Crossing the Digital Divide: Joy’s story

Digitally excluded in the age of the internet

61 year-old Londoner, Joy, was struggling to get online. Because of digital isolation, she was unable to stay in contact with friends, use search engines, send emails, fill-in online forms, access key information and services, and was spending more money due to her lack of access to discounts online. 

Digitally supported by the National Digital Inclusion Network

Frustrated with these limitations and feeling eager to learn, Joy sought help at her local Digital Inclusion Hub, Catbytes CIC. Catbytes CIC are members of the National Digital Inclusion Network who support their local London community with digital skills, devices, and data.

They introduced Joy to Learn My Way, a free online learning platform to help people build basic digital skills. Little did she know, she would go from not knowing how to send emails, to completing all the topics on Learn My Way!

Digitally confident and connected

With the particular help of Learn My Way subjects like ‘Using your device,’ ‘Using email,’ and ‘Safety and security online,’ Joy has been able to understand the world of digital and computing like never before. 

“I am more confident and willing to have a go at anything online, which I was not before. I’m happy I persevered to the end.”

Thanks to support from Catbytes CIC and through completing Learn My Way, Joy can now stay in touch with family and friends online, find all the information she needs, and make important appointments. She feels supported, connected, and eager to keep putting her learning into practice.