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Unite Students donates computers to disadvantaged young people

28 May 2021

Unite Students donates computers to disadvantaged young people

 

Unite Students has donated 50 laptops to IntoUniversity, a charity which supports young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to help them attain university places.

The pandemic has created new pressures and obstacles for prospective students from this underrepresented group, so the donation comes at a crucial time. The laptops will go directly to the young people IntoUniversity helps, as well as to the charity’s own staff, who have struggled to work from home given the global shortage of IT equipment during the Covid-19 pandemic.

IntoUniversity was founded in 2002 by social entrepreneurs Hugh Rayment-Pickard, Clare Richards and Rachel Carr and has since supported in excess of 133,000 students to realise their aspirations and achieve their full potential. 

With 34 learning centres across England and Scotland, the charity offers an innovative programme which maps a clear route to further education, for those in need of extra support.

Unite Students has supported IntoUniversity for almost 10 years – since 2012 – donating £320,000 in total. In that time, Unite Students staff have also taken up volunteering and mentoring opportunities with the charity to support their young people.

Unite Students is committed, alongside IntoUniversity, to increasing the number of young people from underrepresented groups in higher education.

 

Adam Gill, head of IT Enterprise Services at Unite Students, said:

“We are really pleased to have the opportunity to reuse our laptops in this way at a time when there’s a global laptop shortage due to the pandemic. We hope to be able to facilitate future donations.”

 

Hannah Purkiss, Director of Operations at IntoUniversity, said:

“The kind donation of 50 laptops from Unite Students is having a huge impact on our young people during this challenging time. 

“The support is providing an invaluable resource, enabling them to get the most out of their education and learning, through changing circumstances. 

“The donation also allows us to keep IntoUniversity staff online, equipping them to provide valuable support to our students throughout the pandemic and helping them to stay focused on their education.”