New Teenvine ‘how to’ guides help charities navigate online connection with neurodivergent young people

A platform offering step-by-step guides to help non-profits use digital tools is featuring three new guides from Grapevine’s Teenvine Plus programme this Autumn.

The ‘Shared Digital Guides’ are contributed by charities themselves with the aim of shared learning, reusing tried and tested methods, and being inspired by similar work taking place across the country.

An graphic with black background and a fun purple font inside a yellow box that says 'Young People' next to a colourful games controller. The text below says 'Shared guides on digital connection with neurodivergent young people'. The Grapevine logo is top right.
The Grapevine guides and many more are available now at www.shareddigitalguides.org.uk

Around 44 organisations have already contributed. The three Teenvine guides to digital connection (details below) follow our first earlier this year from Connecting For Good Cov on using Zoom and email to build human connection with groups of people.

The newest Grapevine guides are written by project workers Paul and Sarah with expert knowledge gained from their intensive development programmes for young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), particularly during the isolation of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021.

‘Building trust with young people using online gaming’ shares tips and tricks with fellow youth workers who want to build trust one-on-one with young people by safely playing games together online. This guide also includes advice on running group sessions in this area.

The second guide explores the benefits and risks of a platform called Discord – which Grapevine used for our staff to touch base in the pandemic – as a tool for connecting young people online. It discusses Discord as an interesting way to meet young people where they feel most comfortable.

Finally, the guide to ‘Making video conferencing more accessible for neurodivergent people using Zoom’ will be essential reading for anyone wanting to create virtual events and meetings that are as welcoming, inclusive, accessible and comfortable as possible for everyone.

We think Shared Digital Guides by Catalyst is a brilliant way to connect non-profits like us with services and resources that make digital easier for free and we’re proud to be a contributor to this important initiative.

Useful links

The Teenvine Plus and Teenvine Plus Next Steps programmes form part of our Strengthening People work across Coventry and Warwickshire.