How to get free help with your digital devices - with BT Group

This free webinar took place on Thursday 6 June 2024 between 1pm - 2pm BST to share how technology can provide a helping hand to disabled people and older people.

This lunchtime learning session took place during Volunteers' Week 2024 (3 - 9 June) and expert speakers from AbilityNet and BT Group highlighted how we can help with your tech queries and provide 121 support.

1966 World Cup legend Sir Geoff Hurst has been working with AbilityNet to inspire senior citizens to learn digital skills. 

This webinar shared:

• Simple ways to learn how to use your devices
• Tips for assistive technology that can help with hearing, visual, motor and cognitive impairments - including accessing and using the tools that are already present on many common digital devices
• How to get help where you live from an AbilityNet or BT Group volunteer
• A short film about World Cup legend Sir Geoff Hurst and how he and AbilityNet Tech volunteers have been helping to boost digital skills of older people

You can now watch the recording below, and a transcript and Q&As are available at the bottom of this webpage. 

Who will benefit from this webinar?

The session benefits:

• Disabled people and older people
• Carers of disabled people and older people
• Health professionals working with disabled people and older people
• People interested in how tech can help make everyday tasks easier
• Web and Accessibility professionals interested in design and digital considerations for disabled people and older people

If you work for an organisation that helps older people or people, this webinar shared useful resources and advice to help your clients - so watch and share the recording!

This session is part of AbilityNet's work with telecommunications company BT Group to help older and digitally excluded people to build online skills and confidence.

Find out more about our webinars in our FAQs information.

Q&A

This webinar lasted 60 minutes and included an opportunity to pose questions to the guests. The panel was able to answer many questions from attendees during the live session, which you can find by watching the webinar playback or accessing the transcript.  

Q: Interested in find out just the basics e.g. storage; dealing with cookies ; stop being inundated by adverts when you are trying to use the computer - any tips?

Alex: This is a great question for one of our Tech volunteers. Request free IT support from one of our volunteers who can help answer a broad range of specific questions.

Szymon: I would try Digital Learn which gives simple, video based tutorials on various topics like online safety, internet skills and computer basics. You could also try GCF Global which builds on that with additional IT basics.

Q:How can I understand more functions on my Android mobile?

Alex: Check out our tool My Computer My Way for step by step guides on how to adapt your phone, computer or tablet to meet your needs. You can adjust the operating system filter to your Android device. Or request free IT support from one of our volunteers who can help answer a broad range of specific questions.

Amy: I’d suggest putting a specific topic into YouTube and see what guidance videos come up e.g. tips using the camera on the Samsung S20

Szymon: Start with the office Android Help Centre. You can search by topic so it will be easier to tailor your understanding around things that you want to explore first. Top tips from me would be really experiment with settings (helps discover features), use built-in help (they help section or app gives tips) and please please please keep the software updated.

Download the slides

You can download your copy of the slides [PowerPoint] we'll be using in the webinar.

Useful links

• Blog: Using technology to help elderly relatives from afar 
• Sign up to the AbilityNet newsletter for more free resources like this webinar!
• Find out about AbilityNet's Digital accessibility services

Meet the panellists

Amy Caton, BT Group

Amy is Senior Manager, Digital Talent and Impact at BT Group, with experience of working in the HR field and heading up projects to develop employment opportunities for diverse groups. At BT Group, Amy is working closely with AbilityNet to give more than 4,000 older and digitally excluded people the skills and confidence to thrive in a digital world.

Szymon Lipinski, BT Group

Szymon is Contract Manager at BT Group and has recently been sharing his skills by becoming an AbilityNet Tech volunteer.

Alex Barker, AbilityNet

Alex Barker has worked for AbilityNet for nearly 20 years and recently became a Disability Consultant at the charity. Alex has Moebius Syndrome, a very rare condition that causes paralysis in facial muscles, club foot, missing limbs and sometimes cognitive issues too. So he understands a lot of the difficulties disabled people have when using technology.