Gemma is a single mother of young children living in a deprived area of Greater Manchester. Struggling to make ends meet and hoping digital skills could help, Gemma sought digital support from our Digital Helpline, a programme delivered by us on behalf of Lloyds Banking Group.
Money has always been the biggest obstacle for Gemma. Rising prices meant that she relied on The Bread and Butter Thing’s food clubs – a charity bringing affordable food to the most deprived areas of the UK – to feed her family whilst keeping costs to a minimum. Although Gemma knew that the internet would be a big help in sourcing food at lower prices, she struggled to cover the cost of topping up her mobile phone data to access the internet.
As a member and regular volunteer at her local Bread and Butter Thing food club, Gemma was introduced to a digital training programme funded by Lloyds Banking Group and delivered in partnership with We Are Group.
As part of the programme, Gemma was provided with a tablet device, as well as a SIM card containing six months of free data, so that she could get online and start learning. At the start of the training session, Gemma was taught how to set up and navigate her new tablet. With her confidence already on the increase, Gemma learnt how to utilise the internet to shop online. This was a significant step as it meant that Gemma could make the most of online deals when shopping for food and other items, allowing her budget to stretch a little bit further. Online shopping also brought more convenience to Gemma’s life; since she couldn’t drive or lift heavy bags, getting groceries delivered directly to her home was a great help.
“The main thing I wanted to be able to do was online shopping because you can get cheaper food as well as shopping around for other stuff. It’s great because I can’t drive a car or carry heavy bags, so now I can get deliveries.”
Now that Gemma was doing more online, she was keen to learn about online safety. During the session, her trainer eased her fear of falling victim to online scams. She was taught to only use websites that had a visible padlock icon, indicating that they are protected and encrypted. With this new knowledge, Gemma could confidently buy things for her family without being concerned about her online safety.
“I only have my phone, so this project was a godsend to me. Having a tablet and getting online properly has honestly changed so much for me and my daughters.”
Since the digital training, Gemma has had the confidence to independently explore new apps. Discovering how to call via WhatsApp has allowed her to keep in regular contact with her friends and family who live further afield. And reading online books has enabled Gemma to develop her knowledge of the wider world.
Gemma’s story highlights the importance of digital training for those living in deprived areas. Digital skills can be the difference between struggling financially and being able to manage finances more effectively. It can open up opportunities that would otherwise be inaccessible due to lack of resources or knowledge. In this case, digital access has enabled Gemma to take control of her finances and make life easier for herself and her daughters.