Power to Connect --- Combatting Digital Poverty During COVID-19 in Wandsworth

By Isabel Chapman

Power to Connect was set up as a direct response to the COVID-19 crisis. In partnership, Wandsworth Council and Battersea Power Station launched the Power to Connect initiative with a two-pronged approach to tackle digital poverty through data vouchers and laptops. Their campaign to encourage donations of unused, working laptops, tablets, and computers was launched on April 19, 2020.

Since then, Power to Connect has collected over 380 devices from local members of the community, refurbished them as Google Chromebooks, and donated them to 46 local schools and 6 community organizations. In September 2020, Power to Connect was awarded a Community Impact award at the AbilityNet Tech4Good Awards, sponsored by BT.

Join us to hear how Power to Connect was formed, launched, and its plans to continue tackling the digital divide throughout COVID-19 and beyond.

Isabel Chapman

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