Bringing digital support home: The Sheltered Accommodation Project

Bringing digital support home: The Sheltered Accommodation Project

One of Digital Wigan's key ambitions for 2026 was to strengthen links with sheltered accommodation schemes across the borough and bring digital support directly to residents where they live.

Sheltered accommodation schemes play a vital role within local communities, providing safe and supportive environments for older residents. We recognised that these schemes also offered a fantastic opportunity to reach people who may benefit from digital support but find it difficult to travel to community venues.

To turn this ambition into reality, the Digital Wigan team worked closely with the sheltered development manager and sheltered scheme managers across Wigan and Leigh. Together, we developed a programme of pop-up TechMate Tea Parties designed specifically for sheltered accommodation residents.

The concept was simple: bring friendly digital support into familiar surroundings, combine it with a relaxed social atmosphere and create an opportunity for residents to ask questions about technology without needing to leave home.

The response was overwhelmingly positive.

Throughout the year, TechMate volunteers and Digital Wigan staff have visited schemes across the borough, helping residents with smartphones, tablets, online services, video calls and digital safety. Residents were able to receive personalised support while enjoying a cup of tea and meeting their neighbours.

Two schemes that enthusiastically embraced the project were Greenfields and Eldervale. Multiple tea parties were delivered at both locations, allowing residents to build relationships with the TechMate team and return for support whenever they needed it. The events not only improved digital confidence but also encouraged social interaction, helping residents come together and form new connections within their communities.

By bringing TechMates directly into sheltered accommodation schemes, we demonstrated that digital support works best when it meets people where they are. The success of the project has strengthened relationships with sheltered accommodation services and created a model that can continue to benefit residents across the borough for years to come.