Two community projects in West Leeds have been boosted by grants of up to £10,000 to help tackle inequalities around digital access.
The Leeds Digital Inclusion Fund was established in 2022 in partnership with Leeds Community Foundation, 100% Digital Leeds and Leeds Digital Ball, to support communities and individuals to have the skills, support and equipment they need to be active online now andin the future.
This year’s Fund was also part-funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, meaning nine funded projects will be able to deliver interventions to get people online.
Latest recipients include Getting Clean CIC, an Armley-based project formed by recovering addicts helping each other and the local community to get clean.
Getting Clean means more than stopping taking drugs. They take the teachings of addiction recovery and extend them to environmental issues to show how the therapeutic value of ‘getting clean’ relates not only to our bodies and minds but also to our streets and local communities.
They will use the grant to hold weekly digital support sessions to help people in recovery from addiction gain essential digital skills.
And Christ Church Armley Community Projects Ltd support refugees and asylum seekers across Leeds.
Their focus is improving the lives and meeting the practical needs of refugees so they can participate more fully in society.
The grant will support them to establish a Digital Lab space within their drop-in and women’s groups to meet the IT needs of the refugee and asylum community registered with them.
Cleveland Henry, Chair of Leeds Community Foundation said: “The demand for funding this year has been greater than ever with Leeds Community Foundation receiving 48 strong applications and calls for support.
“We are truly grateful for our partnership with 100% Digital Leeds and Leeds Digital Ball who are offering a long-term commitment to raise funds year on year to support Community Organisations who are working with those who face the greatest degree of digital exclusion.”
Approximately 13-19 million people aged 16+ in the UK are digitally excluded due to lack of access, devices, skills or connectivity. With 3.7 million households with children who don’t meet the Minimum Digital Living Standard, the digital divide is vast.
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