Sam (multi-talented community outreach worker at Mildmay Community Centre) chats with Hardeep about her work and life. We also learn about gardening and community cooking at the centre.
Sheena Adae-Amoakoh – owner of local hair stylist HausOfShee – brought friends Akela and Whitney to help at the Digital Drop-in, 11 January 2023. Photos by Elliot Jones – based at Point Two Studio.
These community-conscious young volunteers are local entrepreneurs. Your grandchildren might know them.
Tap or click on any photo in the gallery to see a larger version, or start a slide-show (if you are not quite sure how to do that, please ask a helper).
Catherine and Sheena
Tom and Gloria
Akela and Janice
James and Inna
Community Digital
Senior Citizen Patricia
Senior Citizen Daniel
Whitney, Data Bank SIM card, Walter
Elliot made a lot more photos. They are all very good, but we can’t publish them all here. However – if you are in one of Elliot’s photos, we will make sure you get a copy – in your email (you might need practice opening and saving photo attachments).
This session reminded us of the Pre-Pandemic Era, when we hosted more than 700 corporate volunteers via Benefacto from 2014 until COVID wrecked everything. Those volunteers were all really impressive – and made a huge, and memorable, impact.
We think employers (or HR departments) might be regaining confidence, though no enterprise has replaced Benefacto. But we are ready to help.
Update 18 January
We are sending the photos to you by email (because downloading and managing photos is a useful digital skill for you to learn).
Daniel liked his so much, he got it printed – apparently for less than £1.
We have moved our Friday afternoon courses and workshops to Monday afternoons in the main hall at Mildmay Community Centre – the same large space we use for the Wednesday afternoon drop-in – not the small café area we occupied last year.
As we expected, the move was an immediate success. The currrent course – Exploring the web with smartphones – was guaranteed to be full because we were able to arrange an alternative activity for the course waiting list. As it happened, everyone on the waiting list joined the course.
Right now, we have 14 training smartphones – 12 for learners, 1 for the projector, 1 contingency. We think we can double the size of smartphone courses as we learn the best way to utilise the main hall, perhaps as soon as February.
Learn how to be a podcast host with Radio Together
Friday afternoons in Hackney Wick
You don’t need any technical skills to do this — just the ability to tell a story about your life or ask someone else to tell you a story.
Initially, we will take care of the tech side, but you can learn that as well if you really want to. There are many ways to make your own podcast show, even if all you have is a smartphone.
If you are interested, come over to the regular podcast learning session …
Friday afternoons, 2 to 4 pm.
Thingy Café (at Arbeit Studios), 1 Trowbridge Gardens, E9 5LD
The entrance is actually in Chapman Rd.
Nearest bus stop: 30, 488 (both very close). 276 Berkshire Road stop is also close.
The best place to listen is radiotogether.uk/hardeep — but as you are here now, try the playlist below …
You could be a podcast host too
No technical skills required — just the ability to tell a story about your life or ask someone else to tell you a story.
We take care of the tech, but you can learn that as well if you really want to. There are many ways to make your own podcast show, even if all you have is a smartphone.
If you are interested, come over to the regular podcast learning session …
Friday afternoons, 2 to 4 pm.
Thingy Café (at Arbeit Studios), 1 Trowbridge Gardens, E9 5LD
The entrance is actually in Chapman Rd.
Nearest bus stop: 30, 488 (both very close). 276 Berkshire Road stop is also close.
35 people turned up — most needing this extra support — so we were very busy. Even with nine helpers (including the industrious CSR team from Methods), we had not quite finished, so we will carry on next week.
From 2006 until overwhelmed by illness, Derek was the mobile tech guru for older people.
Derek passed away Tuesday 19 July 2022.
Nobody has made a greater contribution to real social and digital inclusion in this area.
Photo: 50+ Digital Drop-in, Open School East (Rose Lipman building) – December 2014.
Note (16 August 2022) from John …
A very quiet man, always ready to help with us with our phones and laptop problems.
I certainly benefited along with a great many others with his help.
Considering the bewildering problems we came up against with our gadgets, it never seemed to faze Derek, and we invariably walked away content with his solutions.
Left to right – Stephen, Trevor, Derek (December 2009)Derek with Posh Club flyer, Open School East (January 2015)Derek in action at Open School East (December 2014)