Laptops Offered to Cornwall's Homeless to Access Jobs

Cornwall Council lends laptops and tablets to homeless people and those without internet access to help them find jobs.

10:58 26 November 2021

Homeless charity St Petrocs and Cornwall Council have teamed up to help homeless people and those without internet access looking for jobs. 

 

Under the initiative, St Petrocs would provide training and lend computers and tablets so the recipients would be able to access work as well as healthcare services. 

 

A recent report released by the local authority reveals that about 13per cent of Cornwall residents and the Isles of Scilly in 2019 had never used the internet, and a quarter of adults lacked basic digital skills. In an effort to ensure that they are not left behind, the council trained six St Petrocs staff to help with the technology and made 70 devices available to the homeless. 

 

Richard Walmsley, who homeless after he had to stop working on building sites following an accident, said:"There is so much more that has evolved, I just need to catch up with it all.

 

"I just want to better my career and my life... and push on to do something else."

 

Melissa Winstanley, from St Petrocs, said: "A lot of our clients don't have access to IT.

 

"They want to be able to enhance their skills, which going forward will help them find suitable courses and progress into suitable work."