Cardiff Council in UK’s Digital Leaders Shortlist

Cardiff Council’s Into Work services and digital inclusion volunteers included in the UK’s Digital Leaders 100 list for 2018.

20:19 30 April 2018

Cardiff Council has been shortlisted in the Digital Skills or Inclusion Initiative of the Year category in this year’s UK’s Digital Leaders.

 

Digital Leaders is the nationwide initiative that aims to promote effective, long-term digital transformation across government, industry and charities. 

 

Cardiff Council’s Into Work service focuses on helping people develop basic computer skills, such as setting up and using an email account, using the internet and starting a computer. The service benefited more than 40,000 customers last year, who were assisted by volunteers who have dedicated 19,000 of their own hours since the team was set up in 2014.

 

Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, Cllr Lynda Thorne, said: “I’m delighted that our Into Work services and our fantastic team of volunteers in our community hubs have been recognised in this prestigious list.

 

“Digital literacy is now a vital skill for people to have, whether they want to access learning or job opportunities, claim benefits, manage their money or for staying in touch with news, friends and family and so on.

 

“For many people, going online and knowing what to do is second nature but for others, they need some assistance with going right back to the basics and our teams are able to provide that personal support and help equip them with the skills they need in this digital age.

 

“Reducing digital exclusion can help us in our commitment to tackling poverty and inequality by providing people with the skills and opportunities they need to get and keep a job. And with the recent introduction of Universal Credit full service in Cardiff, when people will to have to claim and maintain their benefits account online, it’s more important than ever to be digitally literate.”