Aligned with Wigan Council’s Progress with Unity missions, we invite you to join us in a partnership built on collaboration, shared purpose, and a commitment to making digital support accessible for all.
By becoming part of the Digital Communities Partnership (DCP), you are joining a friendly, ever‑growing network of organisations who share one mission: helping people feel confident, supported, and included in an increasingly digital world.
Whether you are a charity, community group, business, or local organisation, our collective effort strengthens the whole network and helps us make a bigger, more meaningful impact across Wigan borough.
Being part of the Digital Communities Partnership has made a real difference to the people we support. It’s helped us connect with other organisations, share ideas, and offer more digital support than we ever could alone at our Extra Time groups, thank you Digital Wigan!
Mark, Wigan Athletic Community Trust.
What partners receive
Becoming a Digital Communities Partnership member gives your organisation access to tools, support, and opportunities that help you make a bigger impact. As a partner, you will gain:
Priority to Access for All
Refer people directly to our Access for All device gifting scheme, providing free devices to residents who need them most. Selecting your partnership status on the referral form speeds up the process and helps remove digital barriers quickly and effectively.
Tablet lending library
Offer ready‑to‑use tablets for loan from our library to support your projects, programmes or community activities. Devices can be borrowed for short‑term events or longer‑term initiatives, giving you the flexibility to test ideas, run sessions, support learners, or enhance existing services without needing your own equipment.
Learning and development
Access shared learning sessions, best‑practice insights, and training opportunities that help your staff and volunteers grow their digital inclusion skills.
Opportunities to connect
Connect with like‑minded organisations through our four quarterly partnership meetings, featuring guest speakers, shared ideas and new collaborative opportunities. We also end each year with a celebration event, bringing everyone together to recognise our shared achievements, highlight the year’s successes, and enjoy a well‑earned buffet!
Visibility and recognition
Be featured on the DCP webpage, social media channels, and borough‑wide campaigns, helping raise awareness of the support you offer in your community. As a partner, you will also be invited to take part in key digital events throughout the year.
What partners contribute
The partnership works because every organisation brings something unique. By joining, you contribute:
- Local insight - knowledge of your community, the barriers people face, and what support really works in your setting, helping us shape digital inclusion that truly reflects local needs
- Community reach - your strong, local connections help us reach residents who otherwise may never access digital support, extending our collective impact into every corner of the borough
- Delivery and support - offering digital sessions, signposting residents, or hosting drop-ins that help people gain confidence with technology - all delivered in a friendly, down‑to‑earth spirit
- Collaboration and co-creation - working together to share ideas and develop solutions, we improve digital inclusion and build a stronger, more connected borough.
How to join
Joining the Digital Communities Partnership is simple and supportive from the moment you get involved. Here is how to get started:
- Complete our application form - tell us about your organisation, the people you support, and the type of digital help you currently offer (if any)
- We contact you - a member of our team will contact you to introduce themselves and arrange for an induction to take place
- Induction session - we meet virtually or in person for a friendly conversation about how we can support your work and how you can get involved. This is where we get to know you, your organisation or team on a personal level, we want to tailor the partnership to you
- You are a DCP partner - you can now attend partner meetups, access your benefits, share successes, learn from others, and contribute to a borough‑wide mission.
Ready to join the Digital Communities Partnership? Complete our online Digital Communities Partnership form.