An airline has donated its ex-crew’s tablets to children who do not have access to tech for school, with the 500 iPads totally a cost of £150,000
An airline has donated £150k worth of tablet devices previously used by its pilots and cabin crew to help youngsters without access to the vital tech they need for school. The 500 iPads have been handed over by easyJet, which has partnered with the Digital Poverty Alliance.
The independent charity, launched in 2021, will distribute the devices nationwide to pupils and families who lack reliable access to digital tools as part of their mission to end digital poverty by 2030.
The travel company has also signed the Digital Inclusion Charter and made a long‑term commitment to donating iPads through future renewal cycles, helping to bridge the digital divide in low‑income communities.
According to the DPA, at least one in five children are digitally excluded in the UK, meaning they lack access to the technology they need to thrive.
The scheme focuses on regions close to the airline’s major UK bases, including Luton, Gatwick and Newcastle. There are some of the areas where digital poverty is most rife.
With the rise of artificial intelligence and related skills such as data analytics, cybersecurity and coding becoming increasingly important stepping stones to opportunity, tackling this disparity is incredibly important.
Research of parents with school-age children found around half worry they can’t provide enough access to the technology needed to properly support their child’s learning.
It also emerged that over three quarters think a lack of access to technology limits children’s learning opportunities, while 93% believe access to technology enhances a child’s ability to learn.
Opal Perry, chief technology officer at easyJet, said: “The UK is facing a growing digital divide.
“With one in five children still living in digital poverty and the number of 16–24 year olds not in education, employment or training approaching one million, we risk leaving an entire generation behind.
“If there aren’t interventions to equip young people with the technology they need to thrive, these inequalities will only deepen.
“It’s essential therefore that we close this gap and this is why we are working with the Digital Poverty Alliance and signing their Charter for Digital Inclusion so we can continue to play our part in ensuring more people have the opportunity to participate in an increasingly digital society.”
The study also revealed the cost of devices (41%) was one of the main barriers holding parents back from giving their child access to tech for education at home.
Six in 10 of the 2,000 parents polled want to see schools increase access to technology.
Elizabeth Anderson, CEO of the Digital Poverty Alliance, said: “Educational success is now closely related to digital access – with children and young people who lack a device regularly struggling to complete homework, coursework and other school assignments.
“It is often assumed that every child is digitally included, but even creating essays and documents on phones is incredibly difficult.
“Over four fifths of parents believe their child’s educational engagement increases when they have a digital device suitable for learning.
“easyJet’s commitment to provide hundreds of iPads will have a huge impact on children and their families, and we are so grateful for their work to make this happen.”