Tameside Community Computers CIC
Putting I.T. back into the CommunITy
Empowering People - Protecting the Planet.
Tameside Community Computers CIC is a not-for-profit organisation that creates equitable Access to Opportunity by providing devices, internet access, digital skills training and tech support for those in the community left on the wrong side of the digital divide, while at the same time empowering businesses and other organisations to play their part by diverting technology from landfill and at the same time protecting our planet.
We Solve Two Big Problems
The Digital Divide
Over 11 million people in the UK lack access to a personal computer, internet connection, or both. This lack of access to digital technology creates a significant gap between the different opportunities unconnected people can access. This gap is known as the 'Digital Divide', and it is our mission to shrink this, because we believe that equitable access to information and technology empowers people to achieve their full potential.
E-Waste
Electronic Waste, or E-Waste, refers to electronic products and components that are unwanted, unusable, or nearing the end of their useful life. E-Waste makes up to 22.8% of mass in landfill sites, but all electronics devices that we receive are recycled in an environmentally friendly way with nothing going to landfill.
Our Services
1
Free Devices
We receive various pots of funding to help those in our community that are living in digital poverty. If you work for an organisation, charity, school, or community group, that supports people living in digital poverty you can apply for a device on the persons behalf. We do not accept direct referrals for free devices. Please fill in our contact form and we will send you our Application Form.
2
National Data Bank
We are part of the National Data Bank and this means that we can help local residents stay connected and access vital services. In Collaboration with the Good Things Foundation we are supplying free SIM cards pre-loaded with mobile data, talk minutes and texts to anyone struggling with the rising cost of living.
To be eligible to receive free data, texts and minutes you must:
* Be over 18 years old.
* Be from a low-income household.
And qualify in one of the following categories:
* Have no access or insufficient access to the internet at home.
* And/or have no or insufficient access to the internet when away from home.
* And/or cannot afford your existing monthly contract or top up.
Please fill in our contact form for more information.
3
Donation Priority
Priority will be given to those between 10-25 years old.
Applications outside this age bracket will be decided on a case-by-case basis subject to the funding we have at the time.
IMPORTANT
As an organisation, we have tried to help as many people as possible who are living in Digital Poverty, but, unfortunately, due to some individual applicants abusing our generosity and trust by applying for a device under our ‘Universal Credit’ option, we have now decided to revoke this as a means of applying. Therefore, with immediate effect, all applications must come through a recognised support organisation.
We are now going back to our original ethos of offering gifted devices only. These are devices that have been donated to us from businesses, schools, and the public, which we have refurbished back to a fully working condition.
DEVICE REFERRALS AND APPLICATIONS
Our main priority will be to offer devices within Tameside, and surrounding areas, to those currently living in Digital Poverty who are aged 10 - 25 years old. If an application is received by us for anyone falling outside this criterion, they will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
We may also receive external funding that stipulates what we must use that funding for, and we are obliged to strictly adhere to this.
If you, or a family member, is living in Digital Poverty, we must receive your referral and application through a recognised support organisation.
For example, this can be a Social Worker, Local Council, Community Support Worker, Housing Association, Health Care Professional, School, College, Charity, Homeless Shelter, Domestic Abuse Service, Community Organisation, etc.
We will no longer accept any individual applications directly to us, they must be from a recognised organisation that supports you.
In the first instance, we require an email to be sent to enquiries@tamesidecc.org from the referring organisation, they will then be sent an Application Form to apply on your behalf.
If the application is successful, the device will be given to the referrer to pass on to you.
Under certain specially agreed circumstances, we may choose to deliver a device, or allow the applicant to collect the device from our base in Dukinfield.
To reiterate, under no circumstances will we accept any individual applications directly to us, they must be from a recognised organisation that supports you.
Living in Digital Poverty means that you are unable to participate fully in the everyday necessities of the ‘Digital World’ due to the absence of an essential internet-enabled device.
What happens to Donated Devices
All donated devices go through certain stages to make sure they are good enough to be donated back out to someone living in digital poverty.
Data Erasure
Any data stored on a device has that data erased using certified data erasure software.
Refurbishment
All devices go through a rigorous refurbishment process to check that there are no faults, the battery hold a charge, there is no damage to casing or screen, the memory is upgraded where necessary, a Solid State Hard Drive is put into laptops to help them run quicker. Anything that needs doing is done in-house by our volunteer team.
Donated
Once a device has passed all our checks, and is deemed safe to be given back out, it is then passed to our donations team that work with 3rd party organisations who know those individuals living in digital poverty, for whom devices are given to.
Mike Brooks
CEO
Cerid Grimshaw
CXO
Andy Cannell
Fundraising Director
Rob Alston
Operations Director