Look out for your neighbours

I learned this morning of the deaths of two local people who were discovered at home by their neighbours last week. Both were older, and both lived alone.

Voluntary organisations have been doing a sterling job during the pandemic, maintaining contact with some of the most vulnerable members of the community and making sure they have food and other essentials and are able to stay warm.

Community organisations can only reach out to those people they know about, however; their members or client group. There may be many more vulnerable people out there who are not active in local groups, some of whom have no family support. Suffering quietly. Alone.

What can we do to help?

AGE CONCERN offers the following advice:

Saying hello seems like such a small thing. But 1.9 million older people often feel ignored or invisible. A smile and a wave could make a huge difference to those people.

We all feel awkward sometimes, so it’s totally understandable that you might not want to stop and have a conversation. Never underestimate the power of a quick ‘good morning’ though.

How else can I support an older neighbour?

It’s easy to forget that older people sometimes just want someone to pass the time of day with.

Even a small act can make a big difference. Knock on your neighbour’s door and ask them if they need anything. You could:

  • invite them round for a cup of tea and a slice of cake
  • drive them to a medical appointment
  • pick up some shopping for them
  • ask if they have anything that needs taking to the tip
  • offer to sweep up leaves or salt an icy front step
  • offer a mince pie and mulled wine at Christmas.

A word of caution

Do make sure you’ve introduced yourself properly first, telling them who you are and where you live.

Not everyone wants to be friendly with their neighbours, so try to judge the mood when you first approach them.

Once you’ve got that good rapport with your neighbour, it’ll be much easier to do something nice for them.

SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT HELPLINE

The Scottish Government has set up a helpline for vulnerable or isolated people who do not have family or community support but need assistance.

If you, or someone you know, needs help call the Scottish Government helpline on 0800 111 4000. The helpline is open from 9am-5pm.

LOCAL COMMUNITY HELPLINE

A coalition of North Edinburgh voluntary sector organisations has set up a community helpline for local people.

Advice and support is available on 0131 356 0220 from 9 – 4pm Monday – Thursday and from 9 – 3pm on Fridays.

Councillors to debate new parking controls proposed for Leith, Gorgie and Shandon

The next steps will be taken toward introducing new Controlled Parking Zones (CPZs) to help alleviate parking pressures around Edinburgh, if approved by councillors this week.

On Thursday (28 January), Transport and Environment Committee will consider the results of an informal consultation on proposals for new controls in Leith, Gorgie and Shandon, as well as details on the operation of measures. Designs for parking controls have been amended following consultation and, if approved, we’ll commence the legal processes for introducing them.

This is the first of four phases of implementation of parking controls around the city, developed as part of the Strategic Parking Review, which was originally approved in 2018. The review has taken a holistic approach to parking pressures across Edinburgh, assessing the city on a street by street basis.

This has led to the identification of areas where parking controls may be required to resolve challenges facing residents, in particular from non-residential parking.

The report also updates on timescales for phase two (Roseburn, Corstorphine, Willowbrae and Saughton), phase three (Southside and Fettes) and phase four (Newhaven, Trinity, South Morningside, Portobello, Stenhouse and Saughton), which have been impacted by COVID-19.

Transport Convener Councillor Lesley Macinnes said: “This review responds to the concerns of residents across the city, many of whom have told us that they want to see controls introduced to help limit the impact of non-residential parking.

Thanks to an in-depth, citywide analysis we have been able to identify the areas most in need of restrictions. Of course, the way we travel has changed immeasurably over the last year, but the introduction of new CPZs will be extremely beneficial to managing parking pressures when we eventually return to some sense of normality.

Not only do these controls help residents to park near their homes, but they can encourage those travelling into and around the city to consider alternative, sustainable modes of transport.”

The city council began the Strategic Parking Review in 2018 in response to comments from residents, community councils and ward councillors across the city, which demonstrated increasing support for new parking controls to limit non-residential parking.

An in-depth review split the city into five areas, further subdivided into 124 investigation areas, helping to generate heat maps for each location showing relative parking pressures by street. As a result, a series of new parking controls were approved in 2019, to be implemented in four phases.

On Thursday, committee members will also be asked to agree proposals to commence the legal process for introducing limited parking controls in Sighthill Industrial Estate to help manage parking demand there, as well as restrictions on the availability of permits for new or redeveloped properties.

The report details an approach to consultation for future phases in light of COVID restrictions, with virtual drop-in sessions, detailed plans online and opportunities to feed back on proposals via websites, interactive plans and questionnaires.

Consultation on phase two of the Strategic Parking Review is expected to begin in February.

Read the full report, Strategic Review of Parking – Results of Phase 1 Consultation and General Update, on the Council website.

You can watch Transport and Environment Committee live via webcast from 10am on Thursday (28 January 2021).

Outfoxing the opposition: upstart supplier triumphs in Which?’s annual energy survey

Outfox the Market has knocked Octopus Energy off the top spot in Which?’s annual energy satisfaction survey, while the traditional industry giants languish at the bottom of the rankings yet again.

In a year when millions of people have been living under lockdown and racking up substantial gas and electricity bills, finding a good-value energy supplier that offers excellent customer service has never been more important.

The consumer champion surveyed more than 8,000 people in September 2020 about their experiences with their energy provider across a range of categories including bill accuracy, customer service, complaints handling and value for money.

Outfox the Market, which was founded in 2017, finished at the top of the table, rising from 19th position last year.

The small energy provider frequently offers some of the cheapest deals on the market and received an impressive customer score of 82 per cent, with five-star ratings for billing accuracy and value for money.

It had the highest proportion of customers (93%) that experienced no issues in the last 12 months, but was not named a Which? Recommended Provider as it did not provide enough information on its procedures and was ordered to make its payment into Ofgem’s feed-in tariff scheme.

Following two years at the top, Octopus Energy was second in this year’s satisfaction survey but still achieved an impressive 80 per cent customer score. It is now one of the UK’s largest energy providers, supplying 1.5 million homes, however this rapid growth has not stopped it from keeping customers happy.

Octopus Energy achieved a five-star rating for bill accuracy and four stars for bill clarity, customer service, complaints handling and value for money. For the fourth year in a row, Octopus Energy was also named a Which? Recommended Provider (WRP), along with digital-only challenger Pure Planet for the second year in a row.

Along with excellent customer scores, energy firms must meet additional criteria including no regulatory intervention, with good procedures and performance when it comes to complaints and customer waiting times, to be named a WRP.

Avro Energy rounds off the top three firms, with a respectable 76 per cent customer score. The challenger firm finished in 16th place last year but has made improvements and almost nine in 10 (89%) of its customers said they’ve had no issues in the past 12 months. It received a five-star rating for bill accuracy and four-stars for all other categories including customer service and value for money.

Also among the top energy companies were People’s Energy, Pure Planet, So Energy and Utility Warehouse – and all four impressed customers when it came to billing accuracy and clarity.

The rise of challenger energy companies and major acquisitions has meant the end of the traditional “Big Six” energy companies, but the former giants, excluding SSE (owned by Ovo), still account for more than half of the energy market and continue to score below average in Which?’s satisfaction survey.

These traditional big firms (British Gas, EDF Energy, Eon, Npower and Scottish Power), plus SSE, make up six of the bottom eight energy firms.

Npower was the lowest-ranked energy provider with a customer score of just 54 per cent. While it received three stars for bill accuracy and customer service, customer feedback meant it got two stars for bill clarity and complaints handling and a dismal one-star rating for value for money.

Scottish Power finished second from bottom with a customer score of 55 per cent. It also received a one-star rating for value for money, and just two stars for bill clarity, customer service and complaints handling.

Eon finished third from the bottom, tied with SSE, receiving a customer score of 60 per cent. While it received four stars for bill accuracy and three-stars for customer service, it managed just two stars for value for money.

SSE, which is owned by Ovo, received three stars across most categories but also performed badly when it came to value for money and achieved just one star in this category.

Natalie Hitchins, Head of Home Products and Services at Which?, said: “Year after year, challenger and small energy companies outperform the traditional providers in our satisfaction survey – delivering better customer service and offering excellent value for money.

“There are impressive energy companies, from small firms such as Outfox the Market to rapidly expanding companies like Octopus Energy, so customers do not have to put up with substandard service from any provider.

“Anyone unhappy with their provider should do their research and consider switching to one that can offer a better experience overall – you could save more than £150 a year.”

Over 1 million callers have taken some ‘breathing space’ since national helpline began

OVER 1 MILLION calls have now been handled by Breathing Space, Scotland’s mental health phone service, since it began in 2002.

The milestone is being marked on this year’s National Breathing Space Day, the annual awareness date, which takes place on 1st February.

With over 9,000 calls to Breathing Space each month the service continues to grow and evolve with the introduction of a new pilot webchat service now offering online support.

Tony McLaren, Breathing Space National Coordinator, said:  “Our Advisors work hard to ensure that every caller receives a caring and compassionate response. Sometimes, just being listened to can make all the difference to how someone is feeling.

“This last year has been particularly challenging, and anyone can find themselves in a position where they might need help with their mental health.

“Breathing Space Day encourages people in Scotland to take some time out for activities which improve mental wellbeing, such as enjoying nature, exercising or maintaining connections with others.”

The event also highlights the range of support available from the Breathing Space helpline and webchat service, which provides free, confidential, listening and advice for anyone who is experiencing low mood, anxiety or distress in their lives.

Mental Health Minister Clare Haughey said: “Looking after our mental health and wellbeing is just as important as looking after our physical health. That message is especially relevant at the moment, given the current restrictions in place to protect us from the COVID-19 virus.

 “Breathing Space continue to do vital work to support people across Scotland who are feeling low, stressed or anxious. That’s why last Spring we provided an additional £500,000 to help expand their capacity to offer compassionate support to many more people.

“Today’s milestone of handling over one million calls is a remarkable achievement – I would urge anyone who is experiencing low mood, anxiety or distress in their lives to get in touch with the service through the helpline or by looking at the range of helpful advice on the Breathing Space website.

“I also echo Breathing Space’s call to encourage people to take time out to do something they enjoy, within the restrictions – such as keeping in contact with friends and family, and taking some daily physical activity where possible.”

Callers contact Breathing Space for a wide range of reasons, including relationship issues, stress, anxiety and suicidal thoughts. However, over the last year the service has seen an increase in issues such as bereavement, work and money worries, and loneliness.

Breathing Space’s trained advisors ensure that each call is treated with patience and respect, knowing that it can often be the first time that a caller has contacted the service or talked about a problem.

Sometimes, when people call they’re not sure why they’re phoning or find it difficult to speak. This is where the experience of the Advisors can help, giving callers the space to think and talk when they are ready.

The message from Breathing Space is that it’s important to support your mental health through activities such as exercise and relaxation, particularly during these times of heightened stress and anxiety.

And if you’re worried or feeling down, please get in touch for some ‘breathing space’.

Breathing Space is available in the evenings (6pm to 2am weekdays) and 24 hours at the weekend (Fri 6pm to Mon 6am) on 0800 83 85 87. The web chat service can be accessed from www.breathingspace.scot.

Gie’s a hand … on Burns Night

Here’s a hand, my trusty fiere and gie’s a hand o’ thine …

What would Rabbie Burns have made of our digital age? He would probably have loved it. He was a philosopher and a rebel and as a man of humble origins living during the Enlightenment, he would surely have dived right in.

So as we celebrate the birth of our national poet let’s celebrate our digital age as well. We’d like to ask you to “gie’s a hand” in our digital appeal.

DIGITAL RESOURCES APPEAL

Home learning can be an issue for those who do not have access to technology, especially during the unprecedented times we are all living through.

Can you help make significant change in your community?

If you have a laptop, mobile, tablet or any other device that could help us in our mission to help people, we would love to hear from you!

Many local schools are struggling to support families with home learning and children within our community are the future and our hope. They are our next generation of essential workers: doctors, teachers, politicians, engineers, and retail workers.

Victoria Primary School would be grateful for at least ten additional devices to help tackle these issues and to make sure those in disadvantaged situations are not punished long-term for a situation that is not their fault.

We will arrange safe collection of devices and have them cleaned and refurbished if necessary. After which, the school will distribute accordingly.

As you will understand, due to the current situation, we need to act as soon as possible.

If you can assist, we wholeheartedly appreciate any help you can provide at this time.

So “gies’ a hand”, and as you celebrate Rabbie Burns’ birthday, remember to play and watch our online Heart of Newhaven choir sing Auld Lang Syne.

https://youtu.be/yO6XITf5-kk
DIGITAL RESOURCES APPEAL

Winning SMEs to take the stage at Scotland’s national innovation summit

  • Three of Scotland’s most innovative SMEs secure a global audience at the CAN DO Innovation Summit with #SMEstage competition win
  • Further details of the Summit released

With Scotland’s CAN DO Innovation Summit fast-approaching, the winners of its #SME stage competition are today unveiled, as further details of the programme for the virtual event on 3 February are announced.

The three winners of the competition, open to all small and medium sized Scottish businesses, were chosen from high-quality entrants who were asked to submit a short video demonstrating how they are building innovation into their daily practices.

The winners are rising stars from across Scotland – Edinburgh-based Scene Connect, Aberdeen-based Recycl8 and Edinburgh-based Space Intelligence. Getting a spot on the Summit’s SME stage gives the businesses exposure to a global online audience of over 800 investors, academics, entrepreneurs and innovators. 

The winners will also benefit from two days of support from an Innovation Specialist at Scottish Enterprise.

This year’s CAN DO Innovation Summit, a headline event of the VentureFest Scotland festival of innovation, has been carefully crafted to support Scottish SMEs to build innovation-led recovery, resilience and sustainable growth after recent national and global challenges. 

It will feature a speaker line-up of over 40 multi-sector SMEs and a range of innovation support agencies across 12 industry-led panel sessions. 

Panel discussions and live Q&A sessions will run throughout the day covering the following themes: Journey to a Sustainable Future; Recovery & Resilience; Workplace Culture; Advance manufacturing & Digitisation; MedTech/Health Innovation.

Speaker highlights on the day will include world class keynotes: Lolita Jackson, Special Advisor for Climate Policy and Programs in New York City’s Mayor’s Office; Ivan McKee, the Scottish Minister for Trade, Investment and Innovation; Craig Foster, Art Director at Pixar Animation Studios; Chloe Demrovsky, the youngest and first female chief executive to oversee and expand the Disaster Recovery Institute’s international network; Dyan Finkhousen, founder and CEO of Shoshin Works in the US and John Reid, CEO of the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS).

It has never been more important for business to be agile and creative – and over 800 delegates have already signed up to this year’s event, from Scotland, the UK and beyond.

They have given a range of reasons for getting involved, including aiming to make new connections; wanting to learn about progressive workplace practices and hoping to learn how new technologies can help them tackle business challenges. 

Enabling connections is a key objective of the Summit, at a time when networking can be difficult in a virtual world. With multiple opportunities to connect with new people, share knowledge and ideas and explore opportunities for partnership, the Summit makes it easier than ever to spark new connections online.

Delegates can meet innovation leaders, support agencies, investors, entrepreneurs and academics through live Q&As, speed networking, 1:1s in the Delegate Hub, drop-in sessions and the Summit’s virtual Support Village.

Dr Laura Bell of the CAN DO Innovation Summit, said: “Recent events have created huge challenges for SMEs, who will now be critical to tackling the economic and societal challenges we are facing. This year’s Summit has been carefully crafted to help SMEs explore opportunities to develop new and better business models and to drive sustainable competitive advantage. 

“Our virtual focal point for business will help SMEs adopt new technologies, build progressive working cultures and access the right support for innovation-led recovery and growth. We have a wide selection of world-leading experts and local talent lined up to speak at the event, as well as interactive sessions which can benefit SMEs across all sectors.

“I’d also like to thank our panel of judges for selecting three excellent winners to take their well-earned place in the spotlight at the Summit on the #SMEstage. We look forward to welcoming many more SMEs on 3 February.”

The #SMEstage competition winners were selected by an independent panel of judges made up of senior representatives from Scottish EDGE, Innovate UK and Scottish Enterprise.

The winners will have their moment in the spotlight at the Summit at 3.45pm when they will showcase how they are building innovation into their daily practices.

Evelyn McDonald said: “Judging the #SMEstage competition was a great way to start the year as it reminded us all that despite the challenges we are currently facing there are a wealth of entrepreneurs and businesses in Scotland creating new technologies to enable innovation led recovery and growth. 

“Winning the competition will give the businesses access to a wide audience which will hopefully bring useful connections and support as well as linking them into invaluable support from Scottish Enterprise.”

This is the second Summit, following a successful inaugural event in Glasgow, and is the first time it has been held virtually.

For more information on the event please visit: www.candoinnovation.scot

Delegates can register for free here: https://www.registerforevent.co.uk/candoinnovationsummit/

Home learning bolstered by interactive food and farming resource

With home schooling on the agenda for at least the next few weeks, a new digital tool from Quality Meat Scotland’s (QMS) Health & Education team, Farming Foodsteps, is offering a different way to engage in the sciences, home economics, maths and geography.

The free interactive resource is aimed at secondary school children and supports teachers and pupils in subjects across the curriculum through the story of red meat production, from field to plate.

As well as introducing the red meat journey and livestock farming, Farming Foodsteps also covers important messages around sustainability, the environment, food safety, careers and the role of red meat in a healthy diet. The preparation and cooking of red meat is also included.

Jennifer Robertson, Health & Education Manager at Quality Meat Scotland, who has school-age children herself, said: “Educators as well as the agricultural industry are keen to ensure that food and farming retains a significant place in the curriculum.

“Not only is it a key player in Scotland’s culture, but it can be easily integrated into subjects across the curriculum from literacy and geography to science, cooking and maths.

“It is also demonstrating to young people the many skills needed in modern agriculture, including technology, statistical analysis and environmental management in addition to the more traditional practices young people often associate with farming.”

Farming Foodsteps has been developed in line with the national curriculum and focuses on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths), a key priority of the Scottish Government and Education Scotland.

It sits on an easy-to-use interactive platform online, with five main lessons full of colourful presentations, interactive games and tools, editable worksheets, and quizzes ideal for the home learning environment.

The nature of Farming Foodsteps is that it can be taught digitally, and it can be intuitively worked through by a pupil who has access to a laptop, tablet or phone, without support from an adult.

The “Glorious Grass” activity found in Lesson 2 – To Field, is a real maths challenge bringing to life the science of grass and its importance to Scottish farming. The unique Scottish difference is also peppered throughout the resource.

Another science-based activity found in Lesson 5 – To Fork, focuses on the Maillard reaction that occurs when cooking red meat, often called the browning reaction, but could be called the flavour reaction too.

The resource has been devised by working parents who appreciate the struggle to balance work with schooling, and has been sense checked by children who have tested the resource and its accessibility at home.

Ms Robertson concluded: “Learning has definitely changed over the last few months, and we would love to see Farming Foodsteps bolster home learning for families across Scotland. We are asking families to share their experiences on our social pages, and we are here to support anyone who needs help getting to grips with it.

“Farming Foodsteps is all about interactive fun while delivering some important messages, and it is another step towards equipping a new generation with the STEM skills, knowledge and capability needed to thrive in the changing world around us.”

QMS’ Scotch Kitchen in Schools will be featuring a suite of recipe videos on Twitter (@scotchkitchensc) that can easily be created at home, whilst supporting learning in the Home Economics and Hospitality set curriculum.

You can find Farming Foodsteps at: 

education.qmscotland.co.uk/farmingfoodsteps and on Twitter @scotchkitchensc.

JVT: Hardship, but also hope

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Jonathan Van-Tam highlights the importance of continuing to follow the guidance, even after receiving a COVID-19 vaccination

Next Saturday will mark the first anniversary of the World Health Organization’s declaration of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern and next Sunday will be one year on from the first case of COVID-19 detected in the UK. It has been a terrible year as the virus has spread across the world causing misery, hardship, death and severely disrupting all of our lives.

The silver lining has been the incredible work of scientists and healthcare professionals across the world. If you had told me 12 months ago, that the UK would have discovered, in dexamethasone, the first treatment proven to reduce COVID-19 deaths, and vaccinated over 5 million people by this point, I would have been astonished. But that is the place in which we find ourselves. Hardship, but also hope.

Many people have played an important role in getting vaccines in arms, including the teams of researchers behind the development of the vaccines, the volunteers who took part in clinical trials, the Vaccines Taskforce who ensured we had supply of vaccine and the NHS staff and volunteers who are now working hard to administer them to people quickly and safely.

Their work has been incredible and we should rightly celebrate this.

Vaccines do offer the way out of the pandemic and a return to life as we knew it – having a pint before watching your local football team, multigenerational family gatherings and big weddings. These really will return! But to make that happen as quickly as possible we need to bring the number of cases down as soon as we can whilst we vaccinate our most vulnerable. To do that there are some important scientific points I want to highlight:

No vaccine has ever been 100% effective so no-one will have 100% protection from the virus. The way to reduce everyone’s risk is to break the chains of transmission and really push down the number of cases.

Vaccines work by tricking your body into thinking it has to fight the virus. It trains you for this fight by making antibodies and stimulating T-cells; then you are ready if you do come across the real thing. However, like any training, getting up to ‘match fitness’ takes time. Your body’s response, the immune response, is only fully trained up around 2 or 3 weeks after you have each of your 2 jabs. If you are older it’s better to allow at least 3 weeks. You can still get COVID in this time.

Even better and longer lasting protection then comes from the second dose so it is really important that everyone gets the second jab.

Really importantly we do not yet know the impact of the vaccine on transmission of the virus. So even after you have had both doses of the vaccine you may still give COVID to someone else and the chains of transmission will then continue. If you change your behaviour you could still be spreading the virus, keeping the number of cases high and putting others at risk who also need their vaccine but are further down the queue.

We still have a very high number of hospitalisations and deaths. A quarter of hospital admissions for COVID-19 are in people under the age of 55. Despite the speed of the rollout, these are people who will not have the vaccine for a while yet.

Some people are questioning the UK policy of trying to give as many at-risk people as possible the first dose of vaccine in the shortest possible time, inevitably extending the interval before the second dose is given.

But what none of these (who ask reasonable questions) will tell me is: who on the at-risk list should suffer slower access to their first dose so that someone else who’s already had one dose (and therefore most of the protection) can get a second? Everyone on the JCVI priority list is at risk from this nasty virus, and vaccines just can’t be produced at an unlimited rate.

It has been a very difficult year for us all and everyone, including me, is desperate to return to seeing the people we love. The vaccine has brought considerable hope and we are in the final furlough of the pandemic but for now, vaccinated or not, we still have to follow the guidance for a bit longer.

Three quarters of Scots say finding a job mentally challenging

  • Impact of restrictions and lockdowns has fuelled decreased motivation, confidence and morale among jobseekers
  • Average jobseeker in Scotland rejected from 15 different roles during pandemic
  • The nationwide survey was commissioned to launch BT Stand Out Skills, providing jobseekers of all ages with free tools and resources to help them build confidence and stand out in their job search: BT.com/StandOutSkills

With all parts of the UK starting 2021 in lockdown, a new study has revealed that an overwhelming majority of jobseekers have been negatively affected by their search for work over the past year, with more than three quarters (76%) surveyed in Scotland attributing a downturn in their mental wellbeing to their job search.

The research, commissioned by BT to launch Stand Out Skills, also showed that the average jobseeker in Scotland has unsuccessfully applied for 15 different roles over the past 12 months.

When asked how rejections and the job search had affected them specifically, 42 per cent of jobseekers in Scotland responded that they had experienced decreased motivation, while 41% highlighted lower self-esteem and morale and a further 43% a reduction in self-confidence. 

BT’s research also highlighted how this lack of confidence persists throughout the various stages of the job search. Just 25 per cent of those surveyed in Scotland are confident that their CV and covering letter will stand out when compared to fellow candidates, while even fewer (24%) believe in their ability to impress and leave a lasting impression in an interview.

This has led to jobseekers hiding details of their job search from their closest friends and family, with 39 per cent keeping job applications secret in case they are rejected and a further 46% being concerned about what family or friends will think of the rejection.

Added to the difficulties jobseekers already face, the research also went on to show that nearly half (41%) of those surveyed in Scotland admitted to struggling to find resources which could help them in their job search, including how to improve their CV and job interview technique.

As part of BT Skills for Tomorrow, which aims to help 10 million people in the UK make the most of life in the digital world, BT has launched Stand Out Skills. This initiative provides jobseekers of all ages with free and unmissable tips, resources and advice to support them in building their confidence and help them stand out in the job search.

BT has teamed up with experts and celebrities including Scottish comedian Iain Stirling, TV presenter Anita Rani and Drag Queen Divina De Campo to release free resources and advice across different stages of the job search – from where to start and showing your best self to standing out when applying and in interviews.

Hannah Cornick, Head of Digital Impact and Sustainability at BT, said: “The global pandemic has had far-reaching consequences for the job market, and it’s only natural that jobseekers’ confidence will have been affected.

“BT remains more committed than ever to its Skills for Tomorrow programme, and to ensuring that people have the skills they need to flourish in an increasingly digital world. This is why we have launched Stand Out Skills, to help those looking for work build their confidence by providing them with the necessary tools and resources they need to get ahead of the competition and stand out in their job search.”

BT Skills for Tomorrow is designed to help everyone – from school children and teachers, parents and families, businesses and jobseekers, to those lacking basic digital skills. Working in partnership with a range of the UK’s leading digital skills, enterprise and community organisations, BT has created and collated some of the best advice, information and support, in one easy to navigate place.

Comedian and Love Island narrator, Iain Stirling (pictured top) said: “As a stand-up comedian, I know it’s important to grab people’s attention right from the start, and the samegoes for your job application.

“Having an employer sit up and take note of your CV, cover letter and LinkedIn profile is the first step towards getting ahead of your competition. Words have the power to leave a lasting impact on an audience, so it’s important that you choose the right ones.

“That’s why I’m delighted to be involved in the BT Stand Out Skills campaign, to help people nail those job applications and present themselves in the best way on LinkedIn so that they can land their dream job.”

More on BT Skills for Tomorrow and Stand Out Skills can be found here: 

BT.com/StandOutSkills