Hounslow Council this week reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring everyone in the borough has equal opportunities to learn digital skills and confidently use the internet.
At a meeting on Monday 16 March, Cabinet noted the progress made since the adoption of the council’s Digital Strategy.
Since 2022, the council’s digital programme has:
- Provided recycled laptops to over 80 residents
- Trained over 100 volunteers as Digital Champions, who have supported residents at Digital Drop-In sessions in libraries and community hubs across the borough
- Helped provide free high-quality internet to vulnerable residents and community facilities
- Hosted 10 digital skills workshops to upskill Digital Champions to help them support residents with topics including online safety, social media, and online shopping
These initiatives enable residents who may be digitally excluded to access online services, find jobs, and connect with family, friends and support. Digital Champions help people including older residents, people on low incomes, jobseekers, and those who lack confidence using digital devices or online services to save money and seize opportunities, including applying for jobs and benefits, managing bills, shopping economically, and avoiding scams.
A resident receiving her free laptop to enable her to get online
Marc was one of the volunteers who trained as a Digital Champion. After working in retail for just over 27 years, Marc found himself between jobs and was looking for a voluntary role that would help him develop new skills while giving back to his local community.
Reflecting on his experience, Marc said:
“One of the best things about being a Digital Champion is meeting and working with residents from all walks of life. Whether it was helping someone set up their first email account or showing them how to update their CV online, I developed some serious customer service skills, along with patience, empathy and communication.
“Having recently started my paid employment, I’m still keen to support the Digital Champions programme, volunteering in the community when I can. Volunteering has been an amazing experience that not only allowed me to give back to my community but also honed my existing skills and confidence to land a paid job. If you’re thinking about volunteering, I say go for it, you never know where it might lead you!”
Volunteers receive structured training and ongoing support, helping them build confidence, practical digital skills, and experience that can support a return to work or further volunteering.
The programme has also brought a major expansion of fibre connectivity across all wards, bringing faster and more reliable broadband to homes, businesses, and community spaces. This investment, covering 66% of the borough and which focused particularly on council housing, has helped ensure that residents living in harder‑to‑reach homes can reliably access online services, education, healthcare information and employment opportunities.
Cllr Rajawat with a resident learning digital skills at a drop-in event
The Council has also modernised many of its digital platforms to make everyday tasks easier for residents. People can now access streamlined services, such as housing applications and appointment bookings, through improved online systems. These upgrades help residents get what they need quickly and conveniently, while enabling Council teams to work more efficiently.
Leader of Hounslow Council, Councillor Shantanu Rajawat, welcomed the progress:
By making it easier for people to get online, we’re supporting residents to do more of the things that matter to them - whether that’s gaining new skills for work, applying for training, accessing healthcare, or staying connected with family and friends. I’m really pleased that we can continue offering support to help hundreds of residents access digital technology in the years ahead.
Residents who want free support to improve their digital skills, can come along to one of the following drop-in sessions to get support from specially trained Digital Champions:
- Hounslow Library (Hounslow House, First Floor, 7 Bath Rd, TW3 3EB) - Every Tuesday from 2pm-5pm
- Job Centre Plus (Treaty Centre, 44 High St, Hounslow TW3 1ES) - Every Wednesday from 11am-1pm
- Hounslow Library (Hounslow House, First Floor, 7 Bath Rd, TW3 3EB) - Every Thursday from 2pm-5pm
- Job Centre Plus (Treaty Centre, 44 High St, Hounslow TW3 1ES) - Every Thursday from 11am-1pm
- Feltham Library (The Centre, High Street, Feltham, TW13 4GU) - Every other Thursday 11am-1pm
From the end of April 2026, further digital drop-ins will open at Heston Library, Chiswick Library and the Meadowbank centre.
Exact dates for the new drop-ins will be available in community hubs and libraries and will also be promoted via Hounslow Connect.
If you would like to volunteer as a Digital Champion, helping others in your community gain new skills and confidence with digital technology, you can find out more here: Volunteer to be a Digital Champion | Digital Champions | London Borough of Hounslow.
For any enquiries, call or text 07816 538944, or email GetOnline@hounslow.gov.uk
