About
Digital Voice works with participants often excluded from digital media, helping individuals and communities to gain a wide range of benefits. Our award-winning team supports partner organisations and clients to harness the power of digital to make life better, through sharing stories, growing skills and self-esteem and communicating key messages creatively.
Digital Voice is a multi-award-winning, not-for-profit social enterprise that has delivered digital inclusion projects since 2007. This short video gives examples of how people of all ages and abilities are using digital activities and skills to improve their lives.
Our six main programmes are listed on our Programmes page. These are tailored to your needs and use whichever forms of media are most suitable, from tablets to video, audio, digital photography, animation, digital installations, print and the web.
" This is the best hands on learning experience I have attended "
Jean Bell
GeoStories Project
Our work would not be possible without our wonderful partners, funders and supporters. Many thanks to them all.
Many people and organisations have worked closely with Digital Voice since our social enterprise was founded in 2007, special thanks are owed to every one of you!
Awards
Judges Comments
“Digital Voice’s work in leveraging AI to empower young people, and promote digital inclusion, is vital. They loved how inspirational this initiative is and how technology is being creatively used to make a positive, lasting impact on communities - keep up the great work.”
Prolific North Tech Awards 2024
Best use of AI
Digital Voice were thrilled to win the Best use of AI award for programmes like DreamIt that really embraced the creative potential of the technology.
Find out more - https://www.digitalvoice.org.uk/news/award-winning-digital-voice-at-the-prolific-north-tech-awards
Judges Comments
"Both pieces of work submitted for this award share emotive stories of personal journeys and how our staff have supported children and young people living with adversity. Our colleagues and young people should be incredibly proud of not only what they have achieved through the DigitalMe projects, but of their bravery and dedication to improving the lives of other young people across the borough."
National Social Worker of the Year Awards 2024
Digital Transformation in Social Work Award
The Digital Voice team are delighted to have won the Gold Award in the category of Digital Transformation in Social Work, alongside our partner Gateshead Council, in the Social Worker of the Year Awards.
The award recognised two of our pioneering DigitalMe projects which were co-produced with Gateshead Council’s Specialist Support Service, which includes Youth Justice and Domestic Abuse.
find out more - https://www.digitalvoice.org.uk/news/digital-voice-in-the-running-for-a-national-social-work-award?rq=award
Judges Comments
“Innovative, and powerful use of technology to give people affected by hate crime a voice, allowing them to own their stories.”
Zoe Amar, Digital Ambassador Judge
Digital Culture Awards 2023
Digital Ambassador Winner
Our Managing Director Julie Nicholson, won in the Digital Ambassador category in the national Digital Culture Awards run by the Arts Council and the Digital Culture Network.
find out more - https://www.digitalvoice.org.uk/news/and-the-winner-is-?rq=award
Comment from Digital Voice
We are very proud to be the first CIC to be set up in Gateshead and to have been recognised locally is very special to us.
Gateshead Awards 2023
Business in The Community
Digital Voice were thrilled to win the Business in The Community Award from Gateshead Council for outstanding services to the community of Gateshead.
Find out more - https://www.digitalvoice.org.uk/news/a-local-organisation-for-local-people-why-were-proud-to-call-gateshead-home?rq=gateshead
Judges Comments
“DigitalMe is an innovative programme which gives vulnerable groups or individuals the opportunity to share their lived experiences digitally. The judges felt this was a wonderful and impactful service for a worthwhile cause. Very impressive work, well done to all involved!”
Prolific North Tech Awards 2022
Tech For Good Winner DigitalMe: Voices of Experience
We’re proud to have won the Tech for Good award at the Prolific North Tech Awards for our DigitalMe programme.
Find out more - https://www.digitalvoice.org.uk/news/and-the-winner-is-us?rq=award
Judges Comments
‘‘Digital Voice for Communities have tackled a real problem prevalent in society with innovative solutions that teach vulnerable and excluded people new skills, putting them at the centre of their story and having fun along the way. We were very impressed with the suite of options available that enable bespoke projects to be built, depending on the needs of the individual or community involved.”
North East Innovation Awards
Social Enterprise Award
Our team was delighted to have been recognised at the 2022 North East Innovation Awards.
Steve Key, Innovation Lead from Believe Housing who sponsored the award, was struck by the impact our work has, and how we manage to help people in such innovative ways.
We are so proud to work with a team of innovators who work so hard to reach people who are digitally excluded.
Judges Comments
“the clear winner of the category”
“An ingenious and affecting method of motivating children with tough stories to raise awareness of their experiences and get policymakers onside”
“A lovely, humanising project”
“An excellent use of technology — anonymity of users to produce creative interaction/engagement”.
The 2018 Royal Television Society in the region
Technology Innovation Award
The project was commissioned by Gateshead Council’s Children’s Rights Service because of its pioneering and creative techniques to “give a digital voice” to people who need to retain anonymity. It was also funded by The Ragdoll Foundation.
More than 400 people from the media industry saw the trophy presented by Sky Television’s Pete Graves to Julie Nicholson, DV Director, along with project developers Ronnie Johnston and Robin Cowings. Gateshead’s Children’s Rights Worker Chris Hulme praised the DigitalMe service as