NOMINET HELPS ADVANCE DIGITAL SKILLS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND BOOST SME PRESENCE ONLINE

Nominet, the profit with a purpose company, best known for running the .UK internet infrastructure, is today (23 Jul) launching the third phase of its pioneering digital skills training programme, Nominet Digital Neighbourhood. Unlike other programmes, the initiative provides digital skills training with a difference, offering training and paid work experience to young people aged 18-24 with digital skills but limited professional networks and opportunities, and connects them with local SMEs, to help them both prosper online. To date, Nominet Digital Neighbourhood has trained over 100 young people and successfully matched them with SMEs. Nominet’s aim is to double these numbers for the programme in 2018.

Nominet Digital Neighbourhood will take place in London, Cardiff, Exeter, Preston and Glasgow over the next three months, with courses facilitated by Nominet’s project partner Livity, the youth-led creative network.

Each young person will embark on a two-day training course with a qualified expert covering social media skills, Google AdWords and SEO, and will also be advised on the importance of creating online profiles to promote their services such as LinkedIn and The Dots. At the end of the second day of training, students will meet and be matched with a suitable local SME that requires their skills for a paid work experience placement. Each young person partnered with a local SME will be paid in line with the London Living Wage and meetings will take place to fit in with both parties’ needs. Depending on the business’s need, the placements with the SMEs are between six and 12 hours over a two-week period.

Russell Haworth, CEO, Nominet says: “We have a long history of supporting initiatives that contribute to a vibrant digital future that is connected, inclusive and secure for all. A focus for us is helping young people improve their digital skills to increase their life chances. While Nominet Digital Neighbourhood may seem a small project compared to others, it is a pioneering approach to meet the demands of digital transformation and help address the digital skills gap in the UK. If not, we face playing a dangerous game of catch-up which could be disastrous not only for individuals and SMEs, but the UK digital economy.”

Lilli Reuel, student and Nominet Digital Neighbourhood ambassador for 2018, said: “As someone who is on a sandwich course from university, this is such a unique opportunity for me to get paid work experience, while acquiring freelance skills at the same time. It helps me to value my skills, build confidence and make valuable business contacts. There are so many ways in which young people such as myself can help local businesses in my area, more schemes like this need to happen.”

Ellie Bradley, COO, Nominet says: “We’ve continued to develop this programme, learning from and keeping front of mind what young people want from work. There is a huge pool of untapped talent that businesses can benefit from, and we’ve created a programme that is completely new in its approach and can benefit young people, local communities and the UK economy as a whole. The ambition is that other funders and companies can replicate Nominet Digital Neighbourhood anywhere in the UK, as we all work towards building a strong UK digital economy and develop new approaches to support digital transformation.”

A profit with a purpose company, Nominet has supported hundreds of tech-for-good projects, donating £45m to positively impact over 10m people since 2008. Other initiatives focused on helping advance digital skills among young people include Nominet being a founding patron of the Prince’s Trust Online portal, helping it to marry its traditional face-to-face approach with digital products and services, for young adults. Another is its work with the Micro:bit Foundation as founding partner, which is helping to promote STEM and develop digital skills in schools.

Nominet Digital Neighbourhood dates

Nominet Digital Neighbourhood is running a number of two-day training courses across the UK in London, Exeter, Cardiff, Glasgow and Preston. More information and booking is available on Eventbrite here.

• w/c 23 July, Monday & Tuesday – training in London (Lambeth College, 45 Clapham Common South Side, London SW4 9BL)
• w/c 13 August, Monday – Thursday – training in Glasgow (Big impact, Floor 5, 20 Trongate, Glasgow G1 5ES)
• w/c 20 August, Monday – Thursday – training in Preston (Cotton Court, Cotton Ct, Preston PR1 3BY)
• w/c 3 Sept, Monday – Thursday – training in Exeter (venue tbc)
• w/c 10 Sept, Monday & Tuesday – training in London (venue tbc)
• w/c 17 Sept, Monday – Thursday – training in Cardiff (IndyCube, 4 Trade St Ln, Cardiff CF10 5DR)

About Nominet: Nominet is driven by a commitment to use technology to improve connectivity, security and inclusivity online.  For 20 years, Nominet has run the .UK internet infrastructure, developing an expertise in the Domain Name System (DNS) that now underpins sophisticated network analytics used by governments and enterprises to mitigate cyber threats.  The company provides registry services for top level domains, and is exploring applications for a range of emerging technologies including autonomous vehicles and TVWS – connecting rural areas with broadband. A profit with a purpose company, Nominet supports initiatives that contribute to a vibrant digital future. 

About Livity: Livity is a youth-led creative network. We are a creative agency; an internet-breaking publisher; a talent network and an ideas incubator for things that matter to young people. We’re experts in blending the fresh perspective of youth with experienced creative talent to make the most impactful work possible for our clients, which include Google, PlayStation, Dyson, Sony, Netflix, Warner Music, the Government, Channel 4, the BBC and Cancer Research UK. We’re also a social enterprise, so while our work benefits from young people’s insights, the young people we mentor receive training, experience and support into employment and education. Founded in 2001, Livity has two offices worldwide, in Brixton, London and Johannesburg in South Africa.