Embedded Digital Champions

There are two kinds of embedded Digital Champion who work to support people with Essential Digital Skills

  • Embedded Digital Champions – helping service users
  • Embedded workplace Digital Champions – helping colleagues

What skills are needed?

  • Basic and advanced digital skills linked to service delivery
  • Digital enthusiast
  • Identification and assessment skills to fully identify the needs of the service user
  • Enthusiastic about the benefits of being online and able to share this with others through direct experience
  • Motivated and have the confidence to help others to learn
  • Patient, coaching and able to build up trust with learners through building on existing relationships

Embedded Digital Champions – helping service users

This type of Digital Champion works in a service-based role and provides Essential Digital Skills support as part of their front-line role. They generally work in a charity or public sector, often providing services to vulnerable people. Initial need is often linked to a specific service need.

Graphic showing individual in centre with digital skills embedded into services like libraries, job centre, employers, education providers, community venues, service providers, health & social care, charities, housing providers, friends & family

Pros and cons of using embedded Digital Champions to help service users

Pros
  • Have a pre-existing relationship with beneficiaries
  • Motivation for engagement can be strong
  • Regular contact with beneficiaries enables gentler ‘nudge’ approach
  • Good scalability if groups of front-line staff trained
  • Works well if embedded into organisation’s existing processes
Cons
  • Need staff motivation to take on the role
  • Aptitude for the role will vary, so likely consistency of support will vary
  • Time and resource pressures may de-prioritise digital
  • Relationship with beneficiary may be conflicted or stressed
  • Can be harder to measure outputs or outcomes
  • Commitment needed from organisation (e.g. to free up staff time for training at set up; and on a continuing basis with new staff)

Case study: The digital journey of Airdrie Citizens Advice Bureau

This video explains how Airdrie Citizens Advice Bureau started to use more digital skills.

and their wonderful animation shows how they have now embedded Digital across their service and help their community with innovative, digital tailored advice and support.

This video presentation by Eilidh Little, Digital Development Officer with SCVO (Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations), provides an in-depth look into embedded Digital Champions who help service users.

Find out more about SCVO’s digital training and resources including their toolkit to test your (or your learners) Essential Digital Skills.

Embedded workplace Digital Champions – helping colleagues

This type of Digital Champion works internally within an organisation providing guidance to colleagues on the use of digital within their role. Initial need is often linked to changes in the use of technology within the organisation.

This video presentation by Kathy Valdes, Programme Manager at Digital Unite, provides an in-depth look into embedded workplace Digital Champions who help colleagues.

Digital Unite have also launched an accredited online course to train staff as Workplace Digital Champions, Watch this video to find out all about it.

and then click here for all the details of Digital Unite’s training and resources.

Find out more about embedded Digital Champions…