The latest news from Digital Dorset.
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** News from Digital Dorset
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Businesses - will you accept the cyber security challenge?
Did you know 500,000 new cyber threats are discovered daily in the UK and 81% of the businesses who are victims are small to medium-sized?
We want to make sure our local businesses are fully armed in this most modern of wars.
The Dorset Digital Skills Partnership has invited cyber security experts to hold a special cyber escape room event - facilitated by the South West Regional Cyber Crime Unit for businesses.
It will take place this Wednesday (24 April) at County Hall in Dorchester from 9am to 12.30pm. Participants will have to go through a range of cyber security tasks, learning valuable tips along the way, before they can escape.
This FREE event will not only help protect businesses from potential cyber attacks but also promises to be a lot of fun as well.
Is your business ready for the challenge? To get your free tickets click the button below.
*Image by Freepik
Cyber escape room booking
Dorset sets the national stage for a more secure digital future
Leading lights from the UK security and telecoms industry were in Dorset to launch a ground-breaking paper that could help shape future policy on digital security.
UKTIN - the innovation network for the country’s telecoms sector – chose the Dorset Council-owned BattleLab to unveil the latest of its Future Capability Papers on Security.
More than 65 delegates from major tech companies plus representatives from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, universities and OFCOM were at the launch.
Dorset Council’s Chief Executive, Matt Prosser, welcomed the delegation to Dorset.
He said: “It was an incredible honour that UKTIN chose Dorset and the BattleLab to launch this important paper.
"We can use our assets to work with industry to seize the wider opportunities presented by digital to grow our economy and provide interesting, well-paid jobs to local people."
You can read the UKTIN paper by clicking the link below.
UKTIN paper on digital security
Be like Norma and help Dorset residents get online
Do you work or volunteer in a front line role serving Dorset's residents?
Would you like to help your customers use your online services?
Then you can sign up for our free training that will help you become an embedded digital champion in your organisation.
Already 1,200 people have successfully completed the training.
This year we are teaming up with Barclays Digital Wings so all the training can be completed online and in your own time.
For more information click the link below.
Embedded Digital Champion training
Dorset businesses can apply for AI training
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has announced a £7.4 million pilot scheme to subsidise the cost of AI skills training for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Through this pilot programme, eligible business can apply for funding for up to 50% of the cost of AI skills training from now and until March 2025.
Funding is for training that supports employees to develop technical skills and understanding of AI and also for courses that help them develop, deploy, or use AI in their role.
For more information on how to apply and to see if your business is eligible, click the link below.
AI training grants
Digital Doorway has been helping homeless people like Megan make a new start.
Finding a digital home
Our Digital Doorway device gifting scheme is making a huge difference to people's lives - including residents at Weymouth's Bus Shelter.
Bus Shelter provides shelter and support to homeless people
Dorset Council's Digital Doorway scheme gifted laptops to some of the residents after they were referred to us by the charity.
To date, we have gifted nearly 500 devices.
The laptops are helping the residents to bid for homes on the online housing register, manage their finances, search and apply for jobs, do online courses and reconnect with families and friends.
Please take a couple minutes of your day to view their inspirational story by clicking the photo above to take you to our video or the link here: Helping people find a digital home - Megan's story (youtube.com)
For more information about the scheme and if you would like to support it, email digitaldorset@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk
Are you ready for the digital switch over?
Between now and December 2025 most telephone providers will be moving their customers from old analogue landlines over to digital technology.
This means services that rely on the old landline system such as home phones and healthcare devices will be switched over.
Do you know any vulnerable people who might be worried about the switchover?
Help them by contacting their phone or telecare provider to see how they might be affected.
Do you live in an area of poor mobile phone coverage? Then let your supplier know now and ask them about battery backup options should there be a power outage when your phoneline has gone digital.
For more information on the switchover click the link below.
Digital switchover
Digital whizzes - Gillingham needs you!
We are looking for people in Gillingham with digital and technical experience to help get more of our residents online.
Dorset Council runs a volunteer digital champion programme across the county to give technical advice to anyone who needs it.
We are looking to recruit extra volunteer digital champions to serve from Gillingham Library.
To be a volunteer digital champion you need to be patient and kind. A background in IT or digital would be ideal but people with a good all-round knowledge are also very welcome to apply.
Full training and on-going support are provided. For more information email digitalchampions@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk
or click the button below.
Apply to be a digital champion
Thousands more Dorset homes to receive full fibre broadband
The government has announced its latest roll-out of lightning fast broadband to Dorset homes.
It has awarded the contract to Blandford-based Wessex Internet to deliver full-fibre broadband to more than 21,000 homes in south and west Dorset plus south Somerset.
For more information, click the link below.
Project Gigabit comes to south and west Dorset
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