Many groups and organisations have been in touch with us to learn about setting up digital projects. So we’re sharing our experience of connecting older people with friends, family and the wider world using digital technology. Our Setting up a Digital Buddies Project – What we learned guide shares what we did and what we learned, for anyone looking to set up a similar project.

Digital Buddies started during the Covid 19 pandemic to enable older people in the Scottish Borders to connect digitally with friends, family, groups and the wider world. We started with funding from Independent Age to pilot the approach. We now have additional support from the Scottish Government through the Community Recovery Fund and other small grants and donations to share this with more people.

The new resource shares what we have learned along they way about:

• Reaching older people
• Having an individualised approach
• Devices
• Connecting to the internet
• Buddies
• Step by step guides
• The benefit of networking

We have also taken the opportunity to look back and think ‘What we would do differently if we were starting over ‘ and what our ‘Top Tips’ would be for anyone looking to start a Digital Buddies project.

You can find copies of all our step by step guides on the Digital Buddies project page.

And you can watch all our how-to and update videos on our Digital Buddies YouTube playlist.

For more information about Digital Buddies contact christine@otbds.org.