Community Projects
Digital Inclusion Workshops
Free and concession-priced group sessions at local venues across the Calder Valley. Practical topics, plain English, small groups. No experience needed to attend.
Delivered at libraries, community centres, sheltered housing, and churches across Hebden Bridge and the valley.
Why this matters
Confidence with Technology Is Not Evenly Distributed
Millions of people in the UK are being left behind as everyday services move online. Booking a GP appointment, renewing a prescription, checking a bank balance, or video calling a grandchild: these are not luxuries. They are the practical fabric of a functioning life. For people who did not grow up with smartphones, navigating this shift alone is genuinely hard.
One-to-one tuition solves a lot, but it does not reach everyone. Group workshops at familiar, trusted venues lower the barrier considerably. When the person sitting next to you is asking the same question you were too nervous to ask, something shifts. That is the environment we create.
What we cover
Topics We Run Sessions On
Each session is focused, practical, and adapted to the group in the room.
- Smartphone basics
Making calls, sending messages, taking photos, adjusting settings. For people new to smartphones or who feel they are missing the basics.
- Scam awareness
How to spot a phishing email, a fake text, and a suspicious call. What to do if you think you have been targeted. Practical and calm, not frightening.
- The NHS app
Booking appointments, ordering repeat prescriptions, checking test results. Step by step, on attendees' own phones.
- Video calling family
WhatsApp, FaceTime, and Zoom. Setting it up, making a call, troubleshooting when it drops. Practised in the room so it feels familiar at home.
- Online banking safely
How to check your balance, pay a bill, and spot a genuine bank communication. What banks will never ask you to do, and why.
- Staying safe online
Passwords, account security, what information is safe to share, and how to be confident without being reckless. No jargon, no judgment.
How it works
Small Groups, Real Practice
Sessions run 1 to 2 hours
Long enough to cover a topic properly. Short enough to stay focused and not overwhelm. We finish on time.
Groups of 6 to 12
Small enough that every person gets attention. Large enough that questions benefit the whole group. We do not pack rooms out.
Bring your own device
Attendees bring their own phone, tablet, or laptop. We work on what they actually have, not a demonstration device.
Plain English throughout
We do not assume any knowledge. We also do not repeat what everyone already knows. We read the room and adjust.
No cost barrier
Sessions at community venues are free or available on a concession basis. Funded through CIC reserves and small local grants.
Where we go
We Come to You
We run sessions wherever people already gather. Libraries, community centres, sheltered housing common rooms, church halls, and local meeting spaces. If your organisation works with people who would benefit from a session, we want to hear from you.
We bring everything we need. All that is required from a venue is a table, some chairs, and a room where attendees feel comfortable. Wifi helps but is not essential for most topics.
Want to Host a Session?
Get in touch if you run a community venue, housing scheme, library, or local group. We will come to you.