Coronavirus Community Assistance Directory

Type of support for organisations

Care staff or trained volunteers

Help offered

I have a group of university students - currently 14 - who are experienced in teaching essential and basic digital skills (email, WhatsApp, ordering prescriptions online) on a 1:1 basis. They are used to working with older people (aged 65-90) and BAME women. These students are no longer able to volunteer at their usual in-person settings and are keen to share their skills with others who could use them. As well as being able to tutor in basic digital skills, volunteers also have a range of more advanced skills that might be useful to organisations. These include Adobe Photoshop, Wordpress and HTML coding. Students aren't trained in teaching these but are happy to try and do so.

How to access this support

Volunteers will be available to offer support over the phone or via videoconferencing service like Zoom or Microsoft Teams. Each volunteer usually offers 2-4 hours per week of their time. They may be able to offer more at this time as university assessments have been cancelled, but this will vary among volunteers. Most volunteers will *not* have a PVG for working with vulnerable adults.

Support provided in these areas

In East Lothian, Edinburgh, Fife, Midlothian, Scottish Borders, and West Lothian.

More information