Skills for Life
Skills for Life is a special project from the Resident Involvement team which will enable our tenants to acquire life skills that can improve their quality of life or help them to reach a goal such as returning to work. We will partner with local education providers such as TCAT (Telford College of Arts and Technology) to provide meaningful education and skills courses that will enable our tenants to improve their contact with us.
We recognise that formal courses are not for everyone and will try to source vocational courses where requested. One special area in which we can provide help is that of IT Skills. There are several providers who are willing to work with us to provide as many people as possible with the skills needed to go onto the internet and use basic technology such as e-mail. We are particularly involved with an organisation called Digital Unite which concentrates on provision for the elderly.
Why include the elderly in the digital revolution?
The elderly are the people least likely to have learner any IT skills during their school or working life. They have therefore become digitally excluded which in a modern world can only increase levels of isolation and frustration. We know from our links with organisations such as Digital Unite that older people can feel cut off from the modern world and some-times feel unable to communicate with even their own grandchildren, who of course are computer literate. There are clear benefits to both the elderly and Bournville Village Trust as an organisation in promoting digital inclusion.
Skills for life is for everyone
Bournville village trust has tenants particularly within the Borough of Telford and Wrekin who are geographically isolated from one another and skills for life may provide opportunities for more tenants to get together in a meaningful way. It must also be acknowledged that Telford and Wrekin poses challenges as a borough and that there are many people who feel excluded from participation for a number of reasons these include:
- The elderly
- The housebound
- The disabled
- Adults with a learning disability
- People with mental health issues
- People who do not speak English well enough to understand issues
- Young People
This list is not exhaustive, but you can see that there are many people who may feel that Tenant Participation is not for them, or they are prevented by one reason or another from taking part. There are many people especially the young who feel that their views are never listened to, or taken seriously.
Skills for life and IT will provide opportunities for younger people to assist older tenants im-prove their skill sin this area. We are constructing a programme to make this a reality.
If you are interested in this program please call me on 01952 504390 or E-mail Kathleenhughes@bvt.org.uk.
