Digital Heroes

Connecting volunteers aged 18-30 with our members across the UK to provide digital support.

Heritage Network’s Digital Heroes project connects 18-30 year olds with heritage organisations across the UK to provide digital support for them to engage wider audiences, and secure the future of their heritage sites

Heritage Network recruits, trains, and matches volunteer Digital Heroes with our members. Training materials have been developed in partnership with The Audience Agency.

Digital Heroes complete placements of 40 hours with the organisations they are matched with, supporting on tasks which might include updating websites, creating digital content, advising on social media campaigns, and devising digital fundraising or marketing strategies.

Applications for the Digital Heroes project are currently closed whilst we work on updating and streamlining the application and placement process.

Photograph over the shoulder of someone typing on a mobile phone, adding a caption onto an image for social media

For young people:

The project supports engagement with heritage organisations and the development of skills to support your future career.

Heroes will be given the opportunity to make connections with heritage organisations and develop their digital skills. Previous projects have included:

- - Revamping websites to help fundraising efforts
  - Creating digital fundraising strategies
  - Advising on social media strategy
  - Preparing activities to engage young people
  - Updating an organisation’s digital plan
  - Setting up databases to increase efficiency
  - Creating digital displays for use on website and the site

Heroes are supported by Heritage Network throughout their volunteer placements, and receive a year-long student membership, including free tickets to Heritage Network Youth Forum events.

Apply to be a Digital Hero

For Members:

Member organisations that host heroes become more resilient and are supported in developing digital skills and resources.

In 2021, the Network surveyed members and found:

69% of members did not use online video
62% hadn’t used podcasts
31% hadn’t used online tickets
Many members didn’t have a basic web presence, didn’t use online bookkeeping, had no online system for managing contacts/membership and did not use online fundraising

The Digital Heroes project allows members to work with young people to help bridge these gaps with support from Heritage Network in putting together an appropriate placement.

Apply to host a Digital Hero

shot from behind a young person who is filming the action on a stage at conference on her mobile phone

“

Help from a digital volunteer would greatly assist with the outreach and communications with our communities
Yvonne BolesClackmannanshire Heritage Trust

“

Digital is the ultimate inter-generational gateway: it opens up stories, experiences and opportunities as dialogue about common interests in heritage. Chenyu, Cultura’s Digital Hero, took on that challenge through photogrammetry, which we and our local partners and volunteers can build upon.
Graham BellCultura Trust

“

It was great working with Kamila as by discussion we could work out what to do whereas I could not have done that on my own. I am now confident to work with that database and Kamila said she could see where she could use it on her university course. I am thinking that by working together I learnt a lot more than I would have done if I had just been told what to do.
Jane GiffouldHalstead 21st Century group (H21C)

“

Help from a digital volunteer will help us to communicate our message to a wider audience as well as engage with our local community
Darren BridgmanPeter Ashley Activity Centres

“

I just want to take the opportunity to say how impressed I am with Toluwanimi. She has been extremely easy and fun to work with and I have learnt a lot from her expertise. We had weekly online catch-ups where Toluwanimi presented her work and I gave feedback for improvement.
Viktoria ErikssonDufftown and District Community Association