Digital access is the ability to fully participate in society. This includes access to tools and technologies, such as the Internet and computers, that allow for full participation.
The current Covid 19 crisis has created greater demand for connectivity. This project aims to help by match people who have spare machines, with those who require them.
We’re a group of volunteers with a background in refurbishing and distributing tech, digital inclusion, education and community development. We came together as conversations with people working directly with families across communities have revealed there is an immediate requirement to resolve the need for connectivity and devices.
We’re seeking machines to redistribute. Do you or your organisation have devices no longer in use? We are seeking machines which work, are safe and run a minimum of Windows 7. Ideally they should be under 5 years old.
If you’re interested and can help, we’d love to hear from you. We’re especially interested in support from any technicians (able to help wipe computers etc), and if you are an organisational whizz we need help with administration.
Also please help spread the word.
If you or somebody you know could use help accessing a machine, please let us know and if we hear of a reciprocal donator, we’ll be in touch.
What people are saying…
“Home schooling kids is challenging, without a laptop it’s almost impossible. I know this having two of my own at home during lockdown, and the thought of not having access to a laptop was incomprehensible. The poorest in society are being left behind, Digital Action West Yorkshire made it so easy for us to help those who needed our spare laptops the most.”
“I am really grateful and happy that that I was given a laptop because I can do my homework and also to do things I need to do. I found this very helpful and able to search online and I can find information online. I can’t thank school enough for giving me this amazing opportunity to have a laptop.”
“Since receiving our laptop, my family and I have been using it to study online which has been vital as lockdown continued and lessons moved online. Before that I’d asked the school to send work on paper or we’d try to use my phone. That was difficult, especially for one of my daughters because she wears glasses and found it difficult to read on a very small screen.”
“Home schooling kids is challenging, without a laptop it’s almost impossible. I know this having two of my own at home during lockdown, and the thought of not having access to a laptop was incomprehensible. The poorest in society are being left behind, Digital Action West Yorkshire made it so easy for us to help those who needed our spare laptops the most.”
“I just dropped off our unused devices and they did the rest, resetting them and distributing to families. I cannot express my gratitude to the volunteers enough, this is an amazing project. No one has an excuse – no laptop should be gathering dust right now!.”
“My youngest daughter also studies using our laptop, especially with learning English. I am working on my Masters degree and need it for myself to study and upload information. The laptop has been really helpful for me and my family, sometimes my daughters are fighting to use the laptop because they want to study!”
“I use my laptop for online courses which use Google Classroom, BBC Learning and Zoom. It’s helped me a lot as it was very difficult to use Zoom and write when I was using my phone. The laptop is much clearer for me to see and I’m using it to study English entry level 3 with RETAS, and Functional Skills, Maths, and English at Leeds City College.”
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