During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Friendship team came up with the idea of the Digital Friend project where adults and young people can communicate with each other through digital technology.

The Digital Friend project will have a positive impact on both young and older person’s physical and mental health and wellbeing in Blackpool. The majority of young people are very familiar with today’s technology and use it to communicate with others. They can utilise their skills to teach the older generation. By staying connected, the Digital Friends will develop a sense of belonging and increase their self-esteem, amongst other resilient moves.

Thanks to the technology of today, there are opportunities for people to be allocated a Digital Friend and they will be able to make contact with each other through various mediums, such as video calls (e.g. FaceTime, Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts) amongst others.

Digital Friends can teach each other new skills, study together, mentor each other and lean on each other when necessary. 

The Digital Friend project is open to...

• Blackpool Council’s looked after children – also known as “Our Children”.

• Young Carers living in Blackpool.

• Children and Young People with physical and learning disabilities aged 10 to 18 living in Blackpool.

If you are interested or you know of someone who may benefit from this project, then get in touch with the Friendship team by phone or email. We will meet up virtually or face-to-face and get to know you, find out the sort of things you like to do and anything you don’t like. 

We will then look at our volunteers and pick a few that we think might be a good match for you, then the exciting bit.  You get to watch some VLOGS of the volunteers, talking about themselves and the things they like to do.  And then you pick!  You look at the VLOGS, think about the people, decide which one gets to be your Digital Friend.

We will be with you when you first meet virtually, this will be on Microsoft Teams or Google Hangouts.  Once you both feel happy, you can start to plan your own activities and have fun building a great friendship. 

“Talk to old people they know cool stuff.  Talk to young people they know cool stuff."

If you are aged 18 – 118 and are looking for an exciting volunteering opportunity that benefits for the wellbeing of everyone involved, then the Digital Friend project could be for you.

We offer training and support for you to become a Digital Friend and then you will be matched with one of our young people to have fun and develop a strong friendship.

Get in touch with the Friendship team to find out more. We can answer any questions you have.