Nicole, 54, originally from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, now lives in Hackney in London. Nicole has dyslexia, which can make it difficult for her to pick up new skills, and she often needed help from her family.
Although she has always tried her best to do as much as she can on the Internet, when it came to online banking, she found herself relying on the help of her daughter to manage her money. Nicole also regularly visited her local Lloyds Bank branch to make transfers and manage her daily finances.
Recognising the impact digital skills would have on Nicole’s life, her local branch team referred her to the Lloyds Bank Digital Helpline, a service delivered by We Are Group in partnership with Lloyds Banking Group. As part of the service, Nicole was provided with a digital training session and gifted a free tablet to help get her started on her digital learning journey.
To start with, Nicole was helped with the fundamentals of using her new tablet as well as how to navigate the Internet safely. Once her confidence had grown, she moved on to online banking. Step by step, Nicole learnt how to access her online banking safely, learning how to keep her passwords secure.
After a few rounds of practice, Nicole was able to access her accounts and transfer money independently and when it suited her, no longer needing to wait for her daughter to visit or travel to her local branch. The skills and confidence benefited Nicole greatly, as she could easily manage her finances from her own home, and make informed decisions about where to put money each month for savings.
“It made life easier because I don’t have to get up and go to the bank, and I don’t have to wait for my daughter to come do it for me, because I am able to do it for myself.”
Building on her confidence, Nicole learnt how to use Zoom so she could keep in touch with friends and family abroad. With the dedicated one-to-one support through the Helpline, Nicole quickly learnt how to use the video calling platform to keep in touch with people in her local community. She can now attend virtual prayer circles every morning – an important part of her daily life.
Since the training, Nicole continued her learning journey and has discovered social media platforms such as TikTok, which she uses to get new ideas and learn new hacks to help her with everyday domestic tasks. This has been a great way for Nicole to keep up with the latest trends and keep practicing her new skills.
“My motivation was really low before, I used to hide away… Since having the tablet I have improved, the tablet has boosted me up a lot”
Nicole’s story is one that resonates with many people who are struggling to keep up with technology. It shows how those who have dyslexia can still learn how to use technology if they are given the right support and guidance.
