An important role we play in supporting volunteers who provide a critical peer support, by digitally befriending individuals struggling with maintaining or using online processes, is to acknowledge there commitment and selflessness in creating a safe and secure space for all our beneficiaries to maximise their involvement of using technology and software applications that increase their social circles of support, create learning opportunities, access health & social care and secure financial support. This year we are currently reviewing how to single out an individual amongst so many who have equal worth in our organisation for this prestigious award. We will reveal our intentions in due course……..
Our digital world is rapidly changing, but for many who still seek a safe place, it is a challenge. Our project is a based on developing involvement of disabled people in learning new ways to get together by providing shared activities that are led by you with support from our trained volunteer Online Chum Mentors. We are a small community group working towards charitable registration relying entirely on donations and the good will of many of our local community who devote time to helping others make best use of the internet and technology. You can find out more by visiting our website at https://www.parkviewprojectne.com/
We have access to a variety of formal and informal help to demystify accessing the internet, whether it is disability creating barriers to understanding or lack of awareness of those functions to help you manage your day-to-day tasks. Normally we provide face-to-face activities at our drop in centre (located in Shiremoor, North Tyneside), because we have a social mission that integrates instruction with community-based activities to ensure that digital processes are considered in relation to the real world life at neighbourhood level. The current national emergency has created challenges for many we exist to support in that they are unable to participate in our annual programme of activities. This is why we are able to extend help remotely using peer support as well as online help using our web platforms. Our public website is an ideal way to keep in touch as well as keeping up to date with what we are doing. There are many of course with no internet access because of digital poverty or because they don’t know where to start. To address these factors we work with local agencies to connect to those needing our help so that collaboration is key to reaching out to those socially and economically excluded. Whether you are aware yourself of someone who could do with some friendly support or you are very new to using digital processes you can get in touch via our public website: https://www.parkviewprojectne.com/ or you can get in touch with us at our shared space at North Tyneside Disability Forum, Earsdon Road, Shiremoor, NE27 0HJ Tel 0191 4661667.
Digital Inclusion does not mean Social Exclusion – Getting you Online to Offline Community Activities
Great support from FutureDotNow and Good Things Foundation for furnishing us with mini tablets enabling people to connect to the internet. Without this support many would be greatly disadvantaged in developing their social circles of support and to undertake daily household tasks we take for granted. There are 12% of people living in the North East lacking any digital access and many more without the skills to access socially essential services. Together we can tackle this and eradicate digital poverty! Below id Helen receiving her new device.
It is now well known by many of WordPress bloggers that come the 1st June they are implementing their new Block design. This is deeply unsatisfactory because for many who are not digitally aware there will be challenges. This is especially the case for those of our members with a Learning Disability who have to formulate a routine in their blogging. Added to this is the current Covid19 lock down where our project drop in is suspended, meaning face-to-face benefit of supporting this unnecessary change will only lead to our community becoming silent. Again we are confronted with barriers that exclude those with intellectual disabilities. It is just not fair and is discriminatory.
Alongside our social goals to increase social circles of support, we are mindful that being online is becoming so much more than just keeping in touch. This is why we integrate our approach to digital befriending with our volunteer Online Chum mentor scheme, and that of learning about using digital processes. A key to learning is it is informal and creates relationships across our diverse local community. Take a peak at our public portal https://www.parkviewprojectne.com/ which was built and is maintained by our volunteers.
Today, we delivered Simon’s new tablet, and as you can see by the smile on his face, very pleased. He said “I can now continue my studies in arithmetic, English and general studies, something I’ve not been able to do since the lock-down. It will also allow me to take my role of volunteer Online Chum Mentor to the next level because I can now support others remotely as they progress maximising their digital skills”.
The internet and social media has become an amazing tool. Communicating, working, networking and learning new things. There are so many positive benefits, however like everything there can be some negative aspects too.
Next stop Robbie who has faced many battles during this national emergency.
Robbie here welcoming our worker Bob Dennis with his new mini tablet provided by the support of #FutureDotNow and #GoodThingsFoundation Robbie said: “Thank you to everyone for their help over this period of community crisis. This will have a positive effect on my mental well-being because I can now stay in touch with Park View Project.
as they progress maximising their digital skills”. 
Weevles Updates Disabled Bloggers Team 