Breaking the Digital Barrier

HOW CHANGEMAKERS TURNED OLD DEVICES INTO EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY FOR CHILDREN DURING LOCKDOWN

ABOUT

TechInclusionUK wants to break the barriers of digital exclusion in the UK. Their aim is to build a circular sustainable economy to utilise tech to provide a window of opportunity to a disconnected child. TechInclusionUK takes unwanted, but usable, tech to be up-cycled and repurposed to be used by a child who finds themselves without a device or internet 🇬🇧

HOW WE MAKE CHANGE

TechInclusionUK were looking for online volunteers to help with Finance, Fundraising, Marketing, Community Outreach so they could grow their impact and include even more children.

Here’s how ChangeMakers have helped 🙌

“IT HAS BEEN INSPIRING TO WORK ALONGSIDE PEOPLE WHO ARE DEDICATED TO MAKING A DIFFERENCE”

Carly-Jo Rosselli 🇬🇧

‘My name is Carly-Jo Rosselli, I live in London, but I am originally from Wales. I studied Social Science at Cardiff University where I developed an interest in research, particularly in policy development. My professional background includes social research placement at the Wesh Government, research executive at YouGov and working as a consultant for Savanta ComRes. These roles have given me experiences in a wide range of areas both in the public and private sectors. 

At TechInclusionUK, I have been developing a survey to be distributed to teachers. The aim of the research is to understand their experiences in delivering education during COVID-19 and the implications of having to adopt a remote education model for both teachers and students.

The experience of working on this project has been excellent. It has been inspiring to work alongside people who are passionate about the work that they do and are really dedicated to making a difference. Working with TechInclusionUK has benefited me by enabling me to develop and use my research skills whilst being on furlough.

“IT HAS BEEN AWESOME TO ASSIST THIS SIGNIFICANT INITIATIVE”

Achilleas Vryniotis 🇬🇷

My name is Achilleas Vryniotis and I am from Greece. I studied my BA in Philosophy and Politics at the University of Kent and my MSc in Environment and Sustainable Development at UCL. I am still based in the United Kingdom and my professional experience includes research and project administrative roles for non-profit organisations and the public sector.

At TechInclusionUK I research the sustainability of reusing computers and laptops, as well as the social, economic and environmental implications of e-waste. This work assists TechInclusionUK’s sustainability marketing strategy.

My experience has been fantastic as the team is great and the co-founders are very friendly and easy to work with. It has been awesome to assist this significant initiative and it has made me a more socially conscious and active individual.

RESULT

Since our ChangeMakers joined, Co-Founder Rich Peacock-Clensy has provided us with an update:

‘… We are primarily delivering devices to Tower Hamlets and working with a number of different organisations across the country to help raise awareness of the issue and help local organisations make impact. We have joined Social Enterprise UK's Buy Social campaign, been supported by Silicon Valley Bank UK during Tech Gives Back campaign and we're about to launch a crowdfunding campaign and co-host a repair with the Restart Project’

You can support TechInclusionUK in the following way:
- Apply to join their project through We Make Change
- Donate any tech you do not use
- Support their Crowdfunding campaign

“Without the support and power of We Make Change and their ChangeMakers, TechInclusionUK wouldn’t exist. Our platform is completely powered by volunteers and the support from the ChangeMakers has given us the encouragement to continue to help young people access education.”

RICH PEACOCK-CLENSY
CO-FOUNDER, TECHINCLUSIONUK

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