Connect Up - Community of practice

The COVID-19 pandemic brought about significant changes for everyone. Lockdown meant that many people experienced real social isolation for the first time, and struggled to make contact with friends and family through a lack of digital means or skills. But for many others, lockdown simply highlighted the digital exclusion and social isolation that already existed.

As we go forward we need to ensure that everyone can benefit from digital connections. That’s why we’re working with Scheinberg Relief Fund to create Connect Up.

Connect Up will reach 17,500 older people who have been digitally and socially excluded during the pandemic and equip them with the skills needed to make and maintain meaningful connections with others.

The Connect Up community of practice

Good Things will also be setting up a specialist community of practice for organisations around the UK who provide, or plan to provide, digital inclusion support to older people. Together we’ll co-design and test new ways to support older people to learn new digital skills.

As part of the Connect Up Community, organisations can access (for free):

• Regular specialist training;
• Specialist resources on the Learn My Way platform;
• Community networking events;
• Sharing best practice;
• Support from peer experts;
• Grant opportunities for community members to deliver digital skills support to older people.