Crossing the Digital Divide: Marlete's story

Digital exclusion creates social exclusion

Marlete is a mother based in London, who was struggling to access the internet due to financial barriers.

Because of this digital gap in her life, Marlete faced challenges in accessing essential online services and welfare, and was limited in supporting her daughter with schoolwork. 

Digital support raises confidence

Desperate for support to help herself and her daughter, Marlete registered with Skills Enterprise, members of the National Digital Inclusion Network. They supported her with training sessions to improve her digital skills, gave her guidance on welfare matters, resources, and one-to-one support tailored to her needs. 

Alongside this support, they provided her with free data from the National Databank, enabling her to access the internet for free. 

Thanks to this data and digital skills support, Marlete can now easily and confidently navigate the internet, manage her benefits applications, access key services, and build her skills with digital learning. 

Digital inclusion builds impact 

"I am very grateful for this support—it has truly made a positive impact. I feel happier knowing I can now do things online that I couldn’t before." 

The digital support provided by Skills Enterprise empowered Marlete to enhance her digital skills, support her family, and feel more included in today’s connected world. As Marlete continues to embrace online opportunities, she feels more equipped to manage her day-to-day life.

"Receiving the O2 data made a big difference. I can now access online services, stay connected without worrying about running out of data… It also allows me to help my daughter with her homework, which is very important to me as a mum."