Free digital skills support for adults
Adults who have difficulty getting online will be able to access digital skills courses, workshops and drop-ins in their local libraries after Croydon Council was successful in securing grant funding.
Croydon’s library service has been awarded funding from Arts Council England towards the costs of a three-year programme to help communities to get comfortable with new technology using their own devices. It has been designed to empower residents, to help them keep safe online and reduce feelings of isolation.
The Connect Up Croydon Digital Inclusion programme will be particularly targeted at vulnerable adults, such as older people, disabled people, unemployed, anyone homebound and people who have English as a second language. The programme will be run by ClearCommunityWeb, a local social enterprise experienced at working with people who don’t have access to digital technology, or who feel overwhelmed. They will train library staff and volunteers so they can build up an ongoing programme to help deliver digital support across all Croydon’s network of libraries, which already offer free WiFi and access to the internet on library PCs.
You can read more about this on the Croydon council news site.