We were delighted to welcome Daniel Johnson MSP, Scottish Labour’s spokesperson on the economy, to host a Digital and Data Day at our Glasgow hub. The day brought together frontline mentors, partners, and policymakers to tackle one urgent truth:
👉 Digital exclusion is not an add-on issue. It’s a fundamental barrier to opportunity, equality, and dignity.
Throughout the day, delegates agreed – closing Scotland’s digital divide is critical to achieving a fairer, healthier, and more inclusive nation. Yet despite strong government strategies, gaps remain between ambition and real-world delivery – especially for those experiencing poverty, trauma, or multiple barriers.
We shared insights from our Relational Mentoring model, demonstrating how trusted, long-term mentoring can break down digital barriers where traditional services often struggle. Some of the key challenges – and solutions – we explored included:
🔹 Building trust, not just access
The infrastructure may exist, but without trust, uptake remains low. Our mentors co-locate in schools, housing offices, and community hubs to meet people where they are – and rebuild trust over time.
🔹 Whole-family, whole-community support
Through relational mentoring, we support households – not just individuals – connecting parents to schools, job opportunities, and essential services, often for the first time.
🔹 Embedding relatable experience
Mentors help customers co-design their digital journeys, ensuring services are truly human-centred and inclusive – not just “digital by default.”
Scotland has the right ambitions in strategies like A Changing Nation, Best Start, Bright Futures, and A Fairer Scotland for All. But to truly close the digital gap, we need delivery models built on trust, evidence, and long-term relationships.Relational Mentoring works. It’s time to embed it into local digital inclusion plans – making digital confidence and connection a right, not a reward.
Special thanks to Daniel Johnson MSP for leading such an important conversation – and to our amazing mentors and customers who made their voices heard.
#DigitalInclusion #RelationalMentoring
