Crossing the Digital Divide: Ann's story

How digital skills helped Ann gain confidence

TV personality Gail Porter interviewed Ann at Digital Skills Hub in Boscombe, part of the National Digital Inclusion Network. Before completing beginner digital skills courses on Learn My Way, Ann described a sense of fear of engaging with digital services or devices. She was worried about making a mistake and not being safe online. But since completing the course, Ann has developed lots of new skills and an understanding of how to stay safe and securely protect her device. 

“The main thing I've got through the course is [...] confidence because before I had I thought, what am I going to do? Now I know if I make a mistake, I can put it right. There are lots of fail safe security measures.”

Ann also described how completing the beginner Learn My Way courses empowered her to try new services that previously she thought she’d never be able to access without the right knowledge or skills.

“It's confidence that I can handle online banking, which I would never, ever have imagined myself doing because it's so frightening.”

Digital skills gave Ann independence & connection

Staying in touch with her grandchildren is a hugely important part of Ann’s life, but before she learnt new digital skills on Learn My Way, Ann relied on her husband to share pictures of their grandchildren on WhatsApp. Since she’s completed the course, she described gaining more independence and the ability to stay in touch with family herself.

“My husband uses a phone, so he was getting WhatsApp pictures of my grandchildren. Now I can access my grandchildren, which is very, very important. They’re six and nine so to be able to get photographs and not have to say to my husband, “send a message,” I can do it myself, or I don't have to wait for him to come home to show me. I’ve gained more independence.”

Digital transformation and cost is leaving people behind

With more essential services moving to online-only formats, such as banking and train ticket-purchasing, Ann talked about how she and many others she supports and interacts with at Digital Skills Hub felt ‘left behind’ and ‘alienated.’

“A lot of the information we get from companies is all done on email or text messaging now. I think most of the people like myself feeling they're being left behind are also alienated because if you can't do it. You've got to look for an alternative way.

“I think there are quite a few people that still don’t [have digital skills] and mainly because it's the expense because it's not cheap to have broadband and you have to buy a laptop I think for a lot of people that is a big problem. But at the same time, there are places like libraries that we can use.”