Key Points
- Migrant women from countries with low digital literacy face challenges while accessing government services online in Australia
- UN data states 37 per cent women don't use internet across the world, leading to gender digital divide
- Digital literacy courses are offered by agencies funded by federal and state governments in Australia
While using the computer and smartphone these days may be second nature to a large number of people, it certainly could be a big challenge for those who are not technologically savvy.
There’s even a modern-day term for this skill: digital literacy.
The elderly, especially from migrant backgrounds, and women amongst them in particular, form a large part of the digitally illiterate cohort.
To highlight the importance of digital literacy in achieving gender equality this International Women’s Day, the UN has chosen the theme, DigitaLL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality.
Members of Turkish art and cultural community group, The Rainbow, working together on their new digital sales platform. Credit: ACTA/Facebook
As part of the federal government’s Adult Migrant English Program, a Digital Literacy for Women course is run by Navitas Skilled Futures in collaboration with Settlement Services International in Sydney.
In addition to this, several community organisations in Australia also work closely with migrants and refugees arriving from countries with low digital literacy.
Their focus on imparting digital literacy to women has been increasing as this helps them navigate daily life in Australia where most socio-economic transactions have gone digital.
It’s like a modern-day version of illiteracy.Ayse Koksuz
Talking about the fallouts of being digitally challenged, the 69-year-old Ayse Koksuz, who heads the Northern Turkish Women’s Association based in Melbourne’s north, counts the numerous benefits of learning how to use a computer at a senior age.
In 2022, she attended a digital literacy workshop organised by the Melbourne-based Alevi Community Council of Australia (ACCA), another Turkish community group.
The aim of the project was to support digital literacy and refresh the skills of migrants living in Australia.
At the time when Ms Koksuz attended this workshop, around 100 others from her community joined in.
“Today, those who do not know how to use computers, are unable to make even the simplest applications themselves because from banking to government – everything is done online now,” she tells SBS Turkish.
Ms Koksuz, who migrated to Australia from Turkey, now helps the members of her community group with their digital transactions such as work related to Centrelink.
Nilgun Olcayoz, leader of the Australian Turkish Cultural Association (ATCA) art and culture group, The Rainbow, in Melbourne's Richmond, was one of the attendees of the ACCA Digital Literacy Workshop.
Ms Olcayoz believes women of Turkish origin over the age of 60 are not interested in acquiring digital literacy, which she believes is fed by a fear of the unknown.
However, she also adds that the benefits of the course were immediate.
The Rainbow has been organising Turkish handicraft exhibitions for the past 12 years in Melbourne.
“Many people, including the mayor, have attended our exhibitions.
In the digital literacy workshop, we realised that we could sell our handicraft such as jewellery and paintings on digital platforms and reach a much bigger market.Nilgun Olcayoz
“We will be able to ensure the survival of our association with the income we get from these sales. We haven’t completed the association’s online shop yet, but at least, we have started working on it,” says Ms Olcayoz.
Sultan Cinar, the project coordinator of the ACCA digital literacy workshop, says the need for training mature women emerged on the internet and the opportunities it provides emerged during the pandemic.
During the pandemic, many people in the Turkish-speaking community were left alone because of the twin barriers of language and digital literacy.Sultan Cinar
“They couldn’t access the information published by government agencies on COVID-19. Moreover, they also lost access to their friends and felt really isolated,” Ms Cinar tells SBS Turkish.
She said the consequences of social isolation without any relief through connections over the internet led to serious mental health issues among some community members.
ACCA immediately organised coffee time meetings via Zoom after realising the need.
“At these meetings, we didn’t just talk about the ways to protect ourselves from the virus, we also tried to overcome our loneliness.
Project Coordinator of ACCA Digital Literacy Workshop, Sultan Cinar. Credit: Seda Ercan
We know the digital divide contributes to social inequality.
“That’s why we organised our Digital Literacy Workshops as soon as pandemic lockdowns ended using the resources we had received from the Victorian government,” Ms Cinar said.
Until recently, the 42-year-old Maha Alshamas was one of these women with no internet connection.
Ms Alshamas had been living in Dohuk, Iraq before fleeing the violence there in 2018.
To escape the war, she first fled to Jordan. Then she arrived in Australia as a refugee with her three daughters, aged seven to 16, in December 2021.
Ms Alshamas now attends the second level of the Navitas Skills Futures Digital Literacy for Women course in Sydney and assists the teacher with training the new students starting the course.
It’s a great freedom.Maha Alshamas
“Even though I hadn’t used a computer before, I now receive emails from my children’s school. Most importantly, I can manage my own work, even though on simple matters, without anyone’s help,” she tells SBS Turkish.
This course provides training in using technology like common apps and services, while improving the participants’ English and socialisation skills.
Basim Shamaon, who works at Navitas Skilled Futures as a Stakeholder Engagement manager, says this course directly addresses the growing need for digital literacy, especially among the culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) community.
“Service providers and government agencies are all moving online and encouraging people to access their services this way.
Saedah Al-Zuhairi (L) and Maha Alshamas attending the Navitas Skills Future Digital Literacy for Women Program. Credit: Navitas Skills Future
Saedah Al-Zuhairi (50) came to Australia a year ago from Iraq with her husband and two children aged 14 and 15.
This course is a life changer.Saedah Al-Zuhairi
“I had never used digital devices. I’ve never worked as well. In Iraqi culture, women look after the family. But my dream is to start working at an office in three years’ time,” Ms Al-Zuhairi tells SBS Turkish.
She adds she was surprised by the amount of information she could absorb in just a year. She also says she “enjoys learning a lot”.
“I am very excited to learn new information, but my teacher warns me, 'do not rush, you will progress step by step',” Ms Al-Zuhairi says about the digital literacy course that has given a new purpose to her life.
DISCLAIMER
SBS Turkish producer Seda Ercan participated in the ACCA Digital Literacy Workshop in late 2022 as a community worker.
