Dixons Carphone helps fight against digital divide in education

Dixons Carphone is stumping up £1 million for disadvantaged pupils, parents and teachers as part of the retailer’s efforts to tackle digital poverty in the UK.

The business behind Currys PC World and Carphone Warehouse has teamed with The Learning Foundation, and the cash will go to the charity’s Digital Access For All (DAFA) programme to support digital learning.

The money will also equip 1,000 teachers and teaching assistants with the technology and help they need to deliver high quality home schooling to 30,000 disadvantaged pupils during the coronanavirus pandemic and beyond.

A huge thank you from us and our PTA Friends of Castle Wood to @JMRogers @DixonsCarphone and @cjal29 for organising this incredibly generous donation of 50 iPads! It is not an understatement to say that his will change the lives of our most vulnerable children. #workingtogether pic.twitter.com/jqnNot1vgt
— Castle Wood Academy (@CastleWood_) January 28, 2021

Dixons Carphone will also become one of three founding partners in the Digital Poverty Alliance (DPA), a group of organisations brought together by DAFA and the Institution of Engineering and Technology to tackle digital poverty in the UK, particularly for disadvantaged children.

Alex Baldock, CEO at Dixons Carphone, says: “Our business exists to help everyone enjoy amazing technology. We’re already helping thousands of older people to digitally connect through our partnership with Age UK and now we’re stepping up to tackle the digital divide in education.”

“Supporting teachers is our first priority as part of this pledge. Teachers are among the heroes of the pandemic and many are struggling with getting the most out of technology and remote learning.”

“We will work with DAFA and the Digital Poverty Alliance to develop solutions to eradicate this problem. With our scale, award winning recycling and reuse operations, significant presence in the community and the help of 22,000 expert UK colleagues, we are confident we can make a difference.”

Paul Finnis, CEO at The Learning Foundation, says: “In our 20-year history of working with schools and technology we've learned how to develop innovative solutions to address the digital discrepancy that exists at home for millions of people.”

“With the pandemic having only exacerbated this divide, having a specialist retailer with the expertise, size and scale of Dixons Carphone will be game changing.”