Staying Connected, Bridging the Digital Divide
In 2020, many people faced difficulties accessing technology and the internet due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This lack of access led to a significant learning and social inclusion barrier for many community members who needed help to afford these resources.
To address this issue, CB Plus took proactive steps to bridge the digital divide and promote digital inclusion.
Empowering Connectivity for All
Collaborating with 3 Mobile residents and our IT partner, 4Ways Solutions, we initiated a comprehensive effort to source and recycle equipment, increase WiFi access, and provide essential connectivity tools. Through this initiative, we secured over £8,000 of data and dongles, supplementing it with an additional £2,000 to purchase new laptops.
Children and Young People. A Focus on Education
Understanding the struggles faced by local families, especially those with children, we worked closely with schools, colleges, organisations, and social services. We aimed to break down the barriers preventing disadvantaged young people from accessing education by supplying a mix of laptops, dongles, and data.
We collaborated with several schools, such as Whitefield Secondary School, Queen Elizabeth’s Girls School, Barnet College, Broomfield’s Primary School, and Whittings Hill Primary School. Our strategic partnership with 4Way Solutions enabled us to bridge the digital divide in our community at no cost.
Digital Inclusion Across Communities
Our commitment to digital inclusion extends beyond education. Collaborating with New Citizen’s Gateway, we addressed the extreme isolation faced by the refugee community by providing connectivity tools such as phones, IPADS, and game consoles.
During our food poverty support collaboration with Homeless Action in Barnet, we discovered that their clients were suffering from extreme loneliness. To help alleviate their loneliness, Impact on the Street and CB Plus teamed up and provided ten smartphones, dongles, and data cards. These tech items enabled Homeless Action in Barnet to support their clients with housing applications and Universal Credit. The phones also allowed clients to contact Streetlink for support while rough sleeping and one client even used their connectivity to start a business course.
Join Us in Making a Meaningful Difference
The icons on the left showcase the positive impact we can achieve through collaboration.
As we aim to expand our support to more schools, low-income families, and communities, we are aware of the current resource limitations. We invite those passionate about digital inclusion to join us in making a meaningful difference.
Contact us at info@cbplus.org.uk to explore how you can contribute to this vital cause and help us build a more connected and equitable society.
