: “Using technology to bring people together is at the heart of what we do at Cellnex UK so it’s fantastic to see Greater Manchester leading the way in bridging the digital divide for communities across the city. We’re delighted to play our part in the project, partnering with Starting Point, Forever Manchester and the GMCA to ensure everyone can benefit from the digital age”

Nick Massey, Chief Executive, Forever Manchester said: “A lack of digital access and skills can have huge negative impact on a person’s life, leading to increased loneliness and social isolation, less access to jobs and education, which in turn are associated with poorer health outcomes and a lower life expectancy and issues with financial exclusion.

“Forever Manchester have been collaborating with Cellnex UK in support of their ESG goals, delivering the Cellnex Digital Inclusion Fund which has been designed specifically to fund and support community projects tackling digital exclusion across Greater Manchester. We’re delighted that the Fund is supporting Starting Point to extend their Digital Champions programme into more communities across the region.”

Today’s launch reinforces how collaboration is the catalyst for positive change, driving forward Greater Manchester’s mission to fix the digital divide and support more people to live well.

Together, GMCA, Starting Point and Cellnex are paving the way for a digitally inclusive future, one Digital Champion at a time.