Our digital champions run sessions for anyone who needs more confidence using their device or accessing our services on the web.
One-to-one support
Our free one-to-one support sessions can help you feel more confident using the internet and online services. You can book a session and bring your own device along (such as a laptop, tablet or smartphone), or you can borrow one of ours on the day - just let us know when you request to book.
Our digital champions can help you with things such as:
- emailing
- browsing the web and staying safe online
- video calling
- online shopping and banking
- social media
- using online council services, such as:
- completing online forms to apply or report something to us
- accessing My Bentax to check your council tax and benefit details
- searching for and applying for a council house
- using online library services, including eBooks and eAudio and your online library account
Session dates and times
Location | Date | Time |
Mapplewell Library | Tuesday 24 January | 1pm to 4pm |
Hoyland Library | Friday 27 January | 10am to 1pm |
Penistone Library | Monday 30 January | 2pm to 5pm |
Roundhouse Library | Tuesday 31 January | 1pm to 4pm |
Cudworth Library | Monday 6 February | 1pm to 4pm |
Library @ the Lightbox | Monday 13 February | 1pm to 4pm |
Hoyland Library | Friday 17 February | 10am to 1pm |
Royston Library | Friday 17 February | 1pm to 4pm |
Goldthorpe Library | Monday 20 February | 1pm to 4pm |
Worsbrough Library | Tuesday 21 February | 10am to 1pm |
Wombwell Library | Thursday 23 February | 1pm to 4pm |
Thurnscoe Library | Friday 24 February | 10am to 12pm |
Penistone Library | Friday 24 February | 1pm to 4pm |
Mapplewell and Staincross Library | Tuesday 28 February | 10am to 1pm |
You can request to book a 45 minute slot at any of the sessions by filling in our online form or calling (01226) 773555. If you'd like to attend at a library not listed, just let us know your preferred location when you contact us.
Online basics course
If you'd like to learn more about getting online, you can join us for a free course. There's a choice of dates and venues, and each course runs one day a week for six weeks.
Sessions cover:
- Week 1 – using the internet and searching the internet
- Week 2 – online forms and keeping your personal details secure
- Week 3 – using email
- Week 4 – accessing public services and health services online
- Week 5 – online shopping
- Week 6 – learning to video call and watching/listening online
You can bring your own laptop or tablet if you have one, or borrow one of ours on the day.
Course dates and times
Location | Day | Dates | Time | How to book a place |
Dodworth Methodist Church | Thursday | 5 January to 9 February | 11.30am to 1.30pm | Contact us online or call (01226) 773555. |
Library @ Roundhouse | Thursday | 12 January to 16 February | 2pm to 4pm | Contact us online, call (01226) 773555, or ask in the library. |
Fitzwilliam Court, Hoyland | Tuesday | 17 January to 21 February | 2pm to 4pm | Contact us online, call (01226) 773555, or ask in Hoyland Library. |
Library @ the Lightbox | Thursday | 19 January to 23 February | 10am to 12pm | Contact us online, call (01226) 773555, or ask in the library. |
Library @ Mapplewell | Wednesday | 25 January to 1 March | 2pm to 4pm | Contact us online, call (01226) 773555, or ask in the library. |
Education Learning Support Hub, Warren Quarry Lane | Monday | 6 February to 13 March | 10am to 12pm | Contact us online or call (01226) 773555. |
Library @ Goldthorpe | Thursday | 16 February to 23 March | 10am to 12pm | Contact us online, call (01226) 773555, or ask in the library. |
Library @ Hoyland | Thursday | 23 March to 27 April | 10am to 12pm | Contact us online, call (01226) 773555, or ask in the library. |
Library @ the Lightbox | Thursday | 30 March to 4 May | 2pm to 4pm | Contact us online, call (01226) 773555, or ask in the library. |
Library @ Roundhouse | Tuesday | 4 April to 9 May | 2pm to 4pm | Contact us online, call (01226) 773555, or ask in the library. |
Library @ Penistone | Friday | 14 April to 19 May | 10am to 12pm | Contact us online, call (01226) 773555, or ask in the library. |
You can request to book a place at any of the courses by filling in our online form or calling (01226) 773555.
Support for local community groups
We also work with local community groups to support people to get online. You can read a case study about some of our work below. If you run a group and would like our digital champions to visit you, please get in touch using our online form.
Case study: Athersley Cares
Here's what Lorraine, project manager at Athersley Cares, said about working with our digital champions:
"Athersley Cares works on various initiatives and activities for children, families and the elderly residents of Athersley, New Lodge and Smithies area of Barnsley.
As part of our work we support a regular meeting of elderly members from the community. Through discussions it became clear to us that they had little or no experience of using the internet or social media, but told us they'd like to learn about it.
I contacted the digital champions who were more than happy to attend one of the meetings to introduce themselves and their service.
A four week programme was developed which included:
- emailing
- shopping on line
- social media
- online security
- online Barnsley Council services, which included library services
Feedback after each session was extremely positive with everyone saying they had learned something and confidence had grown when using the internet. Numbers attending each session were maintained, and new people joined throughout the programme.
I feel that the group will access Barnsley Council online services and I will have a laptop available at their meetings from now on to make sure they can do this. The group have also said that they would like the digital champions to return in the future.
I would like to thank the digital champions for a really interesting course and already myself and the group have told other groups about this service. I look forward to working with them again in the future."