Age UK’s Milford drop-in centres offer face to face tech support and digital skills training to Surrey residents. As well as digital skills help, the team can offer advice around staying safe online, device security and much more. Examples of help available include: Finding information on the internet, shopping online securely, sending and receiving emails, editing and manipulating photos, researching family history, and talking to your friend abroad via WhatsApp or Skype. Sessions run on Mondays from 10am-12pm.
Audience: Individuals
Angelic Network
Angelic Network was set up during the Covid-19 pandemic, to help Surrey residents of all faiths and ages to stay connected and support those in need. They offer both digital skills learning support and English classes for those struggling with digital exclusion and language barriers. They can also offer a tech loan service, though please note the resources available for this service are limited.
Good Things Foundation
A nationally operating charity, the Good Things Foundation have been incredibly active in promoting change and improvement to accessibility for digitally excluded individuals around the UK, including Surrey. Among their services they offer digital skills learning support, help with affordability of Wi-Fi and data packages, and a National Device Bank of refurbished laptops and tablets for those unable to purchase them themselves. From their website you can refer someone for support in any area required.
Surrey Libraries – Digital Buddies
Digital Buddies volunteers are operational across 46 of Surrey’s 52 library sites. They can offer personalised, one to one support with any digital products or websites you might be struggling with, as well as helping to access the library’s wide range of online services through their free Livvy app for access to audiobooks, papers and magazines, and much more. Libraries have Wi-Fi and equipment already in place, so you can use the computers there or you’re welcome to bring your own device (perhaps a laptop or smartphone).
We Are Digital
For those struggling with using digital products, We Are Digital have partnered with Vodaphone to create a Digital Skills phone helpline, which is free to call. They can help you with issues such as setting up a new digital device, connecting to the internet, or learning how to use emails and other communication products. Also, as part of their digital exclusion work with Vodaphone, We Are Digital offer free SIM cards with 20GB of data, and 6 months of free calls and texts, available to those who are digitally excluded, in need, or on a low income. In partnership with HM Courts & Tribunal Service, We Are Digital are also offering a support line service to assist individuals who do not have the digital skills to fill out forms online independently.
Welcome Café
A weekly drop-in session operating on Mondays (apart from Bank Holidays and in August), offering volunteer-led digital skills learning sessions. Equipment and Wi-Fi available on site. Operational from 10am to 2pm. Reception phone number: 01483 714150.
Sight For Surrey
Offers a range of digital support, including one to one professional tuition, group workshops in person, online webinars, volunteer support in your own home, and a resource library of ‘how to’ guides on our website. All for people who are blind, partially sighted, Deaf, hard of hearing or deafblind. For all ages and in all areas of Surrey. Face to face sessions are from their office in Fetcham, or in their Community Hubs, or in private homes across Surrey. They also give out free data sim cards.
Guildford Borough Community Wellbeing Team
Offers a monthly, in-person Saturday digital session for older people. This is in collaboration with the Tech Angels volunteers who offer one-to-one sessions. Sessions take place the second Saturday of each month, from 11am – 2pm. For anyone 55 years old or above. Attendees can be referred onto Tech Angels to hire a tablet and have further help in the home.
Surrey Coalition for Disabled People – Tech Angels
Tech Angels is a free service run by the charity Surrey Coalition. We can support people by providing a smart device or prepaid SIM card on long-term-loan. We also provide digital lessons in someone’s home with one of our volunteer ‘Tech Angels’. These lessons will cover whatever it is that the individual feels they need to know, e.g. using the NHS App, emailing, WhatsApp and video-calling, learning how to fill in online forms, browse the internet and do online shopping and banking. The only cost associated with Tech Angels is if a Tech Member wants to keep their loaned device after the loan period.
Surrey Lifelong Learning Partnership
Each year we help between 600 and 800 people return to learn to gain new skills, qualifications and employment. We rely on a mix of income streams, including generating funds through our Bike Project social enterprise and securing grant funding for projects.