Supporting people seeking asylum and refugees for digital inclusion
This month in support of National refugee week (16th - 22nd June) we're shining a spotlight on how to support refugees and people seeking asylum to become digitally included.
According to Refugee Action, digital connectivity is a major challenge faced by refugees and people seeking asylum in the UK.
As the role of technology in community life, education and interaction with the state grows, digital exclusion has become a significant cause of social isolation and deprivation, in the UK.
Read the Refugee Action article Reducing digital exclusion for refugees and people seeking asylum in the UK
British Red Cross have also highlighted the barriers to health care faced by people seeking asylum due to digital exclusion. How digital exclusion impacts access to healthcare for people seeking asylum in England
Community as a super power
Refugee Week takes place in June and the theme for 2025 is ‘community as a super power’.
At Good Things, we know a thing or two about the power of community! Many members of our National Digital Inclusion Network have been supporting refugees, people seeking asylum and migrant communities for many years, with far too many success stories to mention. However, we will mention two:
Supporting you: upcoming trainings and drop ins
To support hubs providing this vital, life-changing support to their communities, we're collaborating with our ambassador hubs Learn for Life and Get Families Talking - Smartlyte to bring you three live events focussed on refugees, those seeking asylum and people with limited English language. Both ambassador hubs have many years experience in supporting these communities with digital inclusion.
This session provides tips and best practice on supporting people who are newly arrived to the UK to access essential digital services and life in the UK.
A special drop in session exclusively for hubs supporting refugees and people seeking asylum. Register for a place and get your questions answered by experienced hub leaders.
How can we support people to learn English and basic digital skills at the same time? In this session our experienced ambassador hub will share their experience.
Addressing the skills gap: making the most of Learn My Way
Learn My Way has a range of topics to help your learners. We have selected a few key ones below but you can browse the full collection to find out more.
Starting to use the internet. A great guide for those new to the internet, how to use public services online, safety and making friends online.
Staying in touch. People seeking asylum and refugees have often left family and friends in other parts of the world. Showing them how to use the internet saves money on phone bills and allows them to see loved ones through video calls. It also introduces them to social media where they can find local support groups.
Employment and work. A good introduction to finding work in the UK, what is expected, employability skills and how to apply for a job.
Managing your health online. This is a good introduction to the NHS and can help to improve the mental and physical wellbeing of people seeking asylum and refugees.
Online entertainment. This supports people seeking asylum and refugees to improve their mental wellbeing, language skills and cultural knowledge.
Connecting communities: The National Databank
Many hubs are already providing internet access to refugees and those seeking asylum through our National Databank. You can register your organisation as a Databank to provide free SIM cards to those living in data poverty.
If you would like to find out more about the National Databank, why not join our upcoming information session?
11th June: National Databank Information Session
An information session for hubs that are already members of the National Databank or who are interested in joining.
Resources for your hub
Our members’ area features a rich collection of resources on a wide range of digital inclusion topics. There you can find many more resources including how to apply for an eVisa and how you can use Learn My Way for ESOL
View the resource collections:
People Seeking Asylum and Refugee resource collection
English Language Support resource collection