Digital Unite - United Kingdom

Digital Unite recruits, trains, and manages, older licensed trainers all over the UK, who work in their own postcode areas as self-employed individuals, selling their IT skills as trainers. Potential Digital Unite trainers are interviewed, and then trained over a two-day period. To be eligible, trainers must have at least five years of experience using computers, take and pass all modules of ECDL (European Computer Driving Licence) within six months of starting as a Digital Unite trainer, and possess the ability to explain things in non-technical terms to non-technical people.

Digital Unite trainers work with anyone who needs one-on-one (or small-group) deskside training, whether at home or at their place of work. This might include an individual in his or her home on his or her own computer, or a group of people using a computer in a community room in sheltered housing or the wardens in such a housing scheme - Digital Uniteworks with both service users and service providers. Service providers include Registered Social Landlords (RSLs), as well as personnel in private housing, day centres, local authority housing, district councils, and housing trusts. Digital Unite will train in any workplace and tailor-make appropriate courses.

Licensed Digital Unite trainers work in a protected area in terms of home-visit work (they do not have to share this area with another Digital Unite Trainer unless they choose to). For a one-on-one home visit, trainers may not charge more than £20 per hour. If travel charges are necessary, this will be discussed in advanced. Those IT trainers who want to get involved with Digital Unite, but who are not old enough or simply do not want a protected area, can join The Digital Unite Freelance Register. Then, when large projects require more, or more specifically trained, trainers than are included in the license scheme, the register may be called upon.

Licensed trainers are co-ordinated by email, ongoing training opportunities, regular group meetings, and an electronic bulletin board.

Members of the public can access the Digital Unite website. Here, they can find lists of all current trainers and their photographs, and a bit about each of them and where they work. The site also provides information about certification (European Computer Driving Licence - which Digital Unite trainers can teach, and are accredited to test, at students' deskside at work or at home). Information is also available about the New Deal 50+ training grant, which offers up to £1,500 to spend on training during the first two years of employment or self-employment. This training grant, combined with the new Working Tax Credit system (a 'top-up' of a low income, paid weekly or 4-weekly) can make it practical for older people to get back into paid work.

Technology, Ageing, Economic Development, Workforce Training.

Digital Unite is self-sustaining, supporting itself by the fees paid to it by its trainers. It also supports itself by devising and implementing IT training strategies for organisations and businesses via its one-on-one (or small-group, on-site) deskside training model. Trainers have introduced more than 8,000 individuals to computing.

Digital Unite won a Millennium Award for their "jargon-free materials".