Swansea Mosque is the largest of its kind in Wales. Open 7-days a week, it’s far from being just a place of worship; but a community hub that acts as a welcome space for people from all walks of life.
Located in a diverse community, the mosque serves as a central point for people to come together and receive much needed online support.
Thanks to the social value offering from Virgin Media O2 as part of the Dark Fibre East project, Swansea Mosque is one of eight community hubs in the Swansea area that has received a free, 5-year fibre broadband connection. Helping to bridge the digital divide and ensure that members of the local community, including some of the most vulnerable have access to reliable internet connectivity.
The mosque’s reception area now serves as a community space for digital inclusion. To make access as simple as possible, a QR code is displayed at reception, allowing anyone to connect instantly without needing a password.
People are able to access a wide range of support services such as food banks and baby banks. Young people attending Arabic classes, can use digital resources to support their studies. Many elderly members of the community are using the improved broadband to stay in touch with relatives.
With the new fibre broadband in place, Swansea Mosque is now developing a digital vision to further expand its community offering.
The mosque plans to transform its existing library into a digital hub, providing free access to computers, equipment, and online resources. This space will enable community members to write CVs, search for jobs, and complete online forms, helping them to develop essential digital skills and access new opportunities.
In addition, Swansea Mosque aims to employ dedicated staff who can work closely with elderly individuals and members of the community who lack digital skills, supporting them to build confidence and familiarity with digital technology. Hasan Miah, Vice-Chair of the Mosque Trustees said:
Our aim is to help as many people in the community who can’t access online services as possible. Having the fibre broadband gifted to us for the next 5-years has given us the opportunity to enhance our community services and plan bigger and better offerings, that we simply couldn’t consider previously. Our goal is to take our digital services to the next level. By developing a community digital hub, we can help more people overcome barriers to online access and ensure that everyone benefits from the opportunities the internet provides.Hasan Miah, Swansea Mosque
With this continued support, Swansea Mosque hopes to make its digital services a vital tool for reducing digital exclusion and empowering the community for years to come.
