PEOPLE with mental health issues are being given the opportunity to improve their employment prospects by creating a digital portfolio.

Teesside University’s DigitalCity has been working with Redcar and Cleveland Mind to deliver the Hotspot for Jobs project to help people with online job-hunting.

Steve Thompson, social entrepreneur in residence at DigitalCity, said: “We are helping people to gain digital skills and providing a supportive ‘club’ type environment in which to do it.

“Every person taking part is being helped to build a brand new digital footprint that includes LinkedIn and other social media accounts.”

Tom Plumb, 58, of Saltburn, who took part in the Hotspot for Jobs project, said: “I learnt a lot of things on the course about how to use a computer and how to use it to help find jobs.

“It was hard work but I was pleased to take the course and it’s given me a better understanding of what employers are looking for.”

Nick Murray, of Redcar and Cleveland Mind, said: “Our clients really enjoyed the programme and we got some good feedback from Jobcentre Plus.

“It is important people have this online identity because employers use digital to recruit, starting with an online application form and going right through to looking at people’s online identity via Google.”