Keeping in touch online

Here are some useful resources to help you keep in touch with loved ones. 

Staying in touch

Video calling

Video calling has been around for years — it’s a great way to keep in touch with friends, family and colleagues no matter where you happen to be. Since the recent pandemic which required most of us to stay indoors all day for weeks on end, it’s become something of a lifeline for a lot of us. Check out this introductory guide to video calling and all the platforms available. It is possible to use Facebook, Whatsapp, Skype or Microsoft Teams to video call your friends and family.

Age UK have also produced a friendly guide on how to make a video call which is a great way to stay in touch with family, friends and other loved ones. 

Social networking

Facebook is a social networking site that makes it easy for you to connect and share with family and friends online. You can access Facebook via any internet browser or by downloading the Facebook app, depending on what device you have. Here is a Complete Beginners Guide to Facebook Youtube video to help you get started. 

WhatsApp is a free, multiplatform messaging app that lets you make video and voice calls, send text messages, and more — all with just a Wi-Fi connection. WhatsApp is especially popular among friends and family who live in different countries and want to stay in touch. BT and ITV created a great YouTube video with info on how to download and use WhatsApp, sending messages and video-calling. Here is another useful step-by-step Whatsapp guide with pictures to guide you. Unlike Facebook, to use Whatsapp you must download the app on your device in order to use it.

Skype is a platform people use to make online calls and send messages. They also offer affordable international calling to mobiles or landlines and instant online meetings. Digital Unite have put together some fantastic Skype guides.

Digital Unite

Digital Unite are an award-winning social enterprise, working with hundreds of organisations and supporting thousands of people to achieve digital inclusion and enable change. They have some excellent user-friendly resources which have been put together specifically to aid people with social networking.

Digital Buddies

Digital Buddies is a ‘social connection’ and support project in Salford and Trafford which aims to help people who are struggling to use their phone, tablet or computer to communicate well. It will help by linking each person with a trained young person who will provide remote one-to-one support to help them solve their particular digital skills challenges.

If you would like some support in becoming independent on your phone, tablet or laptop, why not get in touch with a Digital Champion and we will be able to help guide you through it.