New scheme to help 275 young people tackle digital poverty

The Digital Poverty Alliance (DPA) launched the Tech4Youth programme along the Solway Coast in Cumbria.

The expansion, which coincides with End Digital Poverty Day, aims to help children in Silloth, Wigton, Maryport, and Aspatria who are currently affected by digital poverty.

The programme will provide laptops, free internet access, and digital literacy workshops to young people between the ages of 11 and 19.

Research by the DPA found that 86 per cent of parents of digitally excluded children identified cost as the main barrier to accessing laptops.

The scheme, funded by a £78,000 investment from the Macquarie Foundation and broadband provider Voneus, will directly address these access challenges.

The DPA's research also revealed that 92 per cent of parents saw a marked increase in their children's motivation to learn after receiving a laptop.

The initiative will not only aid in educational engagement but also help older youth in the group, who are starting to explore employment opportunities.

With 90 per cent of jobs now advertised online, digital skills and access to technology are deemed essential for broadening career prospects.

Elizabeth Anderson, CEO of the Digital Poverty Alliance, said: "We are so pleased to have had the opportunity to grow our work in Cumbria and support more young people by providing access to online learning and digital skills.

"Providing laptops and workshops where young people from the Solway Coast can learn skills is an essential step to narrowing the gap in this region and empowering the next generation of Cumbria.

"Overall, this will ensure that every young person is faced with the same opportunities during their schooling and post-education, as they enter employment."

Christopher Traggio, CEO at Voneus, said: "We are thrilled to be partnering with the Digital Poverty Alliance on this scheme to amplify investment in devices and skills for young people in Solway Coast who are unfairly digitally excluded."