A SocialBox.Biz case studies update by Alex, October 2021
As the pandemic left many isolated and unable to perform their jobs to their fullest extent, Community Interest Company SocialBox.Biz and its partners like Hounslow Council intervened when it was most important.
Because of ongoing contributions of old but still usable item from organisations like Hounslow Council, SocialBox.Biz is able to make a big impact to those in need on an ongoing basis.
Items upgraded by SocialBox.Biz were returned to Hounslow Council and then distributed to community/homeless facilities. The team at SocialBox.BIz would like to extend their gratitude to the team at the council and specially during the lock-down time when the laptops were a vital lifeline for the vulnerable residents.
Let’s dive into some of these success stories received so far:
Ms. D, was able to use one of the donated laptops to help an elderly person stay connected, alert, and informed throughout the pandemic. While the terror of being stuck at home alone became a reality in the thick of lock-downs, one laptop made all the difference for older people living on a small pension unable to afford a computer.
She is a full-time carer of an elderly lady. Because of her job she couldn’t go out during the lockdown. The initiative of giving used laptops away to those most in need that was carried out enabled us to give a laptop to Ms D too. Having a laptop device at home made it possible for Ms D to be in touch with her family and friends. A digital champion thought her how to use the laptop. It helped Ms D to overcome the social isolation and also learn how to use it, how to use online services, to entertain herself and also to motivate her to learn more. This has made a big and positive change in Ms D’s live as well as all those benefited from the project.
Teresia, a single parent, received her laptop as part of the Training Circle at her school, where she could address additional training to improve her digital skills while providing a portal for her child to do her homework.
Being a single parent on benefits hoping to find work and is part of the Training Circle encouraging the development of new skills into work but did not have a computer of her own. She is now able to access additional training to improve her digital skills and continues to work her way through the learning platform. As well as learning she is able to access her benefits claims online and her child is using it for homework.
Omar who was referred to us through the Somali Support Group was able to access a laptop for his family so his children could complete their education while they stay in touch with their family abroad in the middle of a pandemic.
Tom, a member of Our Barn, a support group for young people with disabilities, received a laptop that allowed him to play games online and still socialize while everyone was kept apart. He has even learned how to create YouTube videos and upload content regularly for the club.
One 65-year-old resident of Chiswick who was referred to Work Hounslow to find work benefited in a big way from a donated laptop, previously having lost his job causing his homelessness. With a new Chromebook in his hands, this man was able to turn his life around and start rebuilding his future, utilizing coffee shop WiFi along the way.
And then there is Fazia, a local mother with disabilities from Somalia, who can now access school applications and benefits to advance her employment prospects. She can also connect with family back home and continue advancing her understanding of language as she assimilates into British culture.
We Need Your Help
One donated laptop can go a long way. That’s why we are working to partner with corporations, institutions, and groups that are willing to release their old unneeded but still usable tech to us on an ongoing basis. Our team at SocialBox.Biz wipes it clean, upgrades it with open source software, re-homing suitable items. We need your help – SocialBox.Biz Laptops for the Homeless, Refugees and Older people Initiative has overseen the reuse and donation of thousands of tech items including laptops to date in London and across the UK. We hope you find inspiration in what we have been doing for years and the countless case studies on our website. If you or someone at your team is able to work with us on sourcing old but still usable items, please reach out today.
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