Achi news desk-
An evaluation of the project showed improvements in health and well-being and the ability to learn new skills.
Cat Daily from Glasgow Simon Community Access Hub said: “Paul was sleeping rough in various parks in Glasgow when I met him about six months ago.
“By giving him a smartphone he was able to keep in touch with us through phone calls, email and text messages during a very vulnerable time in his life.
“The increased contact led to more support engagement, allowing us to keep in touch and contact him when we had found him accommodation.
“Phil could then access Google Maps on his phone to make his way there safely.”
Jamie Trout, Head of Digital Inclusion at Simon Community Scotland, said the Get Connected Model has been “truly transformative” for people the charity supports.
He added: “The evidence presented in the ‘I Feel Part of a Community’ Report clearly shows that digital is a catalyst for people to connect, learn, engage and grow.
“This has resulted in huge practical, social and emotional benefits. People are amazing.”
Nigel Gallear, Digital Inclusion Program Manager at Simon Community Scotland, said: “Digital inclusion is positively changing the lives of homeless people.
“People feel, think and act differently when they are digitally connected.
“Digital inclusion is a pathway back to society.”
Lorraine McGrath, CEO of Simon Community Scotland, said digital inclusion is essential for people experiencing homelessness to engage with services.
He said: “We have also seen how it increases confidence, connection, autonomy, control, learning, health and well-being.
“This is why digital inclusion has become so central to our approach at Simon Community Scotland.
The Get Connected program received funding from the Good Things Foundation’s Power Up 2.0 funded by JP Morgan and the Scottish Government.
Helen Milner OBE, Group CEO, Good Things Foundation, said: “This underpins our work to bridge the digital divide, helping us move closer to our mission of engaging a million people and supporting 5000 Digital Inclusion Hubs across the UK.”
Paul McLennan MSP, the Housing Minister, said: “Simon Community Scotland’s work to engage people experiencing homelessness in digital provision, co-funded by the Scottish Government, is invaluable.
“I welcome this report, which shows that by providing access to digital devices, along with support on how to use them, people who are often excluded are given the opportunity to reconnect with friends and family, living fuller lives independently, and with dignity. ”
