A tablet lending scheme, which sees people who are facing digital exclusion given access to a digital device for up to six months, is being trialled at Thames Reach. This has been made possible thanks to funding from Hubbub, in partnership with Virgin Media O2.

Managed by the Essential Skills team, 300 tablets will be lent out to people living in temporary accommodation, while they are receiving support to end their homelessness. Devices come with free calls, texts and data allowing beneficiaries to use them for anything they need, from accessing emails and messenger apps to online materials for education and drug and alcohol programmes.

The scheme has already been rolled out in Thames Reach hostels in Lambeth and will soon be expanded to other forms of short term and emergency accommodation. Feedback from the initial pilot has been highly positive, with hostel staff seeing improvements in self-care and increased independence for residents.

When device recipients were asked how they are getting along (via text), they said:

“I am really pleased with the tablet, it is really useful in my recovery. To have the minutes and texts and data is useful. Thank you for the trust.”

“The tablet is brilliant, it is really helpful. I’m thinking of running, as I was in hospital for 6 months and had to learn to walk again. And the Mind app is great.”

“I’m loving it, I use it 24/7. I’m really grateful for the opportunity to have one.”

Alongside the scheme, all recipients will be able to develop their digital skills through Thames Reach’s in-house digital training programmes delivered by specialist staff.

On 16 November, the Southwark Works team ran a jobs fair at Thames Reach’s Employment Academy, specialising in opportunities and support for the Latin American community in South East London. Employers from a range of sectors were in attendance to meet with people in the Latin American community who were looking for work in the capital. 

The fair was a unique event; from two years experience working with Latin American communities in and around Southwark, the team had established the need to connect people looking for work with potential employers. This is not always a straightforward task, given challenges including language barriers, right-to-work documentation and a sufficient understanding of welfare systems, and accessing a GP.

Opportunities available in construction, care, cleaning and hospitality were shared with attendees, as well as specialist advice from Southwark Works, support services and education providers. 

We spoke with Alvaro and Julia, originally from Colombia who attended the fair in Camberwell. 

Julia said, “I was really happy to get information on the English courses, as I am looking to improve my English; it was also interesting to find legal advice here around immigration.”

Alvaro said, “We came today to look for work opportunities, and to try and find new opportunities to improve our lives in London. Now we have taken contact details and will be hopefully receiving some support to get into work and test our English, to see where we need to improve our skills.”

The fair was very well attended, with almost 100 people in the local Latin American community coming to the Employment Academy. It was an incredibly positive event for attendees, employers and Southwark Works alike. 

Giovanni, support worker in the Southwark Works team, said: “This event has been a great opportunity for the Latin American community to find out about opportunities in South East London, whether they need general support, training or employment. Similarly, it has also been a chance for support services, employers and training providers to network together, find out more about each other’s work and create the basis for long-term collaborations, and possibly a development of a hub of professionals that liaise together in order to offer specialised and tailored help to this fantastic and hard-working community.”