Meet Ceris

Ceris Rayner, a trustee of Moving on Together, helps oversee the charity and its services. As a Digital Champion, she also uses the skills she gained from Superhighways’ digital inclusion programme to support MOT’s service users to build confidence with technology. 

Her introduction to Superhighways

MOT was first introduced to Superhighways through Kingston Voluntary Action, which helped to connect their small local charity with digital support.  

The first key contact was Kate White from Superhighways. 

She was just so helpful, and you felt able to ask questions that otherwise you might have felt a bit silly to have posed. But she made the whole process very simple.

The support they received

First, Superhighways advised them on which laptops to buy and how to protect them from viruses and other risks. After securing their equipment, Nine from Superhighways spent a whole day with them, setting up their laptops and helping them build their basic IT infrastructure so they could actually start using the tools effectively. 

We wanted to do it, but we didn't know how. And Superhighways really helped us work out how to actually get the best out of our equipment.

Moreover, with no prior experience with websites, Kate held one‑to‑one sessions to help Ceris build and maintain the MOT website on Voice Online Communities. Over time, Ceris gained enough confidence to make changes herself, and Superhighways has now also offered to train a volunteer to take the website forward. 

It's just the willingness to actually help us expand and be the best that we can that has been so helpful.”  

In addition, MOT benefitted from a Bring Your Own Tech Day, where Ceris could bring her laptop along and get tailored help. At this session, Nine was able to show her how to configure access for someone else and she felt that he gave her the time and space to ask questions.

Superhighways also provided one‑to‑one support through Paul, who helped Ceris set up a YouTube channel for the charity.  

I had no idea how to do the YouTube channel [...] But he was so lovely. He took his time, and we went through it together. And all the way along, I was going, "I can't do it. I can't do it." And he was just so great at being able to put me at ease and just tell me quite simply how to do it.

And once you've done it, you say, "what was I worried about in the first place?" But you need somebody to show you. These are all things that need to be learned. And the best thing was that he just showed me, and he let me write it down, and gave me the time to really process what I'd actually done.” 

Most recently, Superhighways has helped MOT and its wider community through donated laptops for both volunteers and service users.  

People have really irrational fears around technology and just being given that little bit of a tutorial at the beginning to take the fear out has been excellent.

Everybody has really, really appreciated it, and it's given them another option [...] Instead of having to constantly ask somebody, they now feel empowered to do it themselves, which is really important.

Superhighways’ impact on MOT 

Practically, MOT now has the digital infrastructure, tools and skills it needs to run more effectively. 

But on a deeper level, Superhighways has helped to change the culture around digital within the organisation.  

See, I think, for me, it's the fact that it's not judgmental, and its patient and understanding, that actually gives me the confidence to ask the questions in the first place.

And that's the most important thing for me because tech is a bit of a closed book to me, really, in a lot of ways, and it just actually means that I'm not going to be laughed at, I'm not going to be dismissed. I can ask a quite simple question and it be taken seriously, and then the support will be given with kindness.

A testimonial to Superhighways' approach

At Superhighways, we often like to describe ourselves as: 

• Relationship-centred 
• Capability-minded 
• Committed to value 
• Enthusiastically curious 
• Community spirited 

Ceris said she agreed with all of it, highlighting especially the community‑spirited side, stating that she felt MOT wouldn’t have been able to do many things without Superhighways. 

I do like the fact that it's the same familiar faces. So you actually do form a relationship with people, and it's not just a stranger. So you do feel you're actually dealing with people that care.

Final words from Ceris

In her final words, Ceris strongly encouraged any local charity to get in touch with Superhighways. 

Any local charity should get in touch with Superhighways because their help and support is absolutely amazing, and their knowledge as well and their willingness to share it all with you.

We should really value what you do as well, because you do it all for very little reward, really. And we wouldn't be where we are now without your help.