IT Reuse York
Bridging the Digital Divide
Improving Access to IT Equipment One Device At a Time
How it Works
Computer is donated
Machine is wiped and repaired
Community worker makes an application
Collected from the store
About Us
The IT ReUse project is supported by a group of organisations in York who have shared goals in advancing the causes of digital inclusion, environmentalism and reuse. We accept donations of IT equipment from the general public and local businesses, and then through a network of community workers we distribute it to individuals who aren’t able to access essential services and risk getting left behind by the digital divide. We do not charge anything for our services.
How we started & where we’re going
In July 2020 a partnership between City of York Council, The Community Furniture Store and Changing Lives formed the IT ReUse project to provide access to free computers and tablets to those most in need.
IT ReUse aims to address difficulties and challenges highlighted by the pandemic. In the City of York, 9% of people do not have access to the internet – that equates to approximately 15,000. That means that they can’t access education resources, online banking, benefits or take part in social activities. Many people take these things for granted.
Our goal is to eliminate digital exclusion in York – not just during the pandemic, but for good.
In October 2020 The Community Furniture Store and Changing Lives received grant funding from The Two Ridings Community Foundations to provide access to refurbished IT equipment donated from business and the general public. We have continued to receive funding from a variety of benefactors. Through an Internet connectivity grant from City of York Council we’ve expanded our offering to include standalone Internet connections throughout 2022.
We continue to expand our offerings and provide opportunities for volunteers gain vital experience in the IT industry.
Anna was thrilled with the laptop – especially the fact that it had a case! She said it will make a huge difference to her and her kids”
York Learning