New Project Launched To Help Swansea Residents Get Online

Hundreds of Swansea residents could be helped to get on line and access all the benefits of the internet.

Swansea Council and its partners Age Cymru Swansea Bay and Family Housing Association Wales are launching a new project to help some of the estimated 45,000 people in the city who are missing out on online access to information, learning, support, services, work vacancies and shopping deals.

Get Swansea Online will be launched on Tuesday, September 24, by Swansea Council and its partners Age Cymru Swansea Bay and Family Housing Association Wales.

It’ll be aimed at people who aren’t already online and people who can be digitally excluded such as older people, social housing tenants and those not in employment.

The project which will provide free training is backed by Communities 2.0, the Welsh Government’s digital inclusion initiative and funded by the European Regional Development Fund.

Christine Richards, Deputy Leader of Swansea Council, said: “Access to the internet and the skills needed to use it are more important than ever before.

“These days everything from job adverts to benefits applications, from shopping to reporting potholes are online so it is essential everyone should have the opportunity.

“Knowing how to get online and use technology will help people find jobs, stay in touch with family and friends, save money and even get more out of their hobbies.”

Steve Robinson, Communities 2.0 Broker for Swansea has been heavily involved in developing the project, said: “Get Swansea Online will be providing free computer sessions to people who want get online, learn how to use the web and realise its benefits.

“We want to support as many people as possible to get online and hopefully go on to use the technology to find information, employment, new skills, save money and discover new hobbies.”

This project will aim to engage groups that can be digitally excluded such as older people, social housing tenants and people who are not working.