Newport and Carisbrooke Community Council call to action for donation of laptops that can made available to Newport pupils in urgent need of equipment to enable them to participate in online at home.
Donations of laptops are welcomed from individuals, organisations and businesses. Equipment will be collected and then cleansed of data by a licensed contractor and reconditioned (if necessary) to make sure they are in working order, before being distributed to the schools.
Whilst students that are in receipt of Free School Meals or Pupil Premium have received equipment via the Department of Education and other schemes, there is a number of pupils that are in households where there’s not enough computers to fulfil the need. With parents working from home and children in different year groups in the same household it’s causing severe strain and there’s a danger of children slipping behind which can have long term implications.
Cllr Julie Jones-Evans brought the proposal to NCCC and members have agreed to fund and set up the scheme working alongside the Newport Community Resilience Co-ordinator (this post is part of the Community Action’s Community Resilience project funded by The National Lottery Community Fund) and Computer Express IW for immediate implementation.
She said “This kind of initiative strays somewhat from the usual work of the Community Council, but once I became aware of this need I couldn’t just stand by and do nothing. Lack of equipment is causing a lot of stress in the already challenging situation of lockdown and potentially affecting children’s long term attainment. By directing this response to our local pupils in need members agreed it was the right thing to do in the unusual circumstances we find ourselves in with the pandemic. By utilising unused laptops we are mindful of not being wasteful and aligns with us being part of the Green Towns Network. Any unviable equipment will be recycled by an accredited contractor.
We’ve also been liaising closely with the local schools, IWC and Hampshire County Council to ensure there’s no duplication of effort and ensure children’s needs are met.”
Cllr Matthew Price Vice Chair added “We are home teaching our two daughters who are both in different year groups and we are at times both working from home, without purchasing another laptop ourselves it would have been virtually impossible to keep up with the demands of learning and work.
I’m right behind this scheme as no child should be disadvantaged and left behind and this will ensure that those not eligible for a laptop through the usual routes or other schemes will not end up ‘falling through the cracks’ but will instead be able to home school their children with the right technology”
Anyone who is able to donate any suitable equipment please email laura.jones@newportwight.org.uk to arrange collection.
