Digital champions are individuals who work in the adult social care sector, who support and empower staff to use digital tools more effectively themselves and have increased confidence, understanding and motivation.
Who are digital champions?
A digital champion is an individual, usually a volunteer, who promotes and shares their knowledge, skills and enthusiasm of digital technology with colleagues and / or people drawing on care and support. They’re the ‘go-to’ people for that topic and the first point-of-contact when colleagues require support. Digital champions are usually staff members, but can also be within the community and support from the outside-in.
It's important to note that the role of a digital champion will usually sit alongside an individual’s day job. For example, a registered manager with knowledge and passion in a particular area of digital, who takes on the responsibility of being the ‘go-to’ person, could be considered a digital champion.
Benefits of digital champions
- empower staff and people who draw on care and support to use digital tools more effectively themselves
- increase confidence, understanding and motivation
- share best practice with colleagues
- support their organisation to introduce new technology
- increase the overall digital skill pool.
Introducing digital champions into your organisation
You might be sold on the idea of introducing digital champions. But where should you begin?
As a leader, you need to make sure you’re confident in your approach and have some knowledge of the digital terms that you and your digital champions may encounter.
Your workforce need to know that introducing technology within the workplace is your priority and you need to develop a positive workforce culture for your digital champions to work in.
You’ll need to equip your champions with the following tools to fulfil this role:
Events
As part of Skills for Care’s aim to create a community of digital champions, we're running a series of events with the aim of raising awareness of the role and the positive impact it can have on the sector as a whole.
Digital champions awareness sessions
This awareness session aims to give you an understanding about the role and how it can support your organisation’s digital journey, your workforce and the people who are accessing care and support. You can book your place on our regional awareness sessions by following the links below.
Resources
Digital Skills Framework
Launched in May 2023, the Digital Skills Framework is a resource to support adult social care workforce to develop their digital skills within the sector. It is free to access and is linked to current free training, case studies, videos and bite sized chunks of learning. Over the next few months the framework will be further linked ot training provided by skills for care endorsed learning providers.
Each knowledge criteria offers links to useful resources to support learning. These can help the learner get a more in-depth understanding about that particular area. These resources may include videos, recorded webinars, case studies and guidance documentation.
Digital champions eLearning modules
Skills for Care is developing 8 Digital Champions modules for adult social care. These modules are designed to provide in-depth knowledge and skills in championing the use of technology in the delivery care. Each module will look at a skills theme relating to the Digital Skills Framework.
The eLearning modules are expected to launch in the forseeable future.
Digital leadership programme
The Digital leadership programme is a national development between Skills for Care and The National Care Forum for both new and experienced managers of adult social care services.
Find out more about the programme.