Dougie has been attending one of our digital groups since last year for employability support and has made meaningful steps to get online and become better connected to the digital world.
Dougie has been unemployed for a decade and has been struggling to find work due to the move to digital recruitment processes. He’s been encouraged by his local job centre to regularly apply to jobs, but he does not have a personal device with which to get online.
The increasingly digital-focused job market removes access to employability options for those who are not connected to the internet. Job advertisements are hosted on online platforms, and technology is needed to create a CV and cover letter. Even if you have access to local resources like a library you still face obstacles such as a lack of access to a personal device that you could be contacted on to arrange an interview.
Not being connected means Dougie was unable to go online and learn about the support systems in place to help those struggling to find a job. When attending a support group at his local community centre he spotted a poster for our Reconnect digital groups. Our digital groups take place across Edinburgh and the Lothians providing a hub for local communities to bond and learn about digital. Attendees can speak to our team to learn about devices, the internet, navigating the web, completing everyday tasks online or, like Dougie, finding opportunities for education and employment.
Digital support for everyone
Since the end of 2023, Dougie has been a regular attendee of our groups, using them as his main means of tackling the job market. He also frequents his local library but due to reduced opening hours, this has become more challenging. Through support from Reconnect Team Leader Kirsty, he has been learning how he can use the internet to do things he would normally do offline, like looking up recipes, reading the news and updating his universal credit journal.
Earlier this year Kirsty made Dougie aware of the possibility of receiving a smartphone through our Reconnect service, allowing him to get comfortable with new technology and remove the reliance on a public space to keep up his work on his job applications. If Dougie has any new questions, he can bring them to Kirsty at his digital group or call our free Digital Support Helpline on 0800 0590 690. The helpline is free for anyone in Scotland and can be accessed between Monday and Friday, 10:00am to 4:00pm.
Thanks to this new device, Dougie is making excellent progress and regularly applying to jobs in his area. Reconnect has given him the tools he needs to take the next steps in his life and become digitally connected, part of our aim to combat digital poverty and bridge the digital divide in Scotland.
Thanks to the support of our team, everyone who attends a digital group or calls our helpline has access to resources that may have been previously restricted to them due to barriers of digital exclusion. We need your help to spread the word and make sure that those affected by digital exclusion know about the support available. If someone you know needs digital support please spread the word about the services available through Reconnect.