An online celebration

A need for digital inclusion

Throughout the lockdown we’ve been working with Venture Scotland to deliver computers and devices to the community. It all starts with wonderful donations of devices from individuals and organisations like the University of Edinburgh, Change Recruitment and Inverclyde Community Development Trust. From here, we refurbish the devices, and pass them onto Venture Scotland to be delivered to recipients’ doorsteps. We then offer phone support to help them get set up and connected. Thanks to these devices, members of the community can access support online and stay connected during the coronavirus outbreak.

Throughout lockdown so far, we have been receiving a large number of requests and referrals, showing a strong need for a project such as this. Connecting online can help those rising to the sudden necessity of home-schooling, those who are self-isolating with no access to a way of contacting friends and family, or people with a disability who cannot access the support they need. The list goes on. Our project strives to meet this need head on.

Coming together online

In late April Lorraine came across one of our posts on social media. She had been concerned that she wouldn’t be able to make her mother’s upcoming birthday a special day due to lockdown and their self-isolation for going on six weeks. Her mother suffers from dementia and other illnesses and had become bed bound after coronavirus first broke out. But our computer delivery promotional campaign gave her an idea.

Lorraine sent us an email explaining the situation. Her mother would be turning 89 a couple of weeks later and she and her family wanted to organise a party on Zoom so she could see and hear everyone despite their separation.

We prepared a laptop for Lorraine and installed the Zoom application, ready to use. Within a few days, the laptop was delivered by our partners Venture Scotland.

When the big day arrived, Lorraine baked a cake and prepared afternoon tea. In preparation for the virtual arrival of her family she decorated her mother’s bedroom with birthday bunting and streamers. That evening they opened up the laptop and connected to Zoom for a video call with the entire family together on the screen!

Health and wellbeing

Lorraine’s story is one of many that shows the importance of digital technology in times like these. While many of us praise modern technology in allowing us to connect despite the lockdown, it goes largely unacknowledged that a large percentage of people do not have access to devices that make this possible. This is even more true of the most vulnerable in our communities.

As well as accessing resources, staying connected is also about maintaining mental health and wellbeing. Supporting one another through video or phone calls, making one another laugh or just being able to chat can make a big difference.

We aim to continue to help families like Lorraine’s throughout the coronavirus outbreak!