Local partnership tackles Digital Poverty

    MK Community Foundation are working in partnership with It’s What’s Next IT to refurbish donated old, used, or surplus laptops to distribute to students under the age of 18 living in Milton Keynes.

    Businesses and local people are being encouraged to get involved by donating their unused devices so they can be reused, ensuring a brighter future for many young people in our community.

    Through their Vital Signs 2020 research, MK Community Foundation discovered that nearly 11,000 children in Milton Keynes are living in relative poverty. The lockdown highlighted the number of young people without access to online teaching due to lack of equipment and internet access. This exciting new project will help to alleviate this, not only during Covid-19 restrictions, but for the long-term. 

    MK Community Foundation Philanthropy Manager, Kay Jackson said “MK Community Foundation are delighted to be working with It’s What's Next IT to help alleviate the issues around child poverty and digital poverty in Milton Keynes. We believe this scheme will offer much needed help to children in need who will be able to continue their education and learning because of this project, which is vital to the mental health and wellbeing of the child"

    There are many children in Milton Keynes that do not have laptops for homework, revision, and home schooling. Having access to a laptop will help with their educational development and give them confidence to get back on track. 

    Founder and CEO of It’s What’s Next IT, Matt Reynolds said “There was already a digital divide between families that had access to computers for education and those who did not prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. The lockdowns have highlighted the need to focus on this issue in a long-term, sustainable, and equitable way. We’re thrilled to be able to work with local businesses to create genuine, long term change around this critical issue of socioeconomic equality of access to education.”

    Find out how you can get involved by visiting the MK Community Foundation website here.

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