Digital champions help both colleagues and people drawing on care and support to improve their skills and confidence in using digital technology, and provide peer-to-peer support.
The role of a digital champion will usually sit alongside their main role and responsibilities. They can hold a variety of different roles and responsibilities, ranging from team leaders to care staff who have a particular knowledge and interest in digital technology.
Role of digital champions in social care
The role of a digital champion is to:
- listen - it’s important to listen and understand people’s perspectives, and to empathise with their needs and concerns
- mentor - a digital champion can support people to plan their learning and provide guidance at their own pace while empowering them to take control of their own learning and development
- advocate - keep up to date and be curious about digital technology while sharing up-to-date digital news with their team and wider organisation
- signpost - provide additional direction and know when to signpost staff to wider digital technology resources
Benefits of digital champions
Digital champions can provide significant benefits to your colleagues and people drawing on care and support within your organisation.
The benefits may vary depending on what digital technology and services you provide, and what support you can offer.
Digital champions can:
- empower staff and people who draw on care and support to use digital tools more effectively
- increase people’s confidence, understanding and motivation in using digital technology
- share best practice with colleagues
- support their organisation to introduce new digital technology
- increase digital skills across the organisation
- help to support managers to build an inclusive and engaged culture in the use of digital technology
These responsibilities can contribute to the improved and sustainable uptake and use of digital technology in adult social care. In turn, this can inform and improve the delivery and quality of care services, and the quality of life and care outcomes for people drawing on care and support.
It’s important for digital champions to:
- work with people supportively and positively
- help people to have enjoyable and safe experiences in communicating and engaging online
- support people to stay safe and secure on the internet, and in sharing information with others
- know how to raise an issue if someone might be unsafe or experiencing harm online
- not be afraid to ask for help themselves if they’re not sure how to help
Helping people who draw on care and support
Digital champions can help people who draw on care and support by introducing them to digital technologies that could enable them to live more independently, for example, medication reminder software.
Introducing digital champions into your organisation
Excerpt from the official page. The original is authoritative. Continue reading at UK DHSC ↗