HARPENDEN, U.K., Dec. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Internet and internet enabled devices are an essential component to education in the world today. Around 1.5 million school children in the UK have very limited or no access to these critical tools at home and, as a result, are seeing their education severely disadvantaged. Recent remote learning, which for many is continuous with local lockdowns and isolation periods, has widened and deepened this divide with some children not being able to learn at all or having to rely on shared access to their parent or guardian's mobile phone to attempt schoolwork.
Digital Access For All (DAFA) is an initiative set up by national charity, The Learning Foundation, to work on bridging this digital divide and ensure that all school-aged children in the UK have access to a suitable internet enabled device at home and, in so doing, help to close the attainment gap. DAFA has also established the Digital Poverty Alliance to address the issue of digital exclusion and data poverty for everyone.
In conjunction with ADISA, DAFA is delighted to launch a new phase of this initiative which is to encourage businesses who have redundant IT equipment to donate this to the programme via an ADISA Certified company. Concerns about data security and compliance are overcome by the strict controls certified companies are required to put into place to maintain their certification. Limitation on user devices available, which have been repurposed to help homeworkers, is also overcome as the programme doesn't just operate as a straight donation route as ANY infrastructure can be donated, processed appropriately and then recycled or resold to generate funds for the DAFA programme.
"I am delighted to be working with ADISA and their partners on this hugely important initiative. The fact that donating companies can be assured of the highest level of integrity and standards combined with them also being able to help directly in enabling disconnected children and families to get online makes this a genuine win-win."
Paul Finnis, CEO Learning Foundation and Digital Access for All
ADISA is formally recognised by Defence Infosec Product Co-operation Group (DIPCOG) and is listed on the National Cyber Security Centre's own guidance for companies disposing of infrastructure.
"The numbers of kids without access to learning tools at home is staggering in this day and age and makes for a humbling view on how flippant many of us are with technology. We've designed a programme which is sustainable for those running it and is as broad as possible for those donating equipment such that we can try to build an ongoing programme which can make a real impact on this problem".
Steve Mellings Founder, ADISA
To find out more about Digital Access For All please visit their website: https://digitalaccessforall.co.uk/
To register interest in donating please fill out the Donation Enquiry Form: https://adisa.global/donate-dafa/
If you are a school or organisation and want to apply for help, please fill out the
Request for Support Form: https://adisa.global/adisa-marketplace-digital-access-programme/
To learn more about how The ADISA Marketplace is working with Digital Access For All please watch our podcast: Bridging the Digital Divide: https://youtu.be/c5gu4ggI9_Y
Notes for Editors
1. The Learning Foundation is a national charity set up in 2001 to support schools, families and schoolchildren to use technology effectively in enhancing learning and enabling children to reach their full potential.
2. The Learning Foundation launched Digital Access for All in February 2019 to tackle what it saw as an appalling divide – between those children and families able to connect at home to the digital world and the millions of adults and children who could not.
3. Media contact related to DAFA or Learning Foundation should be directed to Paul Finnis – [email protected] or 07943 730686.
Media Contact
Jenny Denham, ADISA, +44 8455577726, [email protected]
SOURCE ADISA
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