A digital inclusion project that aims to help the elderly and jobseekers with technology has helped four people find jobs.
Forres Online project coordinator Janice Cooper is delighted at the project’s success last year, and is looking forward to helping more people in 2020.
Although the project has been operating for a few years now, it was originally only aimed at assisting those over 55 with their tech-related issues.
However, when Mrs Cooper took on her role a year ago she decided to expand the service to help individuals in Forres who are looking to get back into work after a long period of unemployment.
At the unemployed and job seekers basic IT classes on a Friday afternoon, people can get assistance with anything from writing CVs and cover letters, searching and applying for jobs to applying for Universal Credit claims or setting up an e-mail account.
The team are delighted to have now helped three attendees and a volunteer secure work in the last year – but said they have enjoyed seeing peoples’ skills develop on a broad level.
“The project is about building up their confidence and making them feel like they can achieve things, because everyone is good at something but it’s giving them that confidence to try it,” she said.
As well as getting people back into work, this year the group will continue to help older people get online through their outreach visits to village halls.