Digital Fridays in Caerphilly Libraries hailed as an outstanding success

An innovative digital inclusion scheme in Caerphilly has been hailed as an outstanding success for engaging with over 400 people in the six months it has been in operation.

‘Digital Fridays’ are informal drop-in sessions at libraries across the borough, designed to help residents to get online or use technologies in a relaxed setting. The sessions are run by Get Caerphilly Online which is a partnership between Caerphilly County Borough Council, Get IT Together and the Welsh Government’s Communities 2.0 digital inclusion programme, which is partly funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Support is available to community members on all aspects of digital technology from the basics of using a computer for family history research, to using social media and using computers for finding work.

Currently Digital Friday’s sessions are available in Blackwood, Risca, Caerphilly, Bargoed, Newbridge, Rhymney, Ystrad Mynach and New Tredegar libraries.

Matt Lloyd who works for Communities 2.0 and is part of the team that helped set up Get Caerphilly Online is delighted with the success of ‘Digital Fridays’,

“When we came up with the idea and engaged with Caerphilly Library Service, nobody knew exactly what to expect, but with our team, our volunteers and the excellent support of the library staff the service has engaged with over 400 people in just over 6 months. This has been achieved through the efforts of the library staff themselves, Communities First, Job Centre Plus, Caerphilly Council’s Housing Department and general word of mouth. Many people are coming back to us for specific support until they are ready to do it for themselves – although we are always there if needed. It is very rewarding to see people progress and to learn that some of them have found new jobs as a result of the support they have been given alongside the support available through the local Work Clubs”.

Cllr. Ken James, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Planning and Sustainable Development welcomed the positive news,

“We live in a digital age with more and more services moving online but for many using the internet can be daunting. Digital Fridays enables our residents to get one on one support that can give them the tools to improve their quality of life – from applying to jobs, shopping online or applying for council services. This initiative shows the impressive impact the partnership working can have for our residents.”

The service has recently been expanded to include sessions in Newbridge and New Tredegar libraries which started last Friday 2nd August. There are also plans to role out the approach to other libraries in the County Borough. The scheme has generated interest from library services in other local authority areas who are interested in developing a similar approach.

Since the Communities 2.0 project started, over 3,000 people in the Caerphilly area have been supported to use digital technologies and the internet. Communities 2.0 is a Welsh Government programme and is part of the Delivering a Digital Wales strategy. It is partly funded by the European Union European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

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For further information, please contact: David Madge, Marketing, Press & Public Affairs

01792 484005 / 07900 167906

david.madge@walescooperative.org