Tackling the Digital Divide

We’re working with a host of charity and corporate partners to help organisations in our network tackle lack of access to digital products and connectivity, and achieve greater digital inclusion.  11 million people in the UK (21%) lack the digital skills needed for everyday life. 

In our Network survey in January, 37% of organisations told us they offer support with digital access/inclusion and an additional 23% would like to in future. 1 in 4 told us they need a more regular supply of technology products. 

 Here’s a round-up of a few ways we and our partners are responding to this need: 

Refurbished laptops 

We’re really proud to be partnering with Global Resale, a technology recycling company, to bring our charitable network excellent quality and affordable refurbished laptops, whilst reducing the environmental impact of sending tech to landfill.  Organisations in our network are accessing them to help run their own activities, and give/loan out to end-users.   

Huge thanks to the 23 organisations in our Insights Panel who fed into our planning.  

Tech4Schools 

We’ve been working with Amazon, digital education charity, the Learning Foundation and education charity Teach First on a new pilot scheme, Tech4Schools.  This has been providing schools serving disadvantaged communities with new devices, digital skills training and tech support.  

We aim to support 600 schoolchildren in this pilot, and to roll out more widely in the future.   

Data access 

We distribute pre-loaded Sim Cards through our catalogue to reach people who can’t afford to get online. Our friends at the National Databank provide free mobile data, texts and calls to people in need via Good Things Foundation’s National Digital Inclusion Network. 

Being a Digital Ambassador 

Charlotte, our Partnerships and Impact Director is an an Ambassador for the Digital Poverty Alliance  to raise awareness of our shared goal to end Digital Poverty by 2030. Charlotte has joined two panel discussions on affordable and sustainable digital inclusion. This gives us the opportunity to amplify the local knowledge from our network and the needs of their communities at a national level.