Get Involved
Everyone can play a part in promoting digital inclusion.
You may already have the skills to become a Digital Champion volunteer, and you could have unused devices sitting about at home, ready to be donated, refurbished and provided back to our communities.
Read on to find out how you can help fix the digital divide!
Become a Digital Champion
Becoming a Digital Champion volunteer is easier than you might think; you don’t need to be a tech know-it-all! If you have ever struggled with tech, you could be just the person to help someone else with their own struggles.
More than anything, you need to be comfortable listening to people’s digital issues and helping them to the best of your ability.
You do not need to have the right answer for every situation and you can always hand over to another person, or signpost people to an organisation that may be better equipped to help.
We will provide all the training you need to get started, and you could use this experience on your CV (many of our previous volunteers have gone into employment).
After you sign up and complete some basic training, we will match you with a local community centre or library who are already running skills sessions in your area.
Donate your unused devices
We’ve partnered with Community Computers to provide a comprehensive device refurbishment scheme.
If you would like to donate as an organisation, please see “Donating as an organisation below.”
Community Computers is a not-for-profit organisation who take donated devices, refurbish them and sell them for a low price to eligible residents. Individuals can drop off old devices (not printers or monitors) at any Manchester library or businesses can arrange a collection from their premises.
This sustainable approach saves old devices from going to landfill, reduces the carbon footprint of buying new, and gives people the opportunity to buy a device at an affordable price.
Community Computers ensure that your data privacy and security are at the heart of their refurbishment process, as their security-vetted staff remove any and all private data on donated devices according to national and international standards.
Anything that Community Computers cannot refurbish, will instead be recycled, preventing that digital device from ending up in a landfill.
Currently they only accept donations of the following devices
Laptops
Tablets
Phones
Desktop Computers
If you would like to donate to our partnership, please contact Community Computers directly on 0161 476 2777 or check out their website by clicking on the button below.
Donating as an organisation
If you represent an organisation that would like to organise a bulk donation, or if you would like to set up a consistent donation chain to help achieve your social value and sustainability goals, please contact the Digital Inclusion team.
We can liaise with Community Computers to build a strong partnership that can benefit the most digitally-excluded people in Manchester. Additionally, as an organisation, you can also donate larger pieces of digital equipment, such as servers! These larger donations help Community Computers cover their costs, so that they can continue dropping the prices on refurbished laptops, tablets and phones.
Please email us with any queries at digitalinclusion@manchester.gov.uk
Let’s work together to promote digital inclusion in your communities
If you are an organisation working to better the prospects of your local Manchester communities, then reach out to us, we can provide you with the knowledge and experience you need to embed digital inclusion into your services.
It all starts with a consultation with a member of our team. Find out how you can book a consultation by clicking the button below.
