Thanks to a grant from the WCIT Charity, Dallaglio RugbyWorks delivered over 100 digital skills sessions across six Pupil Referral Units in 2025, helping 72 young people to understand and better navigate the online world. Over the course of 38 weeks, participants gained practical skills in Microsoft Office, AI tools, online safety and creative platforms such as Canva. Many of the young people also managed to earn AQA accreditations, which was often their first qualification since leaving mainstream education.
The programme went beyond building skills, it importantly built belief. With nearly all participants experiencing exclusion and low confidence, and typically having limited access to tech, they were supported through tailored sessions, one‑to‑one mentoring and RugbyWorks’ own innovative Player Profiles app to strengthen their employability and learn to use tech for good. For one participant, this led to enrolling in a Level 2 IT course and for another, they overcame a significant emotional hurdle, having previously only known the online world as a place of bullying and algorithm-driven negativity. That young person has now learnt how to cultivate a positive online space and connect with digital communities that fuel his passion of becoming a baker.
