This week, the Digital Inclusion Team took part in Get Online Week, a national campaign from the Good Things Foundation that’s all about helping people get online in ways that work for them. It fits perfectly with Digitober, Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s month-long celebration of all things digital.
This years’ Get Online Week theme was ‘Try One Thing‘ so we put up a board at Central Library and Gorton Hub and asked our residents to add something that they would be trying online this week that is completely new to them. We had some great answers, including trying BorrowBox, using ChatGPT, getting confident with the NHS App, and using the internet to look up recipes! You can see photos of this below.
We ran three events across the city, meeting local residents and having some great conversations about how we can make getting online easier and more accessible for everyone.
Read on to see what we did.
Newton Heath Medical Centre – Monday 20th October
We kicked off the week at Newton Heath Medical Centre, where patients from both practices within the centre were invited to drop in and get help with the NHS App. Alongside NHS Digital Facilitators, we supported around 45 people to sign up, learn the basics, and feel more confident using the app for their healthcare. The feedback was lovely – people really appreciated having the time and space to ask questions.
Central Library Marketplace – Tuesday 21st October
Next up was Central Library, where we hosted a digital marketplace full of fun and useful ways to get online. Visitors got to try out BorrowBox – your library on your phone, explore their family history with the Family History Help Desk and even watch a 3D printer in action in our 3D printing workshop run by the Business and IP Centre Greater Manchester. Residents were also able to learn about social tariffs, council services, and the NHS App. We chatted with around 30 residents, and it was great to hear their ideas on how we can keep improving digital support in Manchester.
Gorton Hub Marketplace & Workshops – Thursday 23rd October
We wrapped up the week at Gorton Hub, which was buzzing with activity. There were stalls from Citizens Advice, Manchester Adult Education, MadLab, AbilityNet, and NHS App support. MadLab also ran free workshops on online safety and digital communication. Over the afternoon, we supported more than 60 people, including individuals and groups looking to boost their skills or help others get online.
A Big Thank You
We’re so grateful to all our amazing partners who helped make these events happen – and to everyone who came along! Whether you were there to learn something new, get support, or just have a chat, we hope you found it helpful and feel more confident about your digital journey.