As the new year begins, a new Digital Skills Support Service from Insight Gloucestershire is helping blind and partially sighted people across the county use everyday technology in ways that make daily life easier.
The service offers friendly, one to one support for blind and partially sighted people, including those who are completely new to technology as well as those who already use smartphones, tablets or computers but need help making them more accessible. This can include support to get online for the first time, understand basics such as Wi-Fi, and explore accessible ways to use technology following changes in sight.
Many modern devices already include built in accessibility features such as screen reading, magnification and voice control, but these can be difficult to discover or set up without guidance. Advisors help people make the most of the technology they already have, from reading post and managing appointments to staying in touch with friends and family.
For those who are interested, the service can also introduce newer tools such as helpful apps and emerging technologies, including some that use Artificial Intelligence. This may include apps that read printed text aloud or smart glasses, including Meta smart glasses, which can help describe surroundings or locate items.
Digital skills support is delivered through local community hubs and resource centres across Gloucestershire. Regular appointments are currently available in Stroud on Tuesdays and Cheltenham on Thursdays, with additional hubs in towns and villages including Cirencester, Dursley, Tewkesbury and Moreton in Marsh.
Amanda, Digital Skills Advisor at Insight Gloucestershire, said: “We always begin with what matters to each person, not the technology. That might be staying in touch, reading post or feeling more confident getting out and about, and we look at how technology could support that in a way that suits them.”
