GLOBAL IT company Microsoft has chosen a Northwich-based charity to help improve young people’s digital literacy across the UK.

Deafness Support Network (DSN), which has its headquarters in London Road, is one of 35 organisations across the country to be selected as a Microsoft IT Youth Hub by the company and charity UKYouth.

The project, which will run until August, will teach children to use the internet safely and protect themselves while using social media sites.

It will also focus on how to use programmes that support learning and how they can access fun resources, such as Xbox and Skype.

Lorna Langton, DSN’s lead youth worker, said: “Digital literacy is an essential skillset and this scheme is helping to ensure that the children we work with aren’t excluded from its advantages.

“The children will also be giving Microsoft feedback on their products, telling them how they can be improved for other young deaf people in the UK.

“We really want this project to be a benchmark for making sure that technology is increasingly deaf friendly and accessible, and that the children in our youth service feel comfortable and confident online.”

The project will be run by DSN’s youth service staff, volunteers, and three young IT Champions.

IT specialists from Microsoft will also be attending sessions, helping the young people create their own videos and resources with advice about how to use all of the tools.

The project will be run from 4pm to 6pm on the first Wednesday of every month at Chester Deaf Club.

A mobile hub of laptops and other equipment will also be available once a month at all of DSN’s youth clubs, which welcome both hearing and deaf young people aged 11 to 19.

For dates and times of DSN’s youth clubs visit dsnonline.co.uk

For more information contact Lorna Langton on 0808 208 2440 or at llangton@dsnonline.co.uk