Our partners
Working with partners, pooling resources and sharing expertise has continued to be vital to having the impact we do as an organisation.
- Department for Business Innovation & skills
- Job Centre Plus
- Talk Talk
- EE
- E-On
- LLoyds Bank
- Asda
- Go on UK
- Digital Unite
- Post Office
BIS
The Department for Business,Innovation and Skills continued to be a major supporter and funder of Tinder Foundation in 2013-14. As well as providing us with core funding which has allowed us to support tens of thousands of people to gain basic online skills,they also supported the innovative Extending the Learner Journey programme, which has used new approaches to supporting those who wouldn’t traditionally engage with community learning.
Jobcentre Plus/DWP
This year we have continued to work closely with the Department for Work and Pensions, both at a national level and in communities, with UK online centres working closely with their local Jobcentre Plus offices. In 2013, we launched a new course on Learn My Way to support learners going through Universal Jobmatch, which has been well received by all, and the UK online centres network continues to support learners who have been referred by Jobcentres, ensuring they have all the skills they need to become confident internet users.
TalkTalk
We’ve collaborated with TalkTalk to create a large scale volunteering programme for its employees, reflecting our mutual ambitious to support people in the UK to get online. 50 employees received training to become Digital Champions, and they have been invaluable in lending support to digital skills classes, with significant numbers of volunteer tutors now a regular feature in many UK online centres.
EE
We have continued to develop our relationship with EE over the past year, through our volunteering programme for Digital Champions. These new volunteers have concentrated on digital inspiration, with large numbers of outreach sessions being delivered across UK online centres to engage and inspire people toimprove their skills.
E.ON
This year, we built a close working relationship with energy provider E.ON. As part of the Go ON North East programme, we ran 5 Digital Champion events in the North East alongside E.ON, providing both independent volunteers and those within organisations with the skills they need to inspire and support people to use computers and the internet. We have also worked closely with We Are What We Do and E.ON to carry out in-depth research and testing on an innovative digital tool - Buttons. It’s a user friendly, customisable tool allowing for easier online payments, both economically beneficial for E.ON and to the consumer, as well as for other online tasks, whether financial, recreational or otherwise.
Lloyds Bank
The past year has seen Tinder Foundation collaborate with Lloyds Bank to research and explore ways in which going digital can help business and growth. A pilot project was launched in the North East with the aim of enhancing and improving local businesses through the development of digital skills. The programme is a model for long term local and regional growth, and has been created with scalability and sustainability in mind as an example for others to follow in the future.
Asda
Tinder Foundation and Asda are working together on an outreach pilot, teaming local UK online centres up with Asda stores to deliver digital inclusion sessions in Asda cafes. Asda provide the free wifi and in some cases free refreshments, while UK online centres bring along the IT equipment and tutors or volunteers. So far the pilot is proving successful, with Asda’s in-store Community Life Champions organising attendance at either drop in sessions or more structured classes with regular customers. In the North East, an extra element has been added, with the Money Advice Service also getting involved to run sessions helping customers to get to grips with money matters.
Go ON UK
Building on top of a productive 2012-2013,the last year has seen the partnership move from strength to strength. We’ve continued to support local projects, such as Go ON’s North East scheme, as well as supporting the development of digitalskills.com, through sharing the UK online centres search function, as well as some of the best content from Learn My Way.
Post Office
The past year has seen our links to the Post Office progress further. Staff at Crown Post Offices now have access to the UK online centres’ search through a new Online Centre Locator, allowing them to refer digital beginners to their nearest computer points. On top of this, many Post Office staff successfully completed ‘Get Connected’ training at UK online centres, ensuring they have the digital skills they need.
Digital Unite
Once again, the last year has seen the partnership with Digital Unite strengthen further, with UK online centres underpinning another successful Spring Online campaign. We continued to embed Digital Unite’s learning products in our expanding Learn My Way site, this collaboration meaning only the best resources are available to our learners.
These are just a snapshot of some of the partners we’ve worked with over the last year, so thanks to you all for your continued support – we couldn’t do what we do without you!