UK charity warns of continuing digital divide amongst children
A UK charity working to bridging the digital divide amongst Britain’s schoolchildren has warned that children living in the poorest homes “may never fully engage with the digital economy unless action is taken to ensure they have home access to the internet.”
The words of warning came from the e-Learning Foundation, which works with schools across the country as part of the government’s Home Access programme. The initiative, set up last month, supports schools that support families as they apply for a Home Access grant to purchase a computer and a single year of internet access.
Valerie Thompson, CEO of the charity, argued home internet access would help lift the poorest families out of poverty. “Time is fast running out to bridge the digital divide in this country, engage parents in their children’s learning and develop the whole family’s IT skills to broaden their horizons and help them out of the poverty trap,” Thompson said. “It beggars belief that in an age when technology is all pervasive , we still have to monitor the extent to which young learners have access to the Internet and a computer at home for their education.” She added.
The charity’s warning was made in light of a recent Save the Children report that found 4 million children are currently living in poverty in the UK and 1.7m children are in “severe poverty.” The report coincided with the release of the latest National Statistics Office’s Family Spending Survey figures.
“The figures from the recent government’s Family Spending Survey, covering 2008, suggest a staggering 2.2 million young people still cannot go online at home and 1.4 million do not have access to a computer at home,” continued Thompson. “If more action is not taken many of these children will never engage in the digital economy and will fall further into the digital divide. If digital inclusion is to be supported properly then far wider issues must be addressed in getting disadvantaged families online or we as a nation will pay the consequences with a large group of computer illiterate young people, unable to interact with society”.
“This is about social justice for our most vulnerable children. Small charities like ourselves very much depend on the generosity of donations from companies, individuals and trusts and grant making charities. The digital divide is still very much a reality in the UK and must not be forgotten in the charity funding stakes”.
Source: Public Technology