We speak with Miranda Bos, coordinator of the Digimaatjes project, about digital self-reliance, trust, and the power of a good match.
As the coordinator of Digimaatjes, Miranda pairs volunteers with participants who need digital assistance. In this way, she helps people, step by step, to feel more confident in an increasingly digital society. Miranda has a background as a secretary. After completing her education, a position opened up at De Regenboog Groep. “I really wanted to work with people, to help people,” she says. Here, she found exactly what she was looking for: a job where she can truly make a difference for others. Miranda has now been coordinating the Digimaatjes project alongside a colleague for three years.
Meeting a Need
Through Digimaatjes, participants receive one-on-one support from a volunteer for questions about digital technology. For many participants, taking a course or attending a walk-in consultation hour is too big a step. Miranda explains: “Our participants often have mental health challenges. Sometimes they don’t dare to go out or are reluctant to join groups because, for example, the pace is too fast for them.” Digimaatjes was created out of the need to provide this group, in particular, with appropriate digital support.
Participating in the Digital World
A digital buddy visits the participant at home. That’s why it’s important to find a good match between the volunteer and the participant. “For example, I always ask what a participant used to do and what their interests are. These are all points of connection that help us pair a volunteer with a participant.” Miranda gets excited when such a match works out well and she sees the bond between the volunteer and the participant grow. “Sometimes, after six months, I stop by to check in with the volunteer and participant to evaluate the experience together, and I see that a real bond has formed between them. The dynamic is so different from when they first met. I really enjoy that.”
For many participants, the help of a digital buddy means more than just digital support. It’s also a way to participate in society. “The common thread among our participants is that they want to belong,” says Miranda. “They hear about digital issues everywhere. They want to know how it works, but they also find it very intimidating. For example, many people are afraid they’ll break a laptop or get hacked. It’s still a foreign world to them."
With a digital buddy, participants are guided step by step through that digital world. “Sometimes you think things are obvious, like looking something up on Google or using apps. But for many people, that’s not the case,” says Miranda.
From Digital Illiterate to Self-Reliant
In addition to answering questions about digital assistance, Digimaatjes has another important goal: to ultimately give participants enough confidence to attend a walk-in consultation hour on their own. After all, a Digimaatje remains involved for a maximum of one to one and a half years. “New questions will always arise. That’s why it’s important that participants eventually feel confident enough to go to a walk-in consultation hour,” Miranda explains.
Trust
Miranda sees that, thanks to Digimaatjes, participants are becoming increasingly confident in their digital skills. For her, that is one of the most rewarding outcomes of the project. “That someone is truly learning digital skills and gaining confidence in them.” She tells the story of a participant who wanted to learn how to use a laptop. “She had already bought a laptop, but it was sitting unused on her desk. When I stopped by again later, the laptop was open and she was able to work with it. That’s when I think: this is why I do it.”