Digital Gwynedd is a project by Citizens Online to support adults with the essential digital skills for life, focusing on supporting people with employment related digital skills, especially older people that have been made redundant during the pandemic.
This project is funded by the UK Government through the UK Community Renewal Fund, receiving a grant of £154,895, and below is one beneficiary of the scheme.
It was purely by chance that Richard Ameson, who was born in the Philippines, stumbled upon the work of Digital Gwynedd, and he feels blessed to have the project in his life.
The 29-year-old has not looked back since, working his way up from volunteer to employee in the space of a few months.
“I went to a job fair in Barmouth, my first one ever, and I noticed Digital Gwynedd,” explained Richard. “Immediately I was drawn to the stall and after speaking with project manager Llion Elis, I really wanted to get involved in any way that I could.”
Why exactly was Richard, who studied computer games programming at De Montfort University, drawn to Digital Gwynedd like a moth to a flame?
He said: “I, like pretty much everyone up and down the country, had a difficult time during covid with the lockdowns, despite the fact I was able to communicate with friends and family over Zoom calls, use the internet, and go on social media.
The Digital Gwynedd project made me realise that there were plenty of people far less fortunate than myself and I wanted to help them.”
Within a matter of weeks, Richard was volunteering as a digital champion, shadowing Adrian Roberts as he visited the likes of Bala, Harlech, and Criccieth.
“I felt blessed to have been given the chance to learn from Adrian,” continued Richard, who was quickly offered a permanent role after his mentor retired.
“We were travelling around Gwynedd to cosy community spaces helping people improve their digital skills and make friends, and I learned so much from Adrian.
It’s wonderful to carry on helping people set up email addresses and Zoom accounts to contact friends and family, to stay connected with the world.
It is also important to provide the scheme in Welsh, which is still the first language for a large proportion of people in Gwynedd.
Giving those that use the project an opportunity to learn something new in Welsh is often crucial to their understanding.”
For more information on our Digital Gwynedd project, please follow this link.
If you or someone you know needs similar support please call 0808 196 5883 or text 07575977345.
If you would like to volunteer to help people with their digital inclusion, please complete the form here and one of our Digital Champion Coordinators will be in touch.
O wirfoddoli i waith – Richard yn hyrwyddo’r cynllun Gwynedd Ddigidol
Mae Gwynedd Ddigidol yn brosiect gan yr elusen Dinasyddion Ar-lein – Citizens Online i gefnogi oedolion drwy roi iddynt y sgiliau digidol hanfodol i fyw. Y ffocws yw cefnogi pobl gyda sgiliau digidol cysylltiedig â gwaith, yn arbennig pobl hŷn a gollodd eu gwaith yn ystod y pandemig.
Ariennir y prosiect hwn gan Lywodraeth y DU drwy Gronfa Adfywio Cymunedol y DU. Derbyniodd grant o £154,895 ac isod y mae hanes person a helpwyd gan y cynllun.
Ar hap yn llwyr y daeth Richard Ameson, a aned yn y Philippines, i wybod am waith Gwynedd Ddigidol. Mae’n teimlo ei bod yn fraint aruthrol cael Gwynedd Ddigidol yn rhan o’i fywyd.
Ers hynny, nid yw’r gŵr 29 oed wedi edrych yn ôl. Mewn ychydig fisoedd gweithiodd ei ffordd o fod yn wirfoddolwr i gael ei gyflogi fel aelod o’r staff.
“Es i ffair swyddi yn Y Bermo, yr un gyntaf imi fynd iddi erioed, ac yno gwelais stondin Gwynedd Ddigidol”, meddai Richard. “Cefais fy nenu atynt ar unwaith ac ar ôl siarad am y prosiect gyda’r rheolwr Llion Elis, roeddwn yn awyddus dros ben i helpu ym mha bynnag ffordd a fedrwn.”
Pam felly y cafodd Richard, a fu’n astudio rhaglennu gemau cyfrifiadurol ym Mhrifysgol De Montford, ei ddenu at waith Gwynedd Ddigidol, fel gwyfyn i fflam?
Eglura: “Fel pawb arall bron ym mhob rhan o’r wlad, cefais amser anodd yn ystod clo’r cyfnod Covid, er gwaetha’r ffaith mod i wedi gallu cyfathrebu gyda ffrindiau a theulu drwy alwadau Zoom, defnyddio’r we a mynd ar y cyfryngau cymdeithasol.
Gwnaeth prosiect Gwynedd Ddigidol imi sylweddoli fod llawer iawn o bobl llai ffodus na mi, ac roeddwn yn awyddus i’w helpu.”
O fewn ychydig wythnosau, roedd Richard yn gwirfoddoli fel cefnogwr digidol, yn cysgodi Adrian Roberts wrth iddo ymweld â mannau fel Y Bala, Harlech a Chricieth
“Roedd yn fraint cael y siawns i ddysgu oddi wrth Adrian”, ychwanegodd Richard, ac yn fuan iawn cafodd gynnig swydd barhaol ar ôl i’w fentor ymddeol.
“Roeddem yn teithio o amgylch Gwynedd i stafelloedd cymunedol clyd gan helpu pobl i wella eu sgiliau digidol a gwneud ffrindiau newydd yr un pryd. Ac fe ddysgais lawer iawn oddi wrth Adrian.
Mae mor braf medru helpu pobl i greu cyfeiriadau e-bost a chyfrifon Zoom fel y gallant gysylltu â ffrindiau a theulu, ac aros mewn cysylltiad â’r byd.
Mae hefyd yn bwysig fod y gwasanaeth ar gael yn y Gymraeg, sef iaith gyntaf cyfran uchel o bobl Gwynedd.
Mae rhoi cyfle i’r rhai sy’n defnyddio’r prosiect ddysgu rhywbeth newydd trwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg yn aml yn hollbwysig i’w dealltwriaeth.”
