TechMates is a digital mentor service run by volunteers and council staff. We provide basic digital support over the telephone and in-person at TechMate Tea Parties.
Who do TechMates support?
We support any person in Wigan Borough needing assistance with digital technology. You will support a variety of different people, abilities, and skill levels throughout your time as a TechMate.
The support you provide will make a massive difference to someone's life, including but not limited to:
- Adults requiring more focused support e.g. shopping online, help communicating with friends and family using digital technology
- Residents who received a new device through the DevicesDotNow scheme and learning through the Learn My Way platform
- Children at school and adults who haven't had access to technology and the internet at home before.
What do TechMates do?
TechMates provide vital support in the following essential areas:
- Connecting with friends and family using video chat / conferencing tools
- Online banking and shopping
- Registering on a GP website for repeat prescriptions
- Joining virtual exercise classes on Zoom or YouTube
- Accessing free audio books, e-magazines or TV programmes
- Help to build people's digital confidence
- Help learners realise their own digital needs and interests
- Use your passion for digital to motivate and inspire.
Updates are important
As a TechMate volunteer, it is important that you embrace a digital approach. Your responsibility is to provide regular updates on your learner's progress and your volunteering using our online form. You will receive automated email reminders with a link to the form when it's time to provide an update. It is vitally important that you respond to these update reminders.
To help you, we have created a short instructional video on how to complete the form and a practise form which you can complete as many times as you like.
We know that people's lives are busy, and things can change. You can put your volunteering on hold at any time, but you must inform us if you no longer want to volunteer by emailing [email protected]
Using your own equipment
With so many people now having unlimited data and phone packages we ask that TechMates use their own devices and data / minutes to contact learners. If you have any questions about this, please contact the digital team.
Volunteering as a TechMate AQA Level 3 qualification
After you have supported more than one learner with a variety of essential and foundation digital skills, we can put you forward for an AQA Level 3 qualification. You must build up evidence that you have completed all 11 outcomes to pass this qualification. The qualification is based on your practical experience of helping your learners and only requires a small amount of writing. We can provide a form and support to complete the qualification.
If you would like the opportunity to take part in this qualification, please don’t forget to select yes in the 'Tell us about yourself' section of the test.
What's great about being a TechMate?
- Your chance to be part of a cutting-edge digital project
- Add something extraordinary and invaluable to your CV
- You will enjoy plenty of lightbulb moments!
- The opportunity to meet new people and help your community
- You could gain a Level 3 AQA qualification
- You're going to transform lives through the power of digital.
Test your Knowledge...
- Who do TechMates support?
Move on to the next section: Understanding learner needs and interests