Get Online Week 2026: helping residents build confidence and discover new opportunities

Our Be Digital team organised a programme of activities for residents across our housing locations during Get Online Week 2026, giving them opportunities to explore new technology, discover useful services and build confidence using the internet.

Part of our Be Well wellbeing initiative, Be Digital provides ongoing support to help residents develop their digital skills and make the most of being online. During the week, residents could take part in online sessions, hear from guest speakers, share their experiences and explore a digital and printed activity pack in their own time.

The programme included Welcome to Get Online Week, Ask Me About Be Digital, guest sessions from AbilityNet and Listening Books, and an Over to You session where residents could share what they had learnt. Members of the Digital Storytelling Group also shared videos they had created.

Discovering new skills and services

The sessions introduced residents to different ways of using technology and the support available to help them get online.

AbilityNet shared information about the digital support available to older and disabled adults, including the possibility of visits to Anchor schemes. Listening Books gave residents an introduction to its audiobook service, Libby and PressReader.

For Maggie Jenkins at Anchor Court in Southport, the Listening Books session prompted an immediate response. She said:

Thank you so much for the information this morning. It was so good. I'm really looking forward to joining Listening Books.

Maggie was so positive about the session and Anchor's online groups that she copied her Location Manager into her message to share her experience.

Other residents used the opportunity to develop their practical skills. One resident tried using a QR code for the first time, while others learnt more about staying safe online, found useful websites and asked for help with technology.

The activities also helped residents become more comfortable with online meetings. Della Heming, an Involved Resident, said:

I think it is helping me to get more familiar with using the Teams meetings and I think I feel happy with the progress I'm making with the technological challenges I faced at the start of my journey as an Involved Resident.

Della described the support available as “such a golden opportunity” and is keen to use her role on her Residents Association Committee to encourage other residents to get online and feel more confident managing their technology.

Building connections and sharing experiences

As well as developing practical skills, Get Online Week gave residents opportunities to meet others, share what they had learnt and encourage people around them to get involved.

The sessions offered a mix of learning and social interaction. Rita Harvey-Brown found a Be Digital session “very useful”, taking away new knowledge, making connections with other residents and getting help with technology. For another resident, it was a chance to try something completely new, using a QR code for the first time and describing the experience as “Brilliant”.

At Beatty Court, members of the Social Group enjoyed taking part together:

It was fun doing something different with others. Now going to make it a regular thing.

The Over to You session provided another opportunity for residents to connect and share information. What began as an informal conversation developed into a chance to help a new resident find out how to get more involved and discover activities available at her scheme.

Barbara Spray's feedback captured the wider impact of these conversations, as well as the value of the guest sessions and Digital Storytelling Group:

The Abilitynet session was really informative. Very interesting to hear what they actually provide and the fact that they could visit the scheme was a bonus. The other session [Over to You] on Friday, general chat, also proved very worthwhile. What started as a social chat developed into some very positive help for a new resident offering her information on how to be more involved and what was available for her to share with the residents where she lived.

The videos from the Digital Storytelling Group also received a positive response so although attendance small in numbers the ripple effect could be much larger.

Keeping the momentum going

The impact of Get Online Week is continuing beyond the activities themselves. Residents have discovered services they plan to use, identified new skills they would like to develop and found ways to share what they have learnt with others.

There are also further opportunities for residents to get involved. Listening Books will be joining a Be Connected coffee morning on 24 November. Part of our Be Well wellbeing programme, Be Connected gives residents opportunities to meet others, take part in activities and build social connections.

Contractor Ian Williams has donated £1,000 worth of devices to support our Be Digital Device Bank. The devices will be made available to residents who need help accessing technology, giving more people the opportunity to get online and enjoy the benefits of being connected.

Get Online Week has helped residents build confidence, discover useful services and explore new ways to connect with others. With ongoing support through Be Digital, residents can continue developing their skills, sharing their knowledge and making the most of the opportunities that technology offers.

Find out more about how we support residents to use technology with confidence through Be Digital.