Volunteer Online Chum Mentoring Service - Park View Project 2025
- Simon Schofield
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
Our services involve supporting the volunteer Online Chum Mentoring Scheme, designed to offer personalized assistance to vulnerable residents in managing digital processes. This also includes acting as a 'befriender' to help reduce social isolation. Together, the volunteer and beneficiary build a trusting relationship for a duration agreed upon by both parties. The outcomes are based on the beneficiary's goals, which might include setting up an email address, accessing essential social services, managing daily tasks like banking or utilities, and learning to use various apps safely and securely.
The role is diverse and, while initially intended as a 'remote' support position, it may evolve into face-to-face interactions. Nonetheless, any collaborative work occurring in the community follows the organisation's framework instead of being independently organized. All volunteers undergo interviews, with their profiles stored on a secure website, and background checks are conducted.
The volunteer's timeline from the beginning is documented and shared with them. This includes training requirements, ideas for the ongoing development of the program, issues the volunteer may face, health and safety, one-on-one support, and invitations to group meetings where experiences can be shared with others. Central to our mission are the social goals driving our digital project, where volunteers and beneficiaries unite as one family, sharing both online and offline activities and participating in organizational events such as outreach, exhibitions, attending community partner drop-in sessions, marketing, and active learning. This includes initiatives like Community Reporters' cybercrime awareness, as well as our own drop-in sessions, which we operate two days a week.
The goal is to merge the virtual and physical worlds, providing an optimal digital learning experience for many older adults and individuals with disabilities residing in North Tyneside. One aspect of digital inclusivity that we still need to fully address is accessible website design, although we have undertaken as much as we can achieve given we are not qualified website builders
website: https://www.parkviewprojectne.com/
Here is some best practice from Charity Digital:
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