FOR COMMUNITY GROUP LEADS AND VOLUNTEERS
You already bring people together.
Let's help you bring them online, too.
Community Digital Champions is a free training and support scheme led by South Derbyshire CVS that lets you add friendly, practical digital help to the group you already run.
No technical background required, fully backed by us.
7.9m
UK adults lack basic digital skills, with 77% of being 65 or over.
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Good Things Foundation, 2025
166,900
Derbyshire adults (21%) don’t have the full set of Essential Digital Skills for Life.
Derbyshire County Council, 2023
87%
of the public think local, human support to get online should exist, the role you’d be filling.
Good Things Foundation, 2025
WHY THIS FITS YOUR GROUP OR ORGANISATION
You’re not starting a new project. You’re extending one that already works.
No extra admin​
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The training, toolkit and session ideas already exist. You bring the group and the room, we bring everything else.
Give members another reason to come
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A short digital drop-in slot before or after your usual meeting keeps people engaged, and brings in others who wouldn’t otherwise attend.
Helps your group, not just its members​
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Champions often end up helping the group itself get online too, a WhatsApp group, a shared calendar, an easier way to book the hall.
You keep control of the pace
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Run it monthly, weekly, or just for one term. It flexes around your group’s existing rhythm, not the other way round.
THE OFFER
What Digital Champions actually do
Pick whichever shape suits your group, most Champions end up running two or three of these.
REGULAR
Digital drop-ins​
An open, no-appointment slot where members bring whatever they’re stuck on.
REGULAR
Community learning sessions
A short, planned topic each time, email today, video calls next month.
ONGOING
Facilitated peer support​
​Members who’ve picked something up help others, you just keep it moving.
ONE-OFF
Practical workshops
​​A focused session on one task: the NHS App, online banking, staying scam-safe.
1:1
Person-centred support​
​Sitting alongside one member who needs a slower, more private pace.
OCCASIONAL
Themed talks
A guest speaker or short talk, for example on scams, online safety, a new app people ask about.
WHAT WE PROVIDE
Training and Support
1
BEFORE YOU START
Induction Training (3.5 Hours, In-Person)
Free, practical, and built for people with no tech background. Confidence and communication, not computing.
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The Digital Champion role and its boundaries.
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Motivating and encouraging learners.
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Communicating without jargon.
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Accessibility and inclusion.
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Safe, ethical and professional practice.
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Safeguarding and online safety.
2
CHECKS HANDLED FOR YOU
Safer Recruitment (DBS Check)
A short conversation, references and a DBS check. We manage the process, you just take part.
3
REFERENCE FOR EVERY SESSION
Community Digital Champions Toolkit and Session Resources
A full and developing toolkit covering everything from breaking a task into simple steps, to handling awkward moments and spotting a safeguarding concern (Recognise – Respond – Record – Report). Alongside this, access to pre-written session plans and resources to support you delivering engaging and meaningful sessions. You’re never working from a blank page.
4
FIRST SESSION, NOT ALONE
Shadowing and a Named Mentor
You can shadow an experienced Champion before running your own sessions or have our experienced team support your first session, either way you keep a point of contact for questions afterwards.
5
ONGOING
The SDCVS Community Network
Stay connected to other Champions and groups through the SDCVS Community Network, and progress from New, to Active, to Lead Champion as you go, with each stage formally recognised.
Our ethos...
“Empower, not fix. Guide, don’t do.”
Frequently Asked Questions
How much time does it take?
As little or as much as suits your group, from one termly workshop to a regular weekly slot. Most Champions start small and grow into it.
Does it cost anything?
No. Training, the toolkit, ongoing mentoring and materials are all provided free by Digital Futures.
Do I need a DBS check?
Where your role involves supporting people one-to-one or working with a group that includes vulnerable adults, yes, we handle the application for you as part of safer recruitment.
Where do sessions happen?
Wherever your group already meets, for example, a village hall, a lunch club, a place of worship, a community centre. No new venue needed.
What if something comes up I can’t handle?
You’re backed by a named mentor and the SDCVS team throughout, for a tricky tech question, a safeguarding concern, or anything in between.