Power to Connect

The Pitch

Problem statement

“Students will continue to need access to the internet from home for a range of reasons, including to complete homework and to take part in online lectures. With the cost of living crisis, more families are likely to enter poverty and more children could lose access to the internet outside of school.” Sutton Trust. 17% of secondary-age children don’t have access to an adequate device for online learning at home. 3% rarely or never had access. In the Most Financially Vulnerable households’ children are more likely to go online using a mobile phone (8%) and less likely to go online to learn. Ofcom. 45% of schools in Wandsworth tell us they still have children who would benefit from a device.

Solution

We want to be able to make a commitment to our community - that no-one will be left behind through digital exclusion by continuing to collet and recycle devices. We want to give a refurbished digital device to all children who are on free school meals, prioritising high deprivation areas in Battersea, Tooting and Roehampton. Funding will help our small team of staff to deliver awareness-raising sessions to business networks, parent groups, public service providers, oversee the refurbishment of devices and delivery to schools and increase our marketing reach, providing compelling impact case studies, video and social media.

Why are we best placed to deliver?

We grew from local need and has been sustained through the strong relationships we have built across our community. We have gained a national reputation, winning the Tech for Good Community Award and supporting the launch of Reboot - a national network of grassroots organisations addressing digital exclusion. Our Director was recognised for her work establishing P2C in the Jubilee Honours and was recognised in Computer Weekly’s Women in UK Tech Rising Stars 2022. We work with our Board and Advisory group to ensure good governance and project impact. We are part of Digital Wandsworth, 70 organisations working together to support the most digitally excluded residents.

Focus Areas

Delivery plan

Budget breakdown

Beneficiaries

40 people

Expected impact

Having access to a digital device means disadvantaged young people have more equal access to educational resources so are better able to achieve their academic and personal potential We have been able to collate some feedback from 100 parents, whose children received a laptop in the lockdowns. • 82% of families reported that their child has shown more motivation towards learning at home since receiving a Power to Connect device • 70% of families have seen an improvement in their children’s grades since receiving a Power to Connect device • 75% of children use their Power to Connect device everyday Receiving a laptop means young people from disadvantaged backgrounds stand out less and can engage with their peers. They experience less isolation and improved social inclusion. “Having a device made young people feel “connected” not excluded or different.” “They can complete their homework alongside their peers rather than having it printed out.”

Track record

We have shown we can reach families who are disadvantaged by successfully and safely: Delivering 2237 devices to 80 local schools & 20 community organisations. Distributed £10,000 of data packages Trained 75 parents/carers Had 65 local volunteers’ signup with 20 regularly active Introduced 4 local drop off points