Hi Jim
Good to hear from you. I had intended to get back to this forum previously in order to highlight the work undertaken by the IT4Work project which is part of the Adult Learning section at Dundee City. It is staffed by IT tutors and as the name suggests addresses the needs of participants specifically in relation to job-search. This also encompasses IT requirements for claiming benefits and fulfilling claimant commitments. As you may imagine many of the participants are over 45. This work is invaluable as it takes a lot of the stress out of that process which must be terrifying when you have no IT skills and your minimal income is dependent on you acquiring them. The tutors are really excellent and we (CLD Adult Learning Workers) work closely with them to facilitate life wide learning and personal development. More info at the link below.
This specific set of IT skills become an urgent learning need in order to fulfill claimant commitments and while it is not the ideal way of engaging with people, it does allow us to make contact with people we wouldn't otherwise. The great thing is that people then go on to use these skills in ways that are emancipatory and enriching in all the ways we know IT is. It certainly enables people to participate in local democracy e.g. Dundee Decides and loads of other things.
IT4Work is particularly good at engaging with unemployed people who are over 45 and I would strongly recommend contacting them, for more info, if this is what you aim to do.
Thank you for your kind words Jim. Hope to see you soon.