New Media Awards 2007 Atos Origin

e-Learning Foundation

http://www.e-learningfoundation.co.uk

Nominated in Education award category.

The e-Learning Foundation was launched in 2001 with an aim to significantly increase access to ICT for education, and specifically to ensure that every schoolchild in the UK should have access to technology for learning when and where they want to learn, especially at home.

The Foundation, a registered charity, aims to bridge the digital divide and ensure that all children, irrespective of their background, can have access to technology for learning at home.

The Foundation is funded through both the public and private sector in the form of Government grants, commercial sponsorship and donations.

1 nomination from readers

  • The e-Learning Foundation, established in 2001, has been working tirelessly to reduce the effect of this “Digital Divide” by consulting with schools, parents and stakeholders to ensure that all children have access to technology learning resources that, when and where they need them, both at home and at school.

    Most of us take technology for granted. It is part of our daily lives - how we work, learn and communicate with each other. But 2.5 million of the most disadvantaged schoolchildren in the UK are still living on the edge of our digital society with no home access to a computer and the Internet.

    Computer skills can help these children avoid poverty in the future. Without action the UK will increasingly become polarised between the e-included and the e-excluded.

    The Government understand the detrimental impact of the digital divide. It has created a Ministerial Task Force to draw up a plan to provide all school age children with IT access.

    Jim Knight, the Minister for State, has commended the e-Learning Foundation on the work it has done to close the digital divide and provide home access to deprived areas. The Government has invited the e-Learning Foundation to spearhead the Third Sector on the Task Force.

    The e-Learning Foundation beat off stiff competition to become a chosen charity for the DSGi Group’s ‘Switched on Communities’ project, a three year community investment program to support disadvantaged groups through the provision of technology and training.

    35,000 children in the UK have so far benefited from £8 million worth of grants provided by the e-Learning Foundation to set up sustainable projects at 200 schools around the UK.

    Nominated by J Howells, 12 April 2007

3 comments from readers

  • clear and informative site stating principles and outlining operations. easy to move around and find information

    Submitted by andrea, 14 April 2007

  • Easy to understand site, which clearly represents a valuable cause.

    Submitted by David, 14 April 2007

  • An organisation that does a valuable job in helping disadvantaged children to gain the technological skills they need to learn and to gain employment in later life. And it has a great website!

    Submitted by Rachael, 22 April 2007