WIRRAL businesses and residents are being urged to donate their old laptops for refurbishment to help tackle digital poverty.
Charity Career Connect, situated on Argyle Street in Birkenhead, is the local link for anyone who wants to hand over old laptops to Tameside Community Computers CIC – where they will be refurbished and redistributed to people across the borough and Northwest who are facing digital poverty.
Tameside Community Computers CIC helped Career Connect to continue delivering support to young people during the pandemic - when the issue of digital poverty came to prominence - by supplying laptops to those participants disadvantaged by the digital divide.
Career Connect say the laptops helped young people to stay in touch with their career advisers, allowing them to continue to build their employability skills, research vacancies and apply for jobs or college places. They also contributed to young people’s wellbeing and helped reduce isolation.
The collaboration has grown over time, and to date, Career Connect itself has donated more than 70 old staff laptops for refurbishment.
Andy Cannell is now a contact point for any individuals or businesses in Wirral and the wider Liverpool City Region looking to donate their old laptops.
Laptops not suitable for full refurbishment are used for parts, and any materials left over are sent for recycling, reducing e-waste in landfills.
Career Connect recently took delivery of its latest batch of refurbished laptops from Tameside Community Computers, all of which have been distributed to young people on Career Connect programmes in Wirral and across Merseyside facing digital poverty.
Andy Cannell and Dan Birtles, Director of IT at Career Connect, were there to welcome the delivery from Tameside Community Computers CIC chief executive Mike Brooks, chief experience officer Cerid Grimshaw and IT Technician Matthew Hopkinson.
Andy Cannell said: "Digital access is vital in helping the young people we work with get on with their career or further education plans.
"Applying to jobs or courses, researching opportunities, paying bills, access to wellbeing support, or online courses – almost everything requires a laptop and internet connection these days.
"Digital poverty is a real issue, and the digital divide is getting bigger. With the cost-of-living crisis, we are seeing more situations where households are having to cancel their internet connection, and access to a laptop is out of the question.
"I have seen whole families’ lives change because their young person was given a refurbished laptop.
"It's also about giving under-served young people the opportunity to follow a passion. One young person we worked with wanted to pursue a career in music, and thanks to one of the refurbished laptops, he was able to use music making software.
"This helped him develop his skills, but it also had a profound effect on his wellbeing and confidence.”
Dan Birtles, director of IT at Career Connect, said: "Working with Tameside Community Computers is a great fit for our charity, in line with the work we do to help people access a career or education path.
"Social value is a big part of our culture. Being able to donate laptops and then see the refurbished devices make a real difference to the lives of the people we work with is fantastic.
"There is also the massive benefit of reducing waste and landfill. As an organisation, we are committed to reaching Net Zero Carbon by 2035, and this programme is one of the ways that we can contribute to that."
Cerid Grimshaw, chief experience officer at Tameside Community Computers CIC said: "We aim to tackle two big problems – the digital divide and e-waste.
"There is still a big gap in access to opportunities for those who are and aren’t digitally connected. A huge amount of E-Waste also goes to landfill sites in the UK, and we want to reduce this.
"The beauty of what we do is that individuals, businesses and organisations can donate their old laptops in the knowledge that it will have a positive, long-term impact within their local communities."
If you are based on Merseyside and have devices to donate, contact Andy Cannell to arrange pick up: andy.cannell@careerconnect.org.uk or phone 07708 286903. Make contact with Andy ahead of any donation - do not drop devices off at Career Connect directly.
Or contact andyc@tamesidecc.org or enquiries@tamesidecc.org https://www.tamesidecc.org/ https://careerconnect.org.uk/
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here