The Digital Poverty Alliance, the charity aiming to end digital poverty in the UK by 2030, has launched Tech4Learning, a new initiative helping underprivileged children to get a laptop for school and digital education.

Through HMRC’s Gift Aid scheme, the scheme works with schools across the UK to collect monthly donations to raise funding which is then granted back to the school for the children, of parents who can and can’t afford to donate, to get a laptop for the duration of their education.

Increasingly, education in the UK requires access to a digital device for lessons, revision, homework and extended research, replacing the traditional class trip to the ICT suite. The new blended approach requires children to have access to laptops, tablets or smartphones to access digital resources, however, one in five children during the pandemic had no access to such devices.

Tech4Learning acts as a Donation Management Service (DMS), working to ensure every pupil benefits, irrespective of whether a donation is made in their name to the programme.

As part of the DMS, schools will work with parents and donors to raise money which the Digital Poverty Alliance will use to purchase devices for students, as well as provide free training workshops for School Programme administrators.

Research from Pearson and the Centre for Economics and Business Research recently outlined that the UK economy would grow by £8.7 billion from investment in technology in schools. For every £1 invested, technology in schools could return up to £7.90, helping to provide devices, broadband improvement and teacher training.

Elizabeth Anderson, CEO of the Digital Poverty Alliance, said: “Students in the UK education system haven’t had an easy time over recent years, juggling a pandemic, an unstable economy, and political change, magnifying the challenges that digital exclusion causes within education. Digital isn’t the future of education, it’s the now, and that requires access to a personal device to support online learning, homework and studying. Many of us take this for granted, but for millions, they are left at a huge disadvantage.”

“The Tech4Learning scheme has been put in place to tackle the issue at source, working directly with schools to raise donations for laptops and distribute devices to those who need them most. With the help of schools and local communities, we can help provide children with a fair education, catalysed by the benefits that technology has to offer.”

“We are relying on the next generation to lead us into the future, but how can we expect that to happen if millions are left unable to get online?”

Under Tech4Learning, the Digital Poverty Alliance has invested in BeaconCRM, streamlining charity donation collection and management to scale the scheme across schools throughout the UK.

The Digital Poverty Alliance (DPA) is a UK-based charity dedicated to tackling digital exclusion and ensuring that no child is left behind in an increasingly digital world. By partnering with schools, community groups, and individuals, DPA provides resources, funding, and initiatives that help bridge the digital divide and support the educational needs of underserved communities.