Students who attend the alternative provision setting The River Bourne Edge will benefit from a suite of 10 computers which has been donated by Wiltshire Digital Drive as part of its mission to bridge the digital divide in the south west. Coming as it does during Get Online Week*, the donation will make a significant difference through online access for learning, and also enable The River Bourne Edge to provide IT skills and improved development opportunities to the young people it supports.
Situated on a community farm in Salisbury, the River Bourne Edge offers alternative education provision for a variety of secondary-age students whose behaviour, mental health or medical needs prevent them from accessing mainstream schools. It has a strong restorative and relationship-based approach, which puts relationships at the heart of learning in order to meet the individual needs of each student, inspire confidence and foster both academic success and personal growth.
Maxine Fox, Head at The River Bourne Edge, commented, “This is an exciting development for our students and we are very grateful for the support of Wiltshire Digital Drive. Providing computers for our students to use will make a big difference to their accessibility to learning, not just for the subjects they wish to study and their projects, but also for personal and social development. It will also save valuable time for my team.”
“Our education is tailored to meet each student’s academic need, and since these differ so do their study and learning requirements. And there is so much now online that you just can’t get from a book. Digital access will provide a boost to all here, from enhancing academic study to exploring further education opportunities and building essential digital skills for job-finding and employment.
Natalie Luckham, Wiltshire Digital Drive CEO, commented, “The River Bourne Edge is a fantastic initiative. Supporting Maxine and the team with this donation was a natural choice as we aim to open up digital access for all. Having access to tech in their setting will further enable education and learning for those they work with.”
Non-profit organisation Wiltshire Digital Drive is helping to alleviate digital poverty while also tackling a growing IT waste problem by supporting re-use and a circular economy. To date it has provided refurbished devices for over 3,200 individuals and families, while also saving 6.5 tonnes of electronic waste from going to landfill. Equipment is obtained through donations, either from corporate donors who are replacing equipment or from members of the public who are able to donate devices through a network of donation stations across the Wiltshire and Somerset region.
