A lack of basic technology or digital skills is a huge barrier for homeless people seeking reintegration to the workforce or wider society. These figures (taken from Lloyds Bank UK Consumer Digital Index 2018) highlight the importance of digital skills for people to survive in the modern world.
- There are 4.3 million people (8%) in the UK with zero Basic Digital Skills
- 16% (8.6 million) of the UK are not able to fill out an online application form
- 18% of the UK adults claiming benefits (1.2 million people) have low or no digital capability at all
The ultimate aim for St Mungo’s is to get our clients back into employment and help them build confidence and independence. There is an urgent need for our clients to have internet accessibility, access to computers and skills to use modern technology in our accommodation services.
We are committed to providing free IT/Digital programmes for our clients and have a Digital Inclusion Coordinator working full-time at our Recovery College to help facilitate this.
Staff, volunteers, corporates, community groups and experts have all come together to offer their time to help train clients and develop their digital skills with the end goal to provide access to digital pathways into employment.
We want to use Game Changers to showcase the essential work St Mungo’s are doing to improve digital skills amongst our clients, but also to highlight the urgent need for more awareness, more materials, more funding and more volunteers to ensure our Digital Inclusion programme flourishes.
