First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was welcomed by tenants and staff at Dunedin Canmore this week as she saw for herself how a digital inclusion project is increasing job prospects for local people.

The Digital Skills for All class at Edinburgh’s Slateford Green Community Centre, hosted by Dunedin Canmore, part of the Wheatley Group, teaches basic computing skills to tenants and helps them to use email, write a CV, look for work and apply for jobs.

Ms Sturgeon was joined by deputy first minister John Swinney as she visited the class and found out how it was helping tenants.

Ms Sturgeon said: “I think housing associations are often at the heart of communities and therefore ideally placed to provide these courses and skills for people.

“The course and the skills are hugely important especially digital skills which is so important to how we live our lives these days.

“The learners I’ve met here today are shining examples of the benefit of giving people access to these skills to build their confidence and to build their ability to get into employment which is the way to lift people out of poverty.”

The class has been delivered through a partnership between Dunedin Canmore and Cre8te Opportunities, with funding from the Scottish Government’s People and Communities Fund.

Ewan Fraser, chief executive of Dunedin Canmore, said: “We want to increase opportunities for our tenants, and our Digital Skills for All initiative promotes more effective job-hunting and flexible working arrangements while improving people’s wellbeing.

“The course gives them real employment opportunities so is a real benefit to them.”

Matthew Young, digital inclusion officer with Cre8te Opportunities, said the class would teach “basic computing skills and employability-based skills” to as many as 400 people.