Rayyan Karim, Group Operations Manager for Scotland, is one of the Digital Champion volunteers, and he’s been working with Online Centre Tap into IT - an innovative social enterprise based in Edinburgh. Tap into IT aims to help older people to get the skills and confidence they need to make the most of useful online services - like shopping, digital health, benefits and council services.
Rayyan said: “As a Lloyds Banking Group Digital Champion I was keen to find an organisation I could support using my digital skills. After searching for opportunities on the Lloyds Banking Group internal map, I came across Tap Into IT and got in touch to offer my support.”
Rayyan now makes a weekly appearance at one of the Tap Into IT’s Club Centres, based at a sheltered housing unit. He spends his time sitting with members of the club on a one-to-one basis in order to assist with any issues they may have about the technology they’re using. He’s also been helping the centre create a new business development and growth strategy.
Rayyan explains: “I worked with the Managing Director to identify four business problems that we felt blocked the growth of the organisation. In order to address those problems in a productive and fun way, I ran a workshop with 60 members of staff, stakeholders, partners and customers that included team energisers and games designed to creatively capture the output required to solve each business problem. The day was a great success!”
Mike Ellis is the Manager at Tap into IT “Our experience working with the Lloyds volunteers has been very positive. The three volunteers we’ve had have been outstanding, tuning into the interests of our learners and proving themselves to be enthusiastic and effective Digital Champions.
“What’s more, one of the volunteers, Rayyan, has helped us as a business, too. He’s made a very significant contribution in just a few short months. After a careful process of consultation and involvement in one of the Clubs, he came up with an imaginative and engaging programme for our first 'Stakeholder Workshop' and led the whole day. It’s provided us with useful feedback that we can use to improve our computer club programme and services.”