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How many times have you had to give a parent or grandparent tech help? After moving in with her parents during lockdown, a Jersey-born entrepreneur was inspired to set up a social enterprise to help older generations understand how to use technology.
Created by Nicola Twiston Davies and her partner, Tech Relief is a digital support helpline which people can contact when they are struggling to use technology.
After growing up in Jersey, Nicola studied Spanish and Economics at Durham University. Once graduated, she moved to London to work and met Jude Kriwald (29) who she started dating.
In early 2020, just six months into their relationship, the pair made the decision to move to Jersey and live with Nicola's parents during lockdown.
Having previously worked in events and hospitality, both Nicola and Jude lost a lot of business during the pandemic and the time together stuck at home gave them a chance to discuss their future career plans.
In addition, living with Nicola's parents made them realise how many times the older generation struggled with technology but didn't have anyone there to ask for help.
Pictured: Tech Relief co-founders Nicola Twiston Davies and Jude Kriwald.
Nicola said: “We are all aware that a digital skills gap exists, but when you live with some experiencing it every day you realise how much you take for granted."
She reflected: "Living with people who didn't grow up with phones and computers shows you just how isolating it can be to not fully understand technology.
"Nowadays, parking is on an app, banking is on an app, everything seems like it's on an app... I realised that there must have been so many times when my parents were struggling but they didn't want to ask me for help as I wasn't living with them."
She added: "The word 'burden' is used quite a lot by the older generation, but as family members we don't want to create that feeling - we love and care about them!"
It was these thoughts that sparked the idea to create Tech Relief. Nicola explained that, alongside Jude, she wanted to create a service that acts like an extension of the family - someone you can call up and rely on anytime for help.
Although the couple are both convinced that they were the person who actually came up with the original idea for Tech Relief, Nicola and Jude are both really excited about their social enterprise project which helps people learn how to use technology as well as how to avoid online scams.
Nicola described the process as "really interesting so far" and admitting that "being a start-up means that you have to be very agile in responding to people's needs".
She added: "It's been a great journey in terms of learning how to launch a business and understanding how people view technology in different ways.”
She is delighted at the feedback from customers who say they feel "empowered", and there has even been one woman who Tech Relief have guided through the whole process of setting up an online business which is now thriving.
Nicola and Jude have been surprised at the positive effect that Tech Relief has also had on younger generations, who feel that their time and relationships with their older family members are improved when they aren't spending as much time explaining how to use technology.
Nicola said: "When I used to call my mum, I'd waste so much time explaining to her how to use the computer that I wouldn't even get to ask how her day was. But now she has the independence to learn in her own time, our time talking is much more valuable and worthwhile."
Pictured: "We realised that while the world has become more digital, the support for people to understand and interact with it hasn’t kept up."
The pandemic had a negative effect on many business, however it was actually the catalyst for Nicola and Jude.
Nicola said: "Ironically, the pandemic was the reason that we started the business. Obviously the need for tech support was there before, but covid made us realise how important it is. It was a time in which people realised how much you can really do online and how limiting it is to not be able to access this."
She added: “Lockdown also made people realise how much you can do online, such as learning and meditation from the comforts of your home!
"We want to help the older generation access all of the amazing resources that you can find online, as well as being able to stay in touch with family members and friends who they may not see often in-person. This is particularly relevant to Jersey as so many people on the island have family who are a flight away."
Tech Relief offers both one-off help, as well as a subscription service which allows people to call the helpline whenever they need technical support.
Nicola said: "Some people don't even have children or neighbours that they can ask for help, so Tech Relief fills that gap as well as providing some friendly human interaction over the phone!"
Tech Relief received 'healthy ageing' grant funding in January by Unltd, a foundation which supports social enterprises, and they have also partnered up with company called Mirthy to offer online events and tech workshops.
Nicola and Jude's future plans for Tech Relief include wanting to create a series of courses to guide people through the stages of learning how to do things online, such as 'how to launch an online business'. They believe this will allow them to access and help a larger number of people in a shorter amount of time.
You can find Tech Relief online at www.gettechrelief.com or call the helpline on 0800 656 9667.
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