24th June, 2020.
Foreword.
This is part four of a series of articles on digital poverty.
Feel free to comment and share.
Introduction.
Just to let me, in case this piece is new to you?
My name’s Paul: I worked in hospitality for years, and as a retail worker, and call centre agent.
Currently, I’m unemployed: very aware I struggle to pay my bills, and lucky to own the computer kit I have.
And am a lot luckier than at least one of my neighbours: who doesn’t.
This last piece of my current digital poverty pieces?
Tries to explain how I’ve coped, getting hold of things.
Pt 4: Devices.
Right at the moment, I know I’m luckier than one of my neighbours: who has no way of accessing the internet, nor a device — no laptop, tablet, or smart phone — that he can access the ’Net, with.
Were I in his position, I would need something to go online with.
Just one company is handing out prepay tablets.
Prepay tablets, with a sim card that let them connect to the internet over the mobile phone network are ideal ways to access digital services.
But, from what I’ve seen of the service, we need to be online to get them.
At normal times, we could access the relevant site from a public ’Net access point at a local library.
With libraries being closed at the momentª?
Getting one of those tablets is impossible.
The BT deal I mentioned in earlier parts?
Seems is a fantastic offer, for those of us who aren’t online.
But doesn’t come with a laptop* or tablet.
An internet connection is pointless … with no computer to go online with.
I’m aware that some companies will donate older computers — suitable wiped older computers — to various charities, so that they can be sold on to the likes of you and me.
Who those charities are, I don’t know.
I’m aware that some companies will donate older computers — suitable wiped older computers — to various charities, so that they can be sold on to the likes of you and me.
Who those charities are, I don’t know.
I’m also aware that I’ve been lucky, in terms of kit.
But not been able to find many, if any, online charities prepared to hand out laptops.
Let me try and summarise my experience: given I’ve found few charities handing out laptops.
This may offer ideas.
~≈¥≈~
When I first started running pub quizzes, many years ago, I used the family computer, whenever I visited, or the library’s: keeping the various questions sets, and my question collection, on a couple of floppy discs†.
The first computer I owned, some twenty years ago, was a hand-me-down Mac Performa‡, running system 7.
Later ones?
Were cheap refurbished ones from various places.
Including, as I recall, a second hand G4 from a local second hand dealer a friend worked for: and a MacPro tower from the local branch of CeX.
My first new desktop?
The result of winning a £500 bonus at work.
My current Mac?
The result of help from my family.
The same for the refurbished laptop, sitting behind me.
One I originally intended to use, jobhunting at Brentwood Library.
There’s an irony, there.
~≈¥≈~
Given that?
Given my experiences, over the years?
The only way jobseekers like me can get a device to access the ’Net would be if:
- We had the savings to buy one: not easy to build up, especially if our priority is paying the bills first.
- We had a wind fall of some sort: again, we may need to spend that money, elsewhere.
- We were given one as a gift, or donation. That’s not something to rely on.
Right now?
Those of us lucky enough to be able to get a computer, and get an internet connection, have an advantage.
We can learn, job hunt and work from home.
We can access many digital services, online.
We can do so far more easily then those of us who aren’t so lucky.
Those of us who are connected are lucky.
Those of us who aren’t connected?
Are in dire need of help: to get online, and to get a computer to go online with.
Where that help comes from?
I don’t know.
I can only ask you this.
If you’re in the UK, and can help — either with a cheap connection, or a gifting a second-hand computer^, or you’re an organisation that’s donating to those in need — please feel to leave a comment: and let me, and the people reading this, know how you can help.
We need you.
* Just as a thought? I know I’ve used the term tablet, here: especially at the start of the article. I’ve also used the word laptop.
As I write, my tendency is to keep using the word, laptop, as something of a catch-all term: I’m using it to mean ‘internet connectable device’, whether that’s a tablet, smartphone, desktop, what have you.
Feel free to insert whatever term you feel appropriate.
‡ It had a 2.4gb hard-drive. Gosh …
^ As a final thought? If you have a computer you wish to donate to a friend? Please do. If they need one but can’t afford one, they’ll thank you.
Make sure, though, that you take your data — files, photos, music, passwords, contacts and browser bookmarks — off the machine.
Then wipe the hard drive as securely as you can, and re-install the operating system.
Your friend gets a ‘new’ computer: but not your bank details.
ª Essex County Council recently announced libraries will be opening. However, as I found in part two, Brentwood Library is only open to people with an appointment with the Registry Office: and no-one else.
6 comments:
You are right. You are lucky and not everybody has a family who can support them or friends who are in a better financial position than they are. I wonder if the council will keep some sort of registry or list of charities and organisations offering help. Of course, as you point out, these sources of information might only be accessible online, and we're back to a catch-22 type of situation.
I know this is probably irrelevant to the UK and each town or city will work differently, but since I started working at the local radio station in my neighbourhood here, in Barcelona (local newspapers, TV or radio stations might be a good source of information, if there are any around), I became aware of many local associations. Although each one tends to have a different remit, at least here there is a good network, and they tend to know each other, so asking or getting in touch with one of them, people will probably have suggestions and connect you with others who might know more about the topic. They tend to organise events together, to raise funds or for specific causes, and as I say, they are well-connected.
Here, and I know the same is true in the UK, the Church does a lot of charity and welfare work, and are not bad places to gather information. Even though they are not as influential as they are, they tend to have strong roots within the community.
It might depend on the size of the place, but if the local council is of a reasonable size, they probably have a counsellor or a department looking after matters like connectivity, welfare, education, employment, poverty... Reaching out to any of them (in writing if possible) should get some sort of official reply. And I guess for a bigger debate on the matter, your local MP might be the place to go. In writing, for sure, but I imagine they'll start with the local surgeries again once things get moving. Because even when this current crisis ends (and it seems it's going to last a while yet), they should make preparations for the future.
Fabulous work, Paul.
Cheers for that, Olga!
And, I have to be honest, there’s a couple of local church organisation — a couple of food banks, and a furniture store — that I was thinking of contacting.
And, now you mention it?
I’m also thinking one local paper may be able to help: we’ll have to see!
Well done, Paul! Are there any used computer trading centers? You don't need to buy the newest and the best, but it seems like there should be a way for folks to maybe trade in old tech for newer or something.
Definitely contacting the paper or writing a letter to the editor would at least raise awareness of the problem.
I can't claim to have the answers, but you did a nice write-up.
Someone may be heading a non-profit that'a looking into this. Maybe.
Funny you should mention that, Debbi: there is a local branch of CeX, which does exactly that.
I used to work there, many moons ago.
It’s good: but it’s prices are a touch steep.
Thanks, Paul. You've done a tonne of work and still more to come, but I'm sure it will be useful to many people. Perhaps you should get into local politics. (Big politics I think most of us are very sceptical about, but I've seen people achieving some things in the local ambit, with community support, as independents as well. And most of your jobs have to do with talking to people, so you have good knowledge of the word in the street. :)
Oh, that’s something I’m always wary of, Olga: remind me to mention The flats at The end of my street!
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