1 year, 9 months ago

Digital divide: Why it’s so hard to apply for a job while homeless—and what would make it better.

Vivien sat in the women’s day room at the Central Arizona Shelter Services, or CASS, Phoenix’s largest homeless shelter. Most homeless shelter clients do have a smartphone, but many don’t have access to the tools that actually make that phone “smart,” like unlimited minutes and data plans. Even in situations with secure and reliable Wi-Fi, emergency homeless shelters frequently lack the private spaces needed to research and apply for work or conduct job interviews. In addition to physical infrastructure, digital navigators—trained support staff who understand trauma and its impact, and who can coach users to navigate sometimes-complex online tasks like job applications—can provide a lifeline to help shelter clients with digital services.

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Job Access Digital Online Homeless Phoenix Private Shelter Cass Clients Job Seekers Vivien Shelter Clients

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