Leeds Digital Festival returns 16 to 27 September 2024 for a two-week celebration of digital culture in all its forms. This year, 100% Digital Leeds is pleased to be hosting three events as part of the programme, highlighting some of our current workstreams.
Be Online and Stay Safe: Media Literacy with Older People
Tuesday 17 September, 10.00am to 11.30am
This event is a chance for you to hear more about the success and findings of the Be Online Stay Safe (BOSS) project.
The project was led by Leeds Older People’s Forum (LOPF), a network of third sector organisations working with and for older people, in partnership with 100% Digital Leeds.
Our line-up of speakers, including third sector delivery partners and the Digital Coordinator at LOPF, will be sharing information about the project and how you can tailor the BOSS resources to support your organisation and communities.
The project focused on empowering older people from diverse communities with low digital skills who were more vulnerable to online scams. It supported them to develop their confidence and skills in how to stay safe online, access accurate information, and feel more at ease when navigating the online world. It also explored the barriers that older people face to digital inclusion and media literacy, such as cultural, language, and literacy challenges, and supported them to overcome these barriers through themed sessions.
In the webinar the speakers will share how the project was developed and adapted to meet the needs of older people. Attendees can access all of the resources from the BOSS project, including workbooks, session plans, and tutorial videos on the Leeds Older People’s Forum website and the Digital Inclusion Delivery Resources Google Drive.
Empowerment Through Technology: Donate your digital equipment for good
Monday 23 September, 1.00pm to 1.30pm
Solidaritech repurpose your organisation’s unwanted laptops, desktops, tablets, and smartphones, passing them on to asylum seekers and refugees without digital equipment. In the last 12 months Solidaritech have refurbished and gifted over 1,300 devices to digitally excluded people across Yorkshire and Humber.
This 30-minute lunchtime webinar is an opportunity to find out how you can easily donate unwanted digital equipment to help people to resolve their immigration status, pursue studies, and start their lives in their new country.
Solidaritech will explain how they safely and professionally wipe your old hard drives, and install new Operating Systems to make new, quicker, and more usable machines.
You will hear from businesses who have already donated their equipment to support their company’s social value and environmental objectives. You will also hear from charities about the difference these donations make to the refugees and asylum seekers they work with, and you’ll have an opportunity to ask questions.
Digital Volunteering Matchmaking Event 2024
Thursday 26 September, 10.00am to 11.30am
This ‘speed networking’ style event aims to link tech companies seeking Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) volunteer opportunities with voluntary, community, or social enterprise (VCSE) organisations looking for volunteers to support basic digital skills for Leeds residents. We aim for attendees to leave the event having made meaningful matches, leading to ongoing, mutually beneficial partnerships.
The plan for the morning:
- Introductions and context setting from 100% Digital Leeds, Voluntary Action Leeds, and Forum Central.
- A panel discussion on the mutual benefits to tech companies and VCSEs partnering to support digital inclusion for Leeds residents, from those who have already worked successfully in partnership.
- A ‘speed networking’ style exercise to foster new partnerships.
- An opportunity for attendees to continue any conversations with potential partners.
Who would benefit from attending this event:
- Spaces are limited to 10 tech sector business representatives and 10 VCSE organisation representatives – only one representative per organisation, please.
- All attendees should represent businesses or VCSE organisations based in or delivering services in Leeds.
- Representatives should be organisational leaders with enough influence to action any commitments made. Example roles include CSR or ESG Leads, Volunteer Managers, and Digital Inclusion Officers.