Our project to get computers and devices to those in need has helped Sharon’s mother stay connected with her family during the coronavirus lockdown.
Delivering devices
During the coronavirus outbreak we've been busy with our computer delivery project in collaboration with Venture Scotland. Thanks to generous donations from individuals and organisations in Edinburgh and East Lothian, we’ve been supplying and delivering refurbished computers and devices to members of the community to help them stay connected, access online support, manage home-schooling, and keep in touch with their family and friends.
Staying in touch
Sharon found out about our project in May and contacted us to see if we could help her. Sharon’s mum, 76, suffers from a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). She is considered to be at high risk of severe illness from coronavirus, so she is shielding, wisely following the official advice to stay at home and avoid all face-to-face contact. This means she can’t visit or have visits from anyone, not even family.
While shielding, Sharon’s mum had been relying on her iPad. Its most important function was to keep in touch with her family, especially her daily screen time with her grandchildren. Unfortunately, she had recently dropped the iPad causing its screen to smash and the device to become completely unusable. This is when Sharon sent us an email to ask if we could help her get it fixed, having found that most repair shops were closed.
- Sharon
After some research, our Reconnect Coordinator Nigel and Modern Apprentice Steven realised it wasn’t going to be possible to find somewhere to repair it until after the lockdown, with computer repair shops still adhering to the government guidance and staying closed. Instead, we decided to go one step further and offered to lend an iPad to Sharon’s mum until hers could be fixed.
Upon delivery, Sharon was delighted and said that her mum would be over the moon about being able to resume her daily calls with her grandchildren.
Digital exclusion
This is yet another example of how important access to technology and the internet is, particularly for those who cannot leave home or are self-isolating. Our project is doing its best to help, but there are thousands of people, including some of the most vulnerable in our communities, who don’t have access to a computer or device to get online. We recently published a study to expose this issue and propose tangible solutions to digital exclusion. To learn more about this, and what we want to do to help, read our research briefing by clicking the link below.
We are still accepting donations of computers to help vulnerable members of community stay connected during the coronavirus outbreak. If you have any old computers or devices, please get in touch at computer.delivery@peopleknowhow.org.