Disadvantaged and digitally excluded young people have received over 500 kid bundles from the Greater Manchester Technology Fund in order to continue studies from home during the coronavirus pandemic.
With schools closed to limit the spread of the coronavirus, many young people without access to the internet at home faced being excluded from their studies which were now being delivered digitally.
The GMCA investment, which was supplemented by contributions from Virgin Media Business, has provided laptops and other tools for young people to get online who had been identified by their school or college. Provision has initially focused on those eligible for free school meals.
At the time of launch, Sean Fielding GMCA Lead for Education, Skills, Work and Apprenticeships and Oldham Council Leader, said:
We welcome the announcement from the Department for Education over weekend but need to go further and faster to help those most in need. Our young people, their parents and guardians need to feel assured their education will not suffer during this period of lockdown. We also hope these young learners will benefit through reconnecting with their peers and school network.”
Andy Potts, Assistant Principal at The Hathershaw College said:
Digital exclusion is always a consideration of ours, we need to ensure that pupils with limited or no access to a laptop or internet are not disadvantaged and that their ability to learn is not negatively impacted. In our school, the Greater Manchester Technology Fund has been an overwhelming success and I would like to say a huge thank you – it has been a?wonderful opportunity at a time of need for some of our most disadvantaged pupils”.
As well as receiving funding from GMCA and Virgin Media Business, the Greater Manchester Technology Fund is also open for businesses to support through various means, including:
- Donations of new devices particularly laptops?
- Donations of sim cards, portable hotspots, dongles?and other connectivity?devices?
- Financial donations to support the expansion of the fund
- Promoting the #GMTechFund through social media channels