Get Online Week: local help to take your next digital step

A form, a booking or an unexpected message can be easier to navigate with the right support. This Get Online Week, Community First Yorkshire is highlighting local help and practical steps organisations can take to make services easier to access.

An appointment to book. A form to complete. A message that needs checking. Getting online can help us reach services and stay connected, but the next step is not always straightforward. Cost, connectivity, inaccessible services and a lack of support can all get in the way.

Get Online Week runs from 19–25 October 2026. Led by Good Things Foundation, the campaign’s message is ‘Can’t get online, can’t get by’. This year it is asking people and organisations to raise awareness of digital exclusion and advocate for everyone to be able to participate in digital life.

At Community First Yorkshire, our response starts with familiar community places, patient support and services that people can reach in more than one way.

Start with one task

You do not need to learn everything at once. Think about one thing you would like help with: using your device, sending a message or understanding an online service.

Get in touch with your local library to ask what digital support it offers. Most North Yorkshire libraries have volunteer IT buddies who can help people learn to use a library computer or their own device. Support varies, so ask about booking and any access needs before visiting. You can make that first enquiry in person or by phone.

Helping organisations provide local support

A conversation in a community venue can be a starting point for someone who feels unsure about technology. Organisations need the skills, resources and time to offer that help well.

Our Create a Digital Support Service programme helps community, voluntary and public sector organisations in North Yorkshire establish a service or strengthen existing support. It offers free Digital Champion training, practical guidance and advice on devices, connectivity and accessible technology. Participation is available free of charge until March 2027.

The programme is delivered by North Yorkshire Council and Community First Yorkshire, with funding from York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority. To discuss how your organisation could take part, email Michael Fletcher at michael.fletcher@communityfirstyorkshire.org.uk.

We are also partnering with North Yorkshire Council on Building Resilience through Digital Inclusion. Funded through the Crisis and Resilience Fund, the programme connects digital support with managing household finances, accessing essential services and reducing the risk of financial hardship. Its latest grant application round closed on 9 October; visit the programme page to learn about the work.

Three practical resources for the week

Explore the resources below and look out for them across our social channels during Get Online Week:

• One task is a place to start — our resident swipe-through explains how to ask a local library for help and what to check before visiting.
• A message says ‘act now’. You can pause — our short animation explains how to pause, check through an independent route and report a suspicious text.
• Can someone use your service without going online? — our organisation swipe-through asks teams to make a human contact route visible, allow time for support and check information before sharing it.

Show the resident cards to someone who might find them useful. For organisations, choose one barrier from the checklist and take a practical change to your next team or trustee meeting.

If someone cannot use your online form, can they still use your service?

For wider organisational support, contact Community First Yorkshire on 01904 704177 or use our contact page.