Case Study - Gregarious Chinwag
Even before lockdown began, Jean Duncan had seen the need for a charity to combat social isolation in her area. Seventy-year-old Jean, who lives in Gilmerton, got the idea after a visit to Erskine Edinburgh Nursing Home where she volunteers. One of the residents of the home, which cares for veterans and their spouses, said to Jean, ‘after we chat to you, we don’t feel so isolated.’
Jean, who is disabled and gets around on a mobility scooter, started thinking about the people in her community who live alone and might not have access to a support system. So Gregarious Chinwag was born over donuts and a chat in her local Greggs one afternoon before lockdown. But when lockdown came into force, Jean put her plans for the charity on hold until a friend told her about the Scottish Tech Army. So she posted a message on a laptop someone had donated to the charity asking for help in setting up Microsoft Word.
Scottish Tech Army volunteer Stephen Boyle, got in touch with Jean and says he quickly realised she needed a bit more l help with other things. ‘After arranging a Microsoft for Non-profits package, I also set up a holding page so we could help build a website, email address and logo for the charity, along with templates where Jean could keep the records and personal data of her members.’
As a recent graduate from CodeClan’s Professional Software Development course and new developer in the tech industry, Stephen found himself out of work when the pandemic struck. When he saw the Scottish Tech Army call for volunteers he jumped at the chance to work on projects such as Jean’s. ‘Gregarious Chinwag is doing amazing work in the Gilmerton area around social isolation and what it can offer the local community is even more vital now. I’m happy that I was able to help them transition to a digital service.’
Jean is overjoyed with what Stephen has done for Gregarious Chinwag and can’t thank the Scottish Tech Army enough. She explains that she can now keep records properly and keep in touch with her members through the database. ‘Two other trustees and myself take it in turns to keep an eye on our more vulnerable members during the pandemic whether it’s calling them to wish them a happy birthday or arranging transport for them. Stephen is a remarkable young man who went above and beyond what I asked for, making it as easy as possible for someone of my age and IT ability! He’s not only helped me, but a lot of people in our community. Knowing that the Scottish Tech Army is out there and willing to help is wonderful.’
* If you're a charity or organisation with a tech problem you want sorted, the Scottish Tech Army is here to help. Just go to our website to tell us more about your project: www.scottishtecharmy.org/take-action