The Power of Technology: How Learning Tech Skills Can Help Refugees Thrive

Since 2019, Goodwill Caravan has offered educational and vocational training to over 2,000 beneficiaries, including language classes and more specialised offerings in Information Technology, First Aid Training, Cultural Mediation, or Conflict Resolution & Communication Skills. In our experience, learning tech skills can be especially empowering for refugees, and, in this post, we’ll look closer at some of the reasons why.

Displaced individuals face many obstacles when they are forced to leave their homes and start all over again in a new country. One of the most significant challenges is finding a stable source of income and becoming self-sufficient. Learning technology skills can be a powerful tool in overcoming this challenge, and it can also help in many other ways.

One of the most obvious benefits of learning technology is that it can improve employability. The world is becoming increasingly digital, and many jobs require technology skills. By learning these skills, they can increase their chances of finding work and earning a stable income.

Technology can also help them stay in touch with loved ones and access information and resources, even when they are in a new or unfamiliar place. With a smartphone or a laptop, they can call or message family members who are still in their home country, and they can access information about their new surroundings, including where to find housing, food, and medical care.

In addition, technology can provide them with access to online learning resources, allowing them to continue their education and improve their skills. Many websites and apps offer free or low-cost online courses that can help them learn new skills and gain knowledge in a variety of fields, including computer programming, business, and healthcare.

Furthermore, technology can be a powerful tool for entrepreneurship. Many displaced individuals have valuable skills and talents, and with the help of technology, they can start their own businesses and become self-sufficient. For example, with a website or a social media account, they can sell handmade crafts or offer services like tutoring or translation.

Moreover, technology can help them connect with their new communities and feel more at home in their new surroundings. Social media platforms and messaging apps can help them find and join groups of people who share their interests and hobbies, and they can also help them learn about cultural events and social gatherings in their new country.

Lastly, technology can provide them with a sense of connection, purpose, and control, which can help to improve their mental health and well-being. By learning technology skills and using technology to connect with others, they can feel less isolated and more in control of their lives, which can be essential for their mental health and well-being.

In conclusion, learning technology skills can be a powerful tool for those who have been displaced as they rebuild their lives. It can help them find work and earn a stable income, stay in touch with loved ones, continue their education, start their own businesses, connect with their new communities, and improve their mental health.

Goodwill Caravan has first rate facilities at our headquarters in ‘Sallam Centre’ in central Athens to support a variety of Educational & Vocational programmes, including IT training courses. We are currently seeking to secure funding and build partnerships to help us resume our educational and vocational training activities. Please consider making a donation today. Thank you