Donated digital equipment is a lifeline for David

As part of Coventry and Warwickshire’s Wellbeing for Life campaign, a call has gone out to businesses for donations of old laptops or tablets which can be repurposed and delivered to vulnerable residents across Warwickshire.

The internet is being used increasingly across all areas of life and yet there is a growing digital divide, leaving many households and individuals unable to access education services and support.

The offering of digital equipment and support will:

*  contribute towards reducing social isolation, for example, those with mental health needs who require access to therapy

*  increase accessibility to education platforms for the many children and families without access to a device or connectivity at home

* lower the risk of COVID-19 by offering other ways to interact aside from face-to-face.

To be donated, equipment must be in working order and able to run Windows 10. In order to repurpose the equipment for use in the home, Coventry & Warwickshire Co-operative Development Agency will be supporting the initiative by wiping clean the hard drive before installing a basic operating system. Onward support will also be offered to help residents get used to their new devices and access services online.

For more information about the initiative please contact Alistair Rigby at alistairrigby@warwickshire.gov.uk or if you are an individual or a company with a laptop to donate, please contact. info@cwcda.co.uk. Collection of laptops can be arranged.

If you are a practitioner or professional that is working with a vulnerable client that would benefit from a donation of a recycled computer, then follow the link below IT Referral Form

Among those to have benefited from the scheme already is David, a 53-year-old man with a visual impairment. He applied to join the ‘It’s About time’ project to learn to create a podcast.

Unfortunately, David had no computer at home and so without support from the Warwickshire County Council Recycled Computers project, he would have not been able to take part in the learning.

Thanks to support from staff at Coventry & Warwickshire Co–operative Development Agency, he was able to set up an email account and access Zoom for meetings and to call friends.

David said: "The laptop helped me a lot. The whole process with the Podcasting project has been great, all the staff have been supportive and have been lovely. Being visually impaired - creating and listening to podcasts is the best way for me to use and enjoy the internet.”

Access to have a computer means that David can now also access CW Mind online for support with his mental health needs and is now able to continue with his Adult Education courses.