Program Objective
To increase digital literacy among older adults and work towards digital equity among Durham residents.
Volunteer Position Description
The Digital Navigator will provide technological assistance to older adult members of the community. In this role, they will guide older adults on the use of essential online resources (i.e. email, social media, video communication, telehealth) and teach them how to identify and prevent online scams. The Digital Navigator will also assist with mobile phone or smartphone use.
As a volunteer of this program, you are expected to commit to helping older adults with their technological needs for a minimum of 4 hours (2 two-hour sessions).
A specialized digital curriculum has been developed. Before starting Digital Navigator sessions with older adults, The Triangle Nonprofit & Volunteer Leadership Center will have its own brief virtual training for trainers.
Training sessions between trainers and senior adults will be held in-person in Durham.
The session breakdown is as follows:
Cohort 1
1) Tuesday, September 9th and September 16th
2) Thursday, September 11th and September 18th
Cohort 2
3) Tuesday, September 23rd and September 30th
4) Thursday, September 25th and October 2nd
Each session, labeled 1-4, will have a different group of senior adults. While not required, attending 1 (or more) complete session(s) is ideal. This would mean two consecutive Tuesdays OR two consecutive Thursdays (e.g. September 9th and 16th, rather than September 9th and 30th).
Preferred Skill Set
An ideal volunteer will possess the following skills:
- Familiarity with technology- Any past experience with technology is highly recommended.
- Communication skills- Volunteers should be able to provide clear explanations on subjects that may be unfamiliar to others.
- Ability to help others- Volunteers should have past experiences assisting others in some form.
- Problem solving- Volunteers should possess strong problem-solving skills and be able to approach issues from multiple angles
Additional Competencies
A successful volunteer will also exhibit these characteristics:
- Empathy
- Flexibility & Adaptability
- Patience
- Active Listening
- Creativity
- Reliability
- Respect
To volunteer, please fill out the following Intake Form and Volunteer Waiver!
