Digital Brighton and Hove is a cross-sector partnership which brings together over 300 organisations working to create a more digitally confident city. One of our flagship projects, it is run in partnership with Brighton and Hove City Council.
Digital Brighton and Hove help local organisations and residents to build digital skills and confidence. We also work with Tech-Takeback and other local partners to provide access to technology.
The Digital Brighton & Hove offer:
Support for organisations
- Regular network meetings, building a partnership approach to digital inclusion across the city
- Sharing best practice and digital inclusion focused resources
- Consultancy support with digital inclusion projects
- Training to help staff provide digital support to others
Support for learners
- Freephone digital skills helpline
- Tailored support from trained Digital Champions
- Tablet loan scheme
- Access to computers and other digital devices through our partnership with Tech-Takeback
Current funders and partners
The Digital Brighton and Hove project is currently funded by Brighton and Hove City Council. Organisations in the Digital Brighton and Hove network include Brighton & Hove Ageing Well Festival, Grace Eyre, Impact Initiatives, Volunteering Matters Brighton Lifelines and University of Sussex Institute of Development Studies.
“Thank you for the Digital Champion training. As a result, Grace Eyre is hosting our first online safety drop-in for anyone with a learning disability or autism to attend. Please do share as an outcome of your excellent resources.”
Charlotte, Grace Eyre
Digital Brighton & Hove impact so far
As of May 2021, the DBH project has:
- Developed a partner network of 300+ organisations and 1000+ people engaged in all aspects of digital inclusion, leadership and transformation
- Recruited 505 Digital Champions
- Supported at least 4,700 unique individuals
- Delivered 7,300+ sessions of digital skills support
- Created a bespoke signposting website
In response to the Covid pandemic, we recruited and trained a further 30 volunteer Digital Champions to provide remote help to residents over the phone. Our Community Digital Champion, Anna Dolphin, has been instrumental in distributing 115 tablet devices to Brighton & Hove residents, with the support of the Brighton Employment Project, Tech-Takeback and DevicesDotNow. Anna and the team of Digital Champions provide ongoing support to those who have received the tablets. In total, Digital Champions in Brighton & Hove have been helping over 200 people with digital skills since October 2020.
“My Digital Champion is wonderful – I can’t thank her enough…We do need this kind of help right now. People think it is a big mountain [to climb] but with my Digital Champion it is not. Brilliant, brilliant!”
Learner, Brighton
(Image shows Digital Brighton and Hove Community Digital Champion, Anna Dolphin)
Partner case studies:
- Seniors Housing Schemes: Helping older people become more digitally confident
- Brighton Unemployed Centre Families Project volunteers get trained up
- The impact of Digital Champions working in the council’s Customer Service Centre
Learner case studies:
- Sarah gets online in lockdown
- Putting the pieces together – Michael’s story
- Another success story: Giorgio reconnects with his brother online
- 88 year-old Sylvie gets online
Digital Champion case studies:
- Our Community Digital Champion Josie has fun helping people do more online
- Peter’s story: being a volunteer Digital Champion
- Our Community Digital Champion Glenn has worked with a lot of people (over 600!)
“Thanks to you and your colleagues… If anyone needs to get out and do things, do it on a computer. It’s a fantastic freedom… it’s helped with life, you know it keeps your life going”
Michael, Brighton
Reports
In 2016 we produced a baseline analysis. Download the Baseline Analysis Executive Summary (pdf, 1.2Mb)
In 2018, we produced a “baseline review”, reviewing the 2016 Digital Inclusion Baseline Evaluation. Download the Baseline Review (pdf, 2Mb)
Read our Evaluation and Impact Report 2017-2019 (Phase 3)
Contact us
More information can be found on the Digital Brighton and Hove website and you can stay up to date with the project on Twitter and Facebook.
Sign up to the Digital Brighton and Hove newsletter to find out more or email the team at DigitalBH@citizensonline.org.uk.
