The WCIT Charity received an unprecedented number of applications in its third quarter, and from a long list of deserving causes two were finally selected to receive £10,000 each.
Foresight, which is the leading charity for disabled people in North East Lincolnshire, will deliver five sets of daily classroom-based sessions spanning ten weeks. Participants will also be assigned a digital mentor who will support them both during the class and outside of day centre activity by telephone and social media, which will help take the pressure off family members and carers. Additionally, with the assistance of volunteers and digital mentors, the organisation will offer drop-in sessions focused on individuals’ needs, and they will provide a digital tablet library, since the majority of their disabled community does not have access to digital equipment.
The second grant recipient is Learn and Thrive, an organisation which supports young people with Down’s Syndrome and other learning needs. They will be creating a new Learning for Life module, Being Safe Online, in partnership with iVengers, an initiative of the Derbyshire Police & Crime Commissioner. Learn and Thrive’s aim is to empower young people to use the internet safely so they can advance and enrich their lives for the better.
The Chair of the WCIT Charity Board, Stefan Fafinski DL, said: “We have once again chosen to fund two digital inclusion projects. This is because we recognise that as services and opportunities become increasingly online, communities of all shapes and sizes need to be supported to engage safely and confidently with technology.”
