Emma Solomon
I am the MD. I am passionate about giving people access to the opportunities the Internet and digital technology provide, especially people who may find gaining that access harder. I’ve been promoting older people’ access to and use of technology for thirteen years, because I think many of them are marginalized by technology that could be massively beneficial to them, and all those who interact with them. I think an informed attitude to technology and a healthy, balanced integration of it into everyday life can only improve the quality of life and enhance the connections and cooperation between people of all ages.
Gill Adams
I’m called Information/DU which means I spend quite a lot of time telling people about what we do. I’ve worked with Emma at Digital Unite since just before the new millennium – when we were called Hairnet and had exactly the same mission that we have now. I joined the team originally to help create a pro-active online community of people passionate about the media literacy of older people and am delighted that we are still doing that. DU is fun and challenging and not at all where, as a women’s magazine journalist in the 70s, I could have imagined myself working.
Bob Holmes
My formal title is Tutor Network and Operations, but I also have the role of ‘Chief Geek’. Which is strange, because I’ve spent much of my life far more interested in the way that people use information rather than the technology they do it with.I joined Hairnet, as was, in 2003, as a freelance trainer. That was a change of direction after nearly 30 years with a major multinational in a variety of jobs around information management. Since then I’ve made myself useful around the place, and discovered what a great time you can have helping others find out what the web can do for them.
Fiona Syrett
My official title is Deputy Network Tutor Manager – a bit of a mouthful and really just means that I help Bob to look after the Tutor Network and recruit new Tutors. I have also been a DU Tutor for just over 4 years and think it is one of the best jobs in the world! Computers and the internet have opened up a whole new world for many of my clients and can often become a real lifeline. It’s great to see their faces light up when they start to realise how exciting technology can be!
Brian Eisenberg
My title is Corporate and Government Relations but I have many roles within the team – from ‘Marketing Guru’ to Project Information Dissemination for community training. In spreading our message, I speak at conferences focussed on ‘Bridging the Digital Divide‘, a problem for so many older people. I initially joined Digital Unite as a tutor and joined Head Office 3 years ago. I recognise that without doubt this is the most exciting phase of my working life; participating in helping a client experience ‘the EUREKA moment’ using today’s IT technology, knowing that you’ve truly changed someone’s life is rewarding beyond words.
Sophie Theunissen
I’m a freelance Digital Project Manager. I’ve been helping the DU team re-design their website and re-think their web strategy. We trying to use digital media more intelligently – for ourselves as a company and for the people we’re trying to teach and train. It’s lovely doing something that genuinely helps people – and fascinating learning about the technology – but very difficult to get our heads round because though we’re evangelists, we’re not proper geeks and there’s lots we don’t understand…..
