There are fantastic benefits that a digital champion can provide to your colleagues and people drawing on care and support within your organisation.
The benefits may vary depending on what digital technology and services you provide, and what support you can offer.
Digital champions can:
- empower staff and people who draw on care and support to use digital tools more effectively
- increase people’s confidence, understanding and motivation in using digital technology
- share best practice with colleagues
- support their organisation to introduce new digital technology
- increase digital skills across the organisation the overall digital skill pool
- help to support managers to build an inclusive and engaged culture in the use of digital technology.
These responsibilities can contribute to the improved and sustainable uptake and use of digital technology in adult social care, and in turn can inform and improve the delivery and quality of care services, and the quality of life and care outcomes for people drawing on care and support.
Helping people drawing on care and support
There are different ways that a digital champion can help a person drawing on care and support. See some examples below:
Digital champions could introduce new digital technology to me that can support me living independently”
“Digital champions could introduce new technologies, like medication reminder software, that can support me to live independently”
“I could benefit from online sessions or visits from a digital champion to help me use technology better”
“I could speak to a digital champion to explore possible technologies and what they can offer to me
It’s important for digital champions to:
- work with people supportively and positively
- help people to have enjoyable and safe experiences in communicating and engaging online
- support people to stay safe and secure on the internet, and in sharing information with others
- know how to raise an issue if someone might be unsafe or experiencing harm online
- not be afraid to ask for help themselves if they are not sure how to help.