Award Nomination for AbilityNet volunteer
Sarah Botterill | 11 Aug 2021AbilityNet’s Community Relationship Officer, Chris Grant, is nominated for a prestigious national charity award.
Chris is a finalist for Employee of the Year in the Scottish Charity Awards run annually by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations.
The award recognises Chris’ ongoing efforts to support AbilityNet’s older and disabled clients across Scotland through the ongoing pandemic.
Receiving the nomination, Chris said: ‘I am really honoured on becoming a finalist in the SCVO Awards, I’m really lucky to work for such an amazing charity, I’m part of such a great team. The work everyone does is amazing. I may have been personally selected as a finalist, but this is for all the staff and volunteers of AbilityNet’’.
Thanks to Chris, we’ve supported over 1,000 older and disabled people with their tech in Scotland. He also plays a pivotal role in motivating the volunteer team and wider AbilityNet staff running numerous online activities like monthly quizzes, radio shows, training sessions and forums.
Chris also raised £10,000 to support the free services AbilityNet offers, enabling us to advertise and help more older and disabled people stay connected.
Multiple awards for AbilityNet volunteers
Chris is no stranger to awards, having previously scooped Volunteer of the Year at the Tech4Good Awards in 2019 to recognise his role as County Co-ordinator in Scotland.
After several years volunteering for AbilityNet, Chris joined the team as an employee in his role as Community Relationship Officer.
“AbilityNet has given me so many opportunities to use my time and my skillset wisely. The support shown from staff and volunteers was immense. I’d been in and out of the hospital, and I never felt as if I was by myself – AbilityNet is like one big family,” said Chris, speaking at the time.
Since then, he’s played a key role in helping us deliver support to people with Learning Disabilities through the government-funded Digital Lifeline fund.
Chris isn’t the only award winner. AbilityNet’s Pat Maskell won this year’s Tech4Good Awards in the face of stiff competition. Pat’s passion shone through, and during Covid, she has helped us provide remote support to clients using TeamViewer.
Providing volunteer support during Covid-19
AbilityNet’s network of volunteers stepped up during Covid-19 to support a record number of people during 2020.
Find out more about how we have supported local communities and the roll-out of tablets in various communities, as well as specialist support working with the NHS.
A rewarding experience for AbilityNet volunteers
We value everything our volunteers do for us and survey them annually about their experience with us twice. Year using a tool called Peakon.
The latest results were positive, with an engagement rate of 8.8, which is above the benchmark. In addition, volunteers scored us 9.0 in terms of meaningful work and 8.8 for autonomy. Feedback from volunteers included one who said: “I get great satisfaction out of resolving someone’s issues and letting them make use of their technology to improve their lives.”
Another commented: “Support from the central team especially is very good. Really value and appreciate the communications, training, and engagement. Thank you.”
Tech support in Scotland
We provide support for older and disabled people with tech throughout the UK. For example, during Covid-19, we have:
- Gone the extra miles to support a client in Scotland
- Helped with a roll-out of tablets in the community in Scotland
How AbilityNet can help
- For support with devices, call our FREE Helpline on 0800 048 7642
- FREE factsheets including:
- For FREE webinars and to see recordings visit AbilityNet Live!
- How to find local support using the internet during Covid-19
- Themes to help young people navigate during the pandemic
Related content
- Age and the digital divide during Covid-19
- How to find local support during Covid-19
- Keeping older people connected during Covid-19
- Covid-19 and the digital divide: Insights from experts
- Supporting the Basildon BAME community during the pandemic
- Supporting people through Digital Lifeline
- Compensation for lack of BSL at Covid-briefing
- Working together to tackle the digital divide