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As the weeks pass we hope this newsletter finds you well and settled in your new ways of working, learning and supporting communities. It’s been a tough 12 weeks and whilst there is still a lot to do to support those unable to access learning, it’s been amazing to hear of the engaging learning resources that have been developed and businesses that have transformed the way they work, how they connect as a team and how they reach customers.
In this newsletter, we’ve rounded up the latest, new digital support programs for businesses, learners and young people and listed some upcoming webinars you might find useful.
It’s also a happy-sad day here for our small team as we say goodbye to Claire and wish her the very best as she starts maternity leave – there’s an exciting new adventure about to begin! Claire has been instrumental in leading the Digital Skills Innovation Fund, Digital Momentum program which over 12 months has supported 194 people across Devon, Plymouth, Somerset and Torbay to retrain into digital roles; IT support roles, Cybersecurity roles and Data Science, or take their first steps online and learn basic digital skills. This group of 48 learners, included Syrian refugees and older learners who had no way of learning online when Covid-19 struck and the programme was able to provide entry-level laptops or tablets to enable these households to get online. The program also supported 40 female-founded businesses with a five day LoveDigital Bootcamp to support their digital confidence and awesome implementation of digital tools and processes. The program has been a great success and we can’t thank Claire enough for making it happen!
We hope you find this update useful, stay well and take care! Charlotte, Claire and Julie
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News
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Free webinars, online short courses and cyber support ‘buddy sessions’ to help local businesses bounce back
From talking to businesses about the challenges they are facing at this time we’re excited to share details of a programme we’ve put together in collaboration with some of the regions leading digital experts. Bounce Back Digital is a series of webinars and virtual courses to support small businesses move online, reach customers through digital channels and sell using online platforms.
During June and July we’re running 30 short virtual courses and webinars covering 5 key knowledge gaps cited by local micro and small businesses:
- Setting up e-commerce websites
- Moving to cashless payments and digital bookkeeping
- Mastering online productivity tools
- Using digital marketing tools
- Being cybersecurity confident
[button size=”medium” style=”primary” text=”FIND OUT MORE & BOOK YOUR PLACE NOW ” link=”https://heartofswlep.us19.list-manage.com/track/click?u=930465bbe71ff84b5ced8ebe7&id=6a472ca4d6&e=ff52a10185″ target=””]
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Proposal from the Digital Skills Partnership selected as Nesta Finalist
A proposal to work with the Dutch Skilllab app to support mature workers whose roles may be at risk of automation has been selected as one of the 20 finalists in the Nesta CareerTech Challenge.
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Exeter Science Park has launched a series of webinars to inform and inspire the region’s business community as we move into the next phase of the Covid-19 pandemic. The brown bag webinars will see the Digital Skills Partnership join up with Tech South West to bring you digi/ techy conversations every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month at 12:30pm. We’ll be talking everything from remote organisational culture, asynchronous business models that have survived the downturn, to Automation, it’s coming – are you ready? Register for future sessions here.
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The Data Skills Taskforce, supported by DCMS, has created a free online platform providing access to content for SMEs to help develop data skills. The platform has a self-assessment tool that helps you understand your organisational and technical readiness with respect to data, and signposts you to relevant resources and training. Whilst the platform is in the early build stages businesses are both invited to use it and to share their feedback on how it could be improved (evaluation form)
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Digital Boost has launched this week – a free-to-use platform that matches digital experts with micro and SME businesses and charities experiencing difficulties during the current climate, who are in need of specific digital support. The request for help could be anything from bespoke support in how to understand Google Analytics, creating a logo for a new service launching or developing online content. The support is delivered through matching the business with an expert for a boost call and/ or matching you with a workshop and /or signposting to online self-help resources. Alongside raising awareness of this new platform to our business community the Digital Skills Partnership would like to encourage our in-region digital experts to get involved!
1) Consider signing up to volunteer some time for 121 boost calls
2) Tell us (the DSP) about online workshops or programs you have running and we will get these added to the Digital Boost workshop list
3) Tell us about the online resources you have and we’ll get these added to the Digital Boost library.
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Bounce Back Digital: Building Quick and Easy Websites with Wix
Wix is the world’s most popular website design platform, used by 110 million people with 45,000 new sign-ups every day. Our step-by-step guide alongside our approved UK Wix partner will show attendees just how easy it is to get started.
9 hour course spread over 3 sessions in June; 16th, 23rd & 30th
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Bounce Back Digital: How Shopify can Transform your Business
Shopify is used by 600,000 businesses in 175 countries. TechSPARK alongside its approved Shopify partner will teach attendees how to maximise the low startup costs and build easy-to-use e-commerce website.
9 hour course spread over 3 sessions in June; 16th, 23rd & 30th
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Bounce Back Digital: Using PayPal, Stripe, Worldpay, GoCardless & iZettle
A deep dive into the world of cashless payments, how they work, what to consider when choosing your platform(s), how they should integrate with your existing tech and how they can be utilised to make sure you are compliant with the government guidelines to be COVID Secure .
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Bounce Back Digital: Guide to YouTube & Instagram
Learn how to build and manage an audience in YouTube and Instagram. Learn from the basics upwards, the tips and hints that will fast-track your success. Find out how to develop YouTube and Instagram content that is fit for your audience and ways to make video a key feature of your marketing mix.
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Bounce Back Digital: Using Rocketspark
Rocketspark Design partners, LimeCloud will take you through a step by step setup of your ecommerce store and, importantly, how to integrate it with your accounts, payment services and email marketing to allow you more time to get on to do more of what you love.
9 hour course spread over 4 dates: 18th, 25th of June, 2nd & 9th of July
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Bounce Back Digital: Using Xero
A deep dive into the world of Xero and how it can transform your business, from real-time information that can help your business to be agile in this ever-changing world. With live demos on how to automate everyday tasks, getting up to date financials to ensure you know where you are with your business, from wherever you are.
6 hour course spread over 3 June dates: 22nd, 24th & 26th
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Imployable – Skyrocket Your Skills
Over 30 free courses to choose from covering Project Management, Health and Safety, Personal Protective Equipment, Cybersecurity and much more!
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The Skills Toolkit
New resources developed by the government offering a selection of digital and numeracy courses, ranging from introductory to more advanced levels.
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Bounce Back Digital: Using Rocketspark
Rocketspark Design partners, LimeCloud will take you through a step by step setup of your ecommerce store and, importantly, how to integrate it with your accounts, payment services and email marketing to allow you more time to get on to do more of what you love.
9 hour course spread over 4 dates: 18th, 25th of June, 2nd & 9th of July
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Future of Tech
Library of resources from CompTIA that include videos and interactive tutorials in Big Data, Cyber Security, Digital Health, Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence.
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Future Learn
Includes disease outbreak prevention courses.
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Learn My Way
Offers courses on Google, Outlook, Gmail, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and productivity tools.
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Lynda – LinkedIn Learning
Linkedin Learning with over 4000+ courses
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Learn My Way
Offers courses on Google, Outlook, Gmail, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and productivity tools.
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Resources for Schools & Colleges
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Remote STEM Lessons for Young People
STEM Learning has released a variety of free curriculum-linked science lessons for children of all ages created and recorded by subject experts, the lessons cover a range of topics, including evolution, forces, and the human body. Lessons can be accessed at any time of day, making them easy to fit into a home learning schedule.
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Tech We Can Tuesdays
Free Tech Lessons for kids (10 -13 years) every Tuesday!
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SideQuest
New initiative to get 13-19 year olds to learn a range of key practical and workplace skills during lockdown through designing and building video games.
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Sparx Maths Virtual Classroom
Exeter-based educational company Sparx is offering all secondary schools around the world free access to Sparx Maths Virtual Classroom; allowing teachers and learners to attend virtual lessons during the COVID-19 lockdown.
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CodeCreates
Devon-based CodeCreates has pulled together a host of resources aimed at Primary and Secondary pupils that you can use with your family to support coding and creativity.
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2020 Minecraft Education Challenge
A virtual build challenge that invites students around the world to learn about issues related to sustainability and inclusion, then design solutions with Minecraft: Education Edition.
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Tech We Can
Free online lesson plans now available for parents and carers teaching at home.
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Cyber School
Free to attend for Primary and Secondary school students. Classes are held twice daily and last 1 hour. Students attend via Zoom. There are before and after classes for students to complete cyber assignments.
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Barefoot Computing
Easy cross-curriculum lessons and resources for teaching via video link.
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Codecademy
Course in Web Development, Mobile Development and Data Science. Free Code Academy Pro unlimited access passes for 10,000 college students across the world.
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iDEA
Offering mini-courses in digital, enterprise and employability skills. As mini subjects are completed you move through your Bronze, Silver and Gold awards.
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Cisco Networking Academy
Online courses in the Internet of Things, Linux, Cyber Security, Entrepreneurship.
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Google Digital Garage
Online mini-courses in Digital Marketing, Data, Time Management, Productivity and more.
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Institute of Coding
Offering a wide range of industry-inspired courses co-designed by a network of employers and educations.
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Code Academy
Advanced courses Data Science, Web Development and Mobile Development. Free Pro Academy offers unlimited access passes for 10,000 college students across the world.
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Resources for Community
BT Skills for Tomorrow
Offering free short video tutorials aimed at daily life, parents, businesses and teachers including:
Video calling – learn how to use video calling to connect with family and friends
Online and mobile banking – providing tips on how to do internet banking using either a computer, tablet or mobile phone, and how to keep track of your money
Online shopping – helping on how to shop online, compare prices, use secure payment methods and understand your rights when buying online
Socialising online – learn how to use social networks like Facebook and Twitter to connect with family and friends and to share things online
Watching and listening online – support to watch TV and listen to radio online, and to use services to listen to music
Found this useful, but not yet subscribed? Subscribe here
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