Donate to our Learn at Home campaign to get computers into the hands of young people who need them the most.
One of the harsh lessons from the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic was that far too many vulnerable young people in the UK don’t have access to a computer for learning at home.
That’s why we have teamed up with UK Youth and are asking companies to donate what they can to help get computers into the hands of disadvantaged young people across the UK.
We cannot let the digital divide persist any longer
We’ve always known that — whether or not schools are open — it is transformational for young people to have a computer for learning at home, and there has always been a digital divide; the pandemic just put it centre-stage. We also know that the cost of solving this problem now is trivial compared to the cost of allowing the digital divide to persist.
We have teamed up with UK Youth to address the digital divide
That’s why the Raspberry Pi Foundation has teamed up with UK Youth and a network of grassroots youth and community organisations to get computers into the hands of disadvantaged young people across the UK.
In the first phase of the pandemic, thanks to generous support from the Bloomfield Trust, we ran a pilot programme that got Raspberry Pi desktop computers into the hands of more than 1000 vulnerable young people.
“The impact of the pandemic on young people’s education cannot be underestimated, and we’re delighted that we could support such a critical initiative.”
— Martin Hellawell, Bloomfield Trust
Our immediate impact
The impact of the Raspberry Pi desktop computers has been immediate:
- Young people who previously weren’t engaged have begun engaging with learning
- Parents have reported positive changes in young people’s attitudes and behaviour
- Youth and social workers have deepened their relationship with families, enabling them to provide better support
You can read more about this on our blog.
“The Raspberry Pi kit came at a time when I really needed it. Up until that point, T. had to do his homework and access the school’s home learning using my phone, which was not very practical at all. This was made worse by the fact that he had to share my phone with his sister, which ended up causing a lot of arguments. He was so pleased to receive a computer he could use.”
— Parent of a Raspberry Pi desktop computer recipient
You can help Learn at Home reach more young people now
To scale the Learn at Home initiative so more young people in need can benefit, we need your help. For less than £200, we can provide a vulnerable young person with everything they need to learn at home, including:
- A Raspberry Pi desktop computer
- A monitor
- A webcam
- Educational software
- Ongoing support from a youth worker and the Raspberry Pi Foundation team
To help solve this urgent issue, make a donation online or contact fundraising@raspberrypi.org for other ways to donate.
Thank you!
About UK Youth
UK Youth is a leading charity that exists to ensure all young people are equipped to thrive and empowered to contribute at every stage of their lives. The charity works with others to ensure that the youth sector is strengthened, supported, and that provision is youth-led, evidence-informed and delivers high-quality outcomes.