Scottish Charity Awards 2021 – Edinburgh Services

25/08/2021

News

OPFS Edinburgh Services are really proud of their achievement of becoming finalists in the Scottish Charity Awards. They have received this award in the category of Digital Citizens for the vital services they delivered to single parent families during the pandemic. 

This is a great achievement, especially with there being more entries this year than ever before. This presents a wonderful opportunity to raise awareness of OPFS and the amazing work we all do with and for single parents every day. You can help us win this category, all you have to do is input your email address for the People’s Choice Vote. We would really appreciate your help to win this award by submitting a vote and sharing our voting page with your friends, family and contacts.

Members of the public can have their say by voting for their favourite overall entry in the People’s Choice Award, voting closes at 5pm on Friday 27 August. You only have ONE vote for each category, so choose your favourite carefully!

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The computer came today, and it is a great help, a big thanks to everyone. I’m not an emotional person, but I can’t thank you enough for your help today, regarding food, your help meant a lot. The laptop is a huge help; my daughter can keep up with her pals and it allows us to take part in the quiz nights and I don’t have to rely on my mobile.

- Single Parent,

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Lockdown was a difficult time for most people, and that was made even more difficult for families that did not have access to digital devices or internet. OPFS Edinburgh supported almost 100 single parents and their children to get online.

We had staff specifically devoted to increasing digital skills, a significant number of parents we helped approached the service for support with mental health and wellbeing, including counselling or employability or family support. Their ability to engage with those services was hindered by their lack of devices, connectivity or confidence. Their range of needs included having no device to access the internet, to only having a smart phone or outdated machine that made digital tasks difficult. There were parents who might have had a device and connectivity but were unconfident in what they felt able to do. In some ways, meeting equipment or connectivity needs was straightforward. But helping parents with the confidence to problem solve and seek new digital solutions to problems required helping them move beyond the notion that they were going to ‘break’ the computer by doing something wrong. Don’t just take our word for the difference we were able to make, here are a few quotes from parents that benefited from this service.

It is very useful. I will start my courses and be able to create my CV and learn a few programs. As well as being able to look and apply for jobs.

- Single Parent,

Wow that will help my kids do Google classroom and help me doing my college course. So honestly, thank you so much.

- Single Parent,

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Please helps us win a Scottish Charity Award. All you have to do is vote for us in the Digital Citizen’s category

#ScotCharityAwards

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