COMMUNITY support groups on social media are springing up across Scotland to help vulnerable and isolated people survive the coronavirus crisis.

They are evidence the spread of the epidemic is forcing people to use the Internet the way it was originally intended – to connect with each other, share resources and information, and collectively create solutions to problems in the global community.

That’s the view of Gordon Ross, innovation strategist at Heriot-Watt University’s Global Research, Innovation and Discovery (GRID) facility. He believes people can go even further in harnessing technology to help those in danger of being seriously isolated.

“Social media and the Internet, like most new tools, have taken a while to show their true strengths and become a mature part of our culture,” he said. “Events at present force us to reflect, to be mindful and to use the new tools in different ways. Fire was dangerous to humans until we learnt how to harness it.

“I think with social media initially, we burnt our fingers as we poked around at it, but now like a warm fire, we can start to feel the warmth of the community it enables.

“Over the past few days, its role has exponentially expanded with everything from PE lessons to church services being shared globally. More and more, we are consuming news through social media and in the current situation it’s helping to spread the word, reassure, communicate advice and inform.

“As with all tools that allow unregulated content, there are challenges but over the coming weeks social media and the internet will be lifelines for communities, connecting individuals even more tightly than before.”

It is important, he says, that younger generations help breach the digital divide by sharing their knowledge and expertise with those who have been left behind by technological

advances.

“We have to realise that the use of technology is different across the age groups,” he said. “There’s an impetus in this particular scenario for the younger generations to engage with the older generations who are just not used to this pattern of communication. We have got to share our knowledge and make sure they have the tools.”

Using Skype and webcams, families can have Sunday lunch “together” or share other communal activities that older people are used to, he suggests.

“It is up to the younger generation to figure out how to get gran involved in Sunday lunch. Our job is to use technology to replicate patterns they are already familiar with.”

Programmes such as WhatsApp are also useful as it means members of a family can instantly get in touch with each other no matter where they are.

Groups don’t have to be linked by blood ties as people living in the same area can get together on Facebook to make sure vulnerable people are looked after.

This is already happening in Scotland with thousands of people linking up online.

One example is Coronavirus Support in Perthshire, which was set up just one week ago and already has thousands of members.

“It has kind of just captured lots of people willing to help,” said Adele Frampton, who set it up with her mother Kelley Jane Whiteside. “It has got everyone pulling together. It is the little things you need if you are stuck indoors for four months or something.

“There are so many people offering to give things – from themselves and their own families as well. It is quite nice, especially with everything that’s going on.”

Hundreds of people have also joined the Dundee Covid-19 Mutual Aid Group, which was set up by student Georgia Granger so that those forced to self-isolate could ask for help from others in the city.

“I think it is important to try and encourage people to build a community rather than everybody being scared,” she said. “It is really important people have a place where it is really easy to find offers of help if they need it.”

A Kirriemuir Community Help and Support Facebook page has also been set up to link volunteers with people in need of help and in Ayrshire there is a Troon, Loans and Dundonald Covid-19 Support Group set up by Joanne Redford. “Due to current food, toilet roll, hand sanitiser and baby milk powder shortages in supermarkets, I’ve set up this support group to create a network of help for the elderly and/or people who are struggling,” she said. “Support one another and continue to spread kindness.”

The community aspect of the internet is nothing new to the one billion video gamers across the globe who are often mocked for their “geeky” interest.

“It’s often seen as anti-social but in fact it’s been a very social business since the days of the video game arcade,” said Ross.

“Video games bring people together and they can be educational as well as fun. Humans have always played games – we just need to shift our thinking a little bit.”

Ross’s own university, Heriot-Watt, was also quick to utilise the community aspect of the Internet, using it to link with academics worldwide as well as their online students.

“We have thousands of online students and our goal has always been that they feel part of the community whether they are on the campus or not. Linking up online helps us with our research and has social, economic and ecological benefits.

“Heriot-Watt has been practising this idea of a connected community online for a long time. We were already very well geared up for virtual learning and teaching because of our philosophy and we are happy to share ideas to help other organisations take full advantage of digital mediums during the current crisis.”