More than 11,000 digitally excluded Londoners have now been given free training through the Get Online London programme, the city mayor’s has announced.
In addition, thousands have benefitted from donated laptops and mobile phones.
The mayor’s office and the London Councils group have been working with digital inclusion charity Good Things Foundation and partners in the public and private sector to help an estimated 270,000 people in the city with no internet or digital access.
The programme – also supported by the London Office of Technology and Innovation – brings together large public and private sector organisations to donate old IT kit to Good Things Foundation. It works with electronic recycling organisation Reconome to refurbish then distribute the devices through participating community centres.
Major donors have included Hammersmith and Fulham Council, Redbridge Council, consulting firm BJSS and repurposing charity Ready Tech Go, with a total of over 1,800 refurbished laptops and mobiles being passed to Good Things.
In addition, more than 26,000 SIM cards have been distributed to digitally excluded people.
Call for more support
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: “We’ve made great progress in the past year but there is still more to do. I’m calling on more large businesses and organisations to support us in our mission to provide digital access for all. Starting with getting 75,000 Londoners online and kickstarting a sustainable service to bridge the digital divide and help keep us connected.
“Together, we can build a fairer, more accessible and more prosperous London for all.”
