Liverpool City Region’s Digital Inclusion Project
Include-IT Mersey provides targeted, personalised digital skills development and employment support to digitally excluded, unemployed/economically inactive residents of the Liverpool City Region to improve their basic ICT and online skills, confidence and access to digital technologies, enabling them to overcome barriers resulting from a lack of digital skills.
It actively promotes Digital Inclusion and supports participants to progress towards employment or further training, helping those furthest from the labour market to become more job ready.
The project provides individually tailored, flexible programmes of support that respond to specific needs & barriers faced by participants.
Digital Champions support participants to learn at their own pace. Small group sizes of between 5 and 8 ensures that participants receive the levels of personalised support they require.
The UK Online Learn my Way platform is central to the ICT lessons, enabling participants to both choose topics of personal interest and to continue learning outside taught/ supervised sessions. Participants are supported in their learning through volunteer Digital Champions and local digital surgeries,
Benefits to the individual include:
- Increased confidence & inclusion
- Renewed motivation to learn
- Improved digital skills leading to:
- Financial benefits: savings through online shopping & cheaper communication
- Social benefits: reduced isolation through social media; access to entertainment
- Health benefits: access to online health services/advice
- Employment benefits:
- Ability to search & apply for employment online
- Improved employability & workplace ICT skills, increasing employment prospects
- Work experience & volunteering opportunities as a pathway to employment
- Gaining employment
Helping people to get online across the Liverpool City Region
The project is delivered by a partnership of 23 not-for-profit and public sector partners (including EDT) spanning the six boroughs of Liverpool, Knowsley, Sefton, St Helens, Halton and Wirral, with specific target areas in each borough.
Lead by Sefton CVS, in collaboration with VOLA Consortium members, local Housing Associations and Local Authorities, this innovative multi-agency partnership is founded on partners that really care about their local communities.
It ensures that those in need of support to help develop their IT skills, access to online services and digital technologies receive the best possible service, whatever their starting point.
In addition to IT skills development, assistance includes employability and personal skills development to support people into or closer to employment.
To find out more please visit www.includeitmersey.org.uk.
or contact Bernard Jordan at EDT
Tel: 0151 – 298 2478
E-mail: bernard.jordan@edt.org.uk
Include-IT Mersey Project enquiry form