This year DigiKnow is supporting the pan-European ALL DIGITAL Weeks campaign, raising awareness of digital skills for inclusion, empowerment, and employment. The ALL DIGITAL Network was set up to support Europeans with insufficient digital skills. The awareness-raising campaign has been running since 2010 at digital competence centres, libraries, community centres, schools, and other venues across Europe.
Why do we need ALL DIGITAL Weeks?
Because:
- 46% of Europeans don’t have basic digital skills in all five digital competence areas
- 65% of Europeans aged 55-74 lack basic digital skills
- 32% of internet users don’t have basic digital safety skills
- Only 24% of Europeans check the truthfulness of content found online
- Only 15% of employed persons have received an ICT education
This means that they have fewer chances to find work, use online services, have a better quality of life, and be included in today’s society.
What can you do to help?
ALL DIGITAL Weeks 2023 runs over three weeks from 17 April until 7 May 2023. Anyone can join the campaign by organising an online/offline event, training, workshop, or relevant activity and putting it on the ALL DIGITAL Weeks map. If you’re not in a position to organise your own activity, please spread the word about DigiKnow sessions in Stockport where people can get support with digital skills.
Bridging the digital divide across Europe
To kickstart ALL DIGITAL Weeks we have organised a special session in Woodley today, linking Starting Point with Simbioza Genesis, a social enterprise in Ljubljana, Slovenia.
We plan to swap 5 funny facts about our hometowns, using Google translate to provide information in each other’s languages. Then we are going to look up how long it takes to travel between our venue in Stockport to their venue in Ljubljana, using Google maps.
Mike Howard, our Head of Learning, will be teaching the session, with Nina and Brigita in Slovenia supporting their learners and providing interpretation. Simbioza Genesis promotes digital skills and competencies for all age groups, but they are especially focused on raising digital skills and providing access to new technologies for the elderly (55+). Their learners have very similar challenges and interests to learners in Stockport, it’s just that they are in Slovenia.
We are very excited to swap digital skills over video calling, share some of our experiences of getting online, and make some new friends over the internet! We’ve already had a debate over supporting Manchester City or Manchester United and introduced them to Stockport County!
What else is happening in Stockport?
People are welcome to get in touch with Starting Point to try something new for ALL DIGITAL Weeks. Give us a call on the DigiKnow Helpline 07724 217 888 to either ask us about a specific basic digital skill you want to learn, or to start on a new path with Starting Point to help you feel more digitally included. We offer both taught sessions on a topic, or ‘drop in’ sessions where you can come with any question. You can ring us to chat through what you want to learn, or to sign up for a session.
Our regular sessions where we welcome new learners as part of ALL DIGITAL Weeks are:
- Monday – Arthur Greenwood SK6 1ES– 9.45am- 10.45am
- Tuesday – Starting Point SK6 1RJ – 10am – 11am
- Wednesday – E-coffee morning – online – 11am -12pm
- Thursday – Cornerstone SK1 3NQ – 10.30am – 11.30am and 11.30am – 12.30pm
- Friday – Starting Point SK6 1RJ – 10am – 11am and 11am – 12pm
There are also other regular digital skills sessions happening across Stockport. Find the most up-to-date details on the council’s Events calendar.
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