Living Room for the Homeless

Vancouver, B.C.: Living Room Drop In Centre

Internet connectivity can provide a better quality of life, but only if one has the skills to use it. While many of us were fortunate to either grow up with the technology or learned to use it through work, those who are undereducated or who have a low socio-economic status (SES) will have missed these crucial learning experiences. As we all know, technology grows
and changes at an alarming rate making it incredibly easy to be left behind. Therefore it is not as simple as providing access points in the community, but we must also provide adequate training to use the technology. The CAP program places interns at their access points offering free group or one-on-one training to those who require it.

In my short time at my CAP site, located in a drop-in centre for people with mental illness in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside neighbourhood, I have come across a wide number of people who have minimal computer skills – many of whom who have described computers as “scary”. The more technology develops beyond their skills, the less inclined they are to make an attempt to learn and catch up. This will only serve to exacerbate the problem as the gap grows between them and technology. I have spoken with a number of people who have been out of the job force for years, and who are unsure how to re-enter as they lack an up to date resumé, or they do not know how to search for work in another town, city or province. While it doesn’t take much to point a person in the right direction, coach and reassure them with regards to finding information on the Internet, it does take a trained person to be present.

During my time at the drop in centre, I have helped a number of people create or update resumés and begin searching for work. A number of those people are now employed again thanks to the ease of access the CAP program provides. Additionally, I have helped a number of older people with e-mail and Facebook access to improve their communication with businesses, friends and family members. It is the older members of the population who represent the least connected sector, with just 28.8% reporting access to the Internet in 2008. Thus far in my time with CAP, the clients I have served have all represented the most marginalized groups, be it seniors over 65, those without high school and the lowest quartile of earnings.

The CAP program is incredibly important to these people, many of whom thank me on a daily basis. This program should be expanded with the goal of providing a point of access to every Canadian, and the skills to match over the next few years.