St Finian's TY group offer ‘Digital Helpers’ service

The digital world presents challenges to some, but it’s second nature to younger people, so an offer to local business owners from a group of TY students at St Finian’s College sounds attractive.

A group of six students are behind the idea - though more are available if the demand is there - and they want to do what they can to help by launching a free ‘Digital Helpers’ service, offering assistance to businesses in Mullingar and its surrounding areas in the run-up to Christmas.

In a joint statement the students said: “We are offering a wide range of services which include, modernising social media pages for businesses, helping to create and design social media platforms, such as Instagram and Facebook pages, and aiding them in basic digital marketing and advertising.

“We can also design bespoke gift cards for any businesses interested.

“We would like to help out local businesses in as many ways as we can, especially in these difficult times.

“If you are interested in these services please contact: community@stfinianscollege.ie.”

Amelia Nortje, one of the group, along with Katelyn Cahill, Jack Guilfoyle, Owen Meisonnave, Natalia Rittau and Oisin L’Estrange, spoke to the Westmeath Examiner about their plans.

“We put ourselves forward when our teacher, Mr Andrews, suggested this, and we’re offering to help businesses with their websites, with social media, so for example, designing gift cards, or linking different social media to one another, or updating their social media accounts, and taking photos if they’d like.”

Amelia said that every TY student at St Finian’s has a Chromebook, and as they’re all well used to them now, they thought they could use their skills and help the local business community.

It sounds like a great idea and one with genuine commercial potential, particularly for business owners who, in the Covid-19 world, have to be across the digital realm and in a position to exploit it from a sales and marketing perspective.