What we did in Digitober

We shared progress on our aim for Stockport to be a 100% digital borough where no one is left behind or faces inequalities because of their digital situation. And we highlighted the work underway to ensure Greater Manchester has the digital infrastructure it needs to be a world-class digital city region. You can read more in our Digital Stockport blogs:

• Digital Champions – Chatting, coffee and (online) cookies
• How a bank is tackling the digital divide
• Get Online Week 2022 – #Tryonething
• Tackling the digital divide through a greener approach
• Stockport Council took part in the Greater Manchester Local Full Fibre Network project
• Building a world class digital city-region on the LFFN foundations

The month's highlight was Get Online Week when we joined the UK's biggest digital inclusion campaign. We used the week to help Stockport residents get online or improve their digital skills and learn how to access digital services. There were over forty-five events at locations across Stockport, organised by the community groups and organisations that are part of DigiKnow.

This year's theme was Try One Thing, and some of the things we helped people try were:

• submitting energy meter readings online
• searching and applying for jobs
• online banking
• searching for better energy deals online
• discovering health and wellbeing websites
• buying a refurbed laptop at a reasonable price
• filling in forms online
• learning how to recognise scams and keep personal information safe online
• learning how to use tablets and computers at libraries for free
• downloading e-books, newspapers and magazines for free
• using QR codes
• doing online quizzes
• downloading social media apps and creating accounts

Watch the DigiKnow Get Online Week video to get a taste of Get Online Week.

Councillor Malcolm Allan, Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources, says: “Being online can help people to save money, find new opportunities and improve the quality of their lives, but one in five people in Stockport have little or no access to the internet. During Get Online Week, the DigiKnow network organised a wide range of events across Stockport and helped many residents to ‘try one thing’ online. I want to thank everyone involved in organising the events, and I very much enjoyed meeting residents and the Digital Champions helping them. If Get Online Week whetted your appetite and you’d like to learn more, call the DigiKnow Helpline on 07724 217888 or ask your local library where you can get online for free, or find a free class to improve your digital skills.”

DigiKnow is a network of community groups, organisations and volunteer Digital Champions who help people get online and improve their digital skills. It is managed by Stockport Council and delivered by Starting Point Community Learning Partnership. Support includes community classes, help over the telephone, and a Device Lending Library. For help doing things online, call the DigiKnow Helpline on 07724 217888, visit the DigiKnow web pages or drop into your local library.