More hands mean light work for local Online Centre thanks to Lloyds volunteer
In Online Centres up and down the country, Lloyds Banking Group’s trained Digital Champions are working with learners to help them develop their digital skills. Business Analyst Heather Dlamini, 33 from Leeds, is one such volunteer.
Good Things Foundation and Lloyds Banking Group have been working in partnership to develop an army of Digital Champions across the UK who have been trained to help people learn basic digital skills.
Heather is one of these volunteer Digital Champions who decided she wanted to give back to her local community at Harehills Area Learning Project in Leeds.
Heather says: “The opportunity caught my eye because it was local and close to my home. I got in touch with May and she invited me along to help out at some of their classes.
“I did so many things with the learners, but it was mainly getting them started with the basics. Some of them were very nervous or unsure of learning digital skills, so I told them about real life examples of how the internet could make their lives easier to motivate them to use the computer.
“This type of work brings joy to my heart. Just knowing that I have made a difference to someone’s life, I would do it again and again. It’s very rewarding and fulfilling for me.”
May Arthurton, centre manager at Harehills Area Learning Project has had quite a few enquiries from Lloyds Banking Group’s Digital Champions about opportunities at her centre. She says: “When Heather first came along we had a new group in and she was able to help them with things like using a mouse or a keyboard. It was great that she was there to help them get started instead of people just being sat around waiting.
“Heather has been great - one of the best volunteers we’ve had. She’s really got down there, hands on deck, helping and supporting the students. I wish we could have her back more often.”