Tackling the Digital Divide through a greener approach

Written by Joanne Watson from Community Computers

Community Computers is a not-for-profit project delivered by local charity Renewal North West; they exist to tackle digital exclusion, unemployment and e-waste through repairing and refurbishing donated tech, working with Manchester City Council’s Digital Inclusion Team to help Manchester residents to get online.

Community Computers are calling for businesses to go green, reduce their carbon footprint, and commit to increasing their social value and reducing the digital divide in Manchester by donating their tech to help residents to get online.

The scheme provides professional I.T. asset management for both private and business customers to repair, refurbish and recycle technology that can be used to support those digitally excluded. The project offers free collections of redundant technology, including laptops, desktop PCs and smartphones, and use an in-house asset management system to process and track equipment – they can even come on site to destroy data on the spot.

Data security is a high priority with the scheme which offers secure data destruction for all donated devices, using ATA secure erase methods, where supported, with proof of destruction provided as a detailed report. Physical destruction of SDD, HDD and other magnetic-based media can also be carried out with our data crunch 250 and degausser.

The success of this project really does depend on tech donations coming in. If you have devices you no longer use, please join the scheme’s mission and donate them. Collections can be arranged on 0161 476 2777, at tech@communitycomputers.co.uk or find out more at www.communitycomputers.co.uk