UNLIMITED data and broadband-boosting dongles are being distributed in the South West to help socially excluded families to get connected.

Vodafone is working with the charity Good Things Foundation to provided unlimited data SIMs and dongles to more than 2,500 people, including almost 150 families and adults with disabilities in the South West.

The technology is aimed at enabling people to access support services, online education and employment opportunities.

The Good Things Foundation has a ‘Connecting Families’ programme which also includes specialist one-on-one support to ensure that, in addition to devices and connectivity, every family learns essential digital skills so they can benefit fully from the tech they’ve been given.

Vodafone has also provided Mi-Fi devices and unlimited data SIMs to support adults with learning disabilities and their carers via Good Things Foundation and Mencap, the UK’s leading learning disability charity.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimates that 1.9 million households in the UK don’t have reliable access to fixed line internet, and as many as 11.7 million people lack the basic digital skills needed to support everyday tasks such as communicating, accessing healthcare and being safe and confident online.

ONS data also points to the disproportionately negative impact Covid-19 has had on disabled people, especially those with learning disabilities, who are more likely to face digital exclusion.

Since March 2020, Good Things Foundation has been distributing devices and connectivity to families across the UK, working with local community partners to ensure the programme reaches families most in need.

The need to address the ‘Digital Divide’ is now greater than ever, says Helen Milner, who is the Foundation’s CEO.

“We’re delighted to be working with Vodafone on the Connecting Families programme,” she said.

“The devices, SIMs and dongles have had a hugely positive impact for many families in some of the most disadvantaged areas of the UK. Digital connectivity and skills are no longer a nice-to-have, but a need-to-have. People who can’t afford a device or data have struggled to access education, financial and job support, and health appointments. We know that digital access has been a lifeline to disadvantaged families.”

Helen Lamprell of Vodafone UK, said: “Our purpose as a business has been supercharged during the pandemic, in particular our role in providing connectivity and support to vulnerable people in society who’ve been disproportionally impacted. Programmes such as schools.connected and The Great British Tech Appeal have played a big role and helped us reach more than 350,000 children and young people. I hope that, via Good Things Foundation and Mencap, we can support even more people at the time they need it most.”

Phil Clark, Digital Partnerships Programme Manager at the learning disability charity Mencap, said: “The world we live in is becoming increasingly digital and, as we have seen during the crisis, it’s more important than ever to be digitally connected. People with a learning disability often struggle to access and use digital tools and it is vital that they are not left behind, particularly during the pandemic when so many have suffered.

“With the right support, people with a learning disability can use technology to be independent, stay connected and feel more included in their local community. We are incredibly grateful to be working with Vodafone and the Good Things Foundation to help connect more people with a learning disability across the UK - especially during such challenging times.”