Welcome to Tech Angels

What is the Tech Angels Service? 

We provide devices, digital literacy training and confidence-boosting support to people in Surrey.   

Who is the service for? 

The service is aimed at people who are at the highest risk of digital exclusion; people who are Disabled, people with a long-term health condition, people with mental ill-health, carers, older people and people from Black and minoritised ethnic groups. 

People who are digitally excluded are also at much higher risk of loneliness and social isolation and we tackle this by getting people connected!  

Unfortunately due to funding restrictions, we’re not currently able to offer the service in Elmbridge, Spelthorne and Woking. If you require support and are from these areas, please get in touch with the Digital Buddy Scheme: Digital Buddy – Surrey County Council (surreycc.gov.uk)

How does it work?  

The service is made up of four parts (and you can access all of them, or just the bits you need!)  

• We lend you a device that suits your needs (for example, a tablet a smartphone or a smart home speaker). You can keep the device for 6 months, we then contact you, and if you want to keep it for longer you can!
• We ‘match’ you up with a volunteer Tech Angel. Together you agree how you would like to be supported and what you would like to achieve.   
• We connect you to our ‘stay connected’ virtual social groups, if you would like to join them, or others on offer through the Virtual Wellbeing Hub.   
• We give you the opportunity to become a virtual volunteer if you would like to.   

How much does the service cost?

It’s free of charge. 

I’m in! How do I refer myself or someone I know? 

We welcome referrals from GPs and other health and care professionals, social workers, voluntary organisations and general public. Everybody can self-refer too. 

Please check with the person before making the referral on their behalf. If you are a professional making a referral, please complete the form below:

Professional referral form

If you would like to refer yourself, please fill in our form below:

Sign up form

Someone from the team will then have a conversation with you about what you might like and how we can support you. 

If you require assistance with this please contact the office:

Telephone: 01483 456558

Text: 07908671402

Email: getconnected@surreycoalition.org.uk

What happens when I refer myself (someone else refers me)

One of our friendly team will give you a call to ask you few questions to find out what you are looking for and what you would like to get out of the service. 

We will establish whether you need a tablet, a Tech Angel, or both! If you need a tablet, it will be posted to you within a week. If you also need help with your device, we will match you with one of our volunteer Tech Angels (usually within 6 – 8 weeks), who then will be in touch with you to arrange a mutually suitable date for meeting at your home, or in a public place if you prefer that. 

After that the Tech Angel will visit you and teach you things you’d like to learn. This can be over one or more sessions, depending on your needs.

What can the Tech Angels help me with? 

Tech Members are excited about the difference that it’s made to their life. We hear stories of people being able to video call family that live in another part of the country or a different country altogether! Others have been able to access online banking, shopping and medical services. While others are now able to enjoy music and watching films. 

How long will it take to match me with the volunteer? 

It depends on where you live and how many volunteers we have available in your area. We always aim to get a Tech Angel out to you within four weeks

I don’t have Wi-Fi, can I still use the service? 

If you don’t have WiFi, we will issue you with a device with a sim card which we will pre-load with some data so that you can use this to access the internet.  Alternatively, we can lend you a MiFi device, this allows you to set up a WiFi hotspot (we will help you with this!). 

I’d love to volunteer, how do I apply?

We are always looking for new volunteers!

If you would like more information or to apply please fill in this form:

Application Form

We will require two references and we will apply for a DBS criminal record check on your behalf. We offer continuous support for our Tech Angels, access to training platform Digital Champions, safeguarding adults course (and a certificate!) days out during volunteers weeks, t-shirt, lanyard, ID card… once you have completed the training we will match you with a Tech Member and you are ready to start helping people get connected!

Want to know more? 

Hear how the Tech Angels service has helped people within our community. 

Yolanda

Yolanda was referred to the Tech Angels Project in September 2020, she still has the tablet loaned to her, and uses it regularly. A Whyteleafe resident of 5 years, Yolanda stopped working full-time in 2014 due to difficulties with her mental health.  She now volunteers 2 afternoons a week in Caterham thanks to the support of a Tandridge Hub enabler.

Before her referral to Tech Angels, Yolanda only had access to a smartphone to get online – and although she has plenty of desktop computing experience, she had never used a tablet before. During our interview, Yolanda tells us about her Tech to Community Connect experience.

Elena

Elena was referred to Tech Angels in November 2020. She is a full time carer for her daughter and heard about the project through Surrey Action for Carers. Since having her tablet, Elena has found it invaluable, using it to help support her daughter, receive music lessons, keep up with worldwide news, attend medical appointments and to fill her house with music all day long.

Aisha

We met Aisha, a young woman who came to the UK from Pakistan during the pandemic. Aisha was 6 months pregnant with her first child and was finding it difficult to communicate as English wasn’t her first language. Aisha had no family support, no interpreters were allowed into the hospital due to government guidelines at the time and no physical or moral support because of staff shortages in the labour ward. She contacted Tech Angels for help. The team were able to help by providing her with translations apps and helping her to connect with other new parents in her local community.