A lovely story of a person’s experience of video calling. For many this is still a very strange interactive experience, but the social benefits are enormous especially for those at risk of social isolation.
Over the past few months video calls seem to have taken over just about everything. Calling friends, work meetings, TV shows, hospital appointments, they are all being done over a video call. It seems to be the safest way to see other people. We haven’t been able to meet in person because of Covid-19, so […]
Park View Project can help with digital self learning, which is half the battle if you are already online! Please see our website for details of ‘Learn My Way’: A digital easy-to-follow basic digital skills module. It is recognised by Online Centres Network where registering allows you to connect to your nearest digital support centre. https://www.parkviewprojectne.com/learn-my-way-digital-access
This year Online Week is on from 19 – 25th October. Many local Online Centres Network members will be hosting events around the country, we will be representing North Tyneside borough as the specialist Digital Disability Support service. We will be posting further information nearer the time. Because of the current restrictions in access to our drop in services, all the events will be held virtually. If in the event we are able to deliver some elements of this years programme with a non virtual space, we will plan this into the forthcoming diary. Hope you can all join us nearer the time?
Email: office@parkviewproject.org.uk for further information
Park View Project was created from a cry for help from older and disabled residents of North Tyneside who were frustrated, confused and, for many, in fear of using the internet because of the negative press relating to fraud, abuse, bullying and lack of privacy. Yet many older people are aware of the acceleration of digitization, but this only adds to the sense of being ‘outside looking in’. Does the public perceive this as a problem! It is not broadcast so it’s ‘unheard’ and ‘unseen’ by many agencies, organisations and businesses who, in turn, only reinforce this mind-set by assuming everyone has access to e-resources.
‘Starting as a volunteer steering group in 2013 we collected evidence about individuals not online and how this created difficulty in managing day-to day tasks. Adopting a traditional community development strategy to seek out solutions, we were able to reach out to those not online and attempt to gain an insight into the realities of ‘digital non-compliance’. The outcomes then are as now, which involves: –
Create a digital community which increases the online & Offline presence of vulnerable residents by providing a ‘voice which promotes community engagement.
Via Mentoring, promote sharing of skills, life experience and, reduce levels of social & economic isolation while increasing access to socially essential services.
Increase local opportunities for work, education, and leisure-based activities across the borough.
Reduce incidence of online bullying, fraud and Hate crime across all vulnerable groups across the borough.
Our aims are to tackle social & economic isolation; increase awareness & understanding of the applications that digital media can be used for and strive towards integrating life experience with that of learning 21st century digital services. Our proposal for developing a volunteer Online Chums service, alongside our active learning module, will address social and economic isolation which individual’s experience, including practical help in using everyday digital gadgets and their applications. Importantly, the social goal is to integrate our digital methods in a way that provides a community development tool which acts as a focus for promoting mutual support, ownership and, importantly, participation in local neighbourhood & borough-wide activities. In this small community we draw on volunteers from across our local community to take on a variety of roles such as digital mentoring (no special skills needed just people skills and commonsense); attending our outreach sessions (C19 emergency excluded); website design and content management; social media championing; updating contacts; promotion/marketing. We also welcome volunteers who enjoy online tutoring in a vast number of subjects – free – which engage people in a way that encourages inter-generational community-based activities. Central to all our work is a social one where we want to not just support to manage your online presence but increase social circles of support at a community level. You can register your interest in becoming a volunteer if you live in the North Tyneside area:
Our WW1 Heritage Lottery Group based at Cullercoats Family History Centre
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
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.
Blogging is our focus and connecting with others with a disability is encouraged. But we do try to peer support where individuals experience difficulties that by working together can find solutions together. A consequence of our Digital Befriending Scheme is that we are able to foster happy relationships between our members thereby increase social circles of support. Our drop in centre is usually a hive of activity but the current state of emergency dictates that all our support is online. This situation is important, but we never loose sight of a social goals of getting people online to offline community participation.
Park View Project engages with its community in ways that enable and empower individuals who have many challenges in remaining safe and security online. Most of all, our volunteer befrienders are there to guide and support you to get the most out out of your digital experience. No matter your disability or vulnerability Park View is there to help you stay safe while maximising your digital footprint.
The Dep’t of Education has launched its Digital Skills Tool Kit aimed at home working. Park View Centre is a registered Online Centre with access to this suite of learning programmes and can support learners in many aspects of maximising efficient home working using digital processes. To get in touch with us you can find out more via our website Online Support Or you can email office@parkviewproject.org.uk
Weevles Updates Disabled Bloggers Team 