In April 2020 several funders came together in a unique partnership to release £50,000 of funds to local post primary schools in North Belfast in response to the Covid-19 outbreak.  Led by Belfast Charitable Society, funding was also provided from the Halifax Foundation, UCIT, the Ulster University (Santander Universities Fund) and The National Lottery Community Fund. The funding was quickly and directly used to support the immediate needs of over 225 students across five secondary schools.

This unique funding opportunity allowed for the purchase of hundreds of computers and other resources for those students who did’t have access to online learning. Part of a project entitled ‘Immediate Access Learning’, Paula Reynolds, CEO of Belfast Charitable Society explained “As a long-standing charity, we continue to work hard to address disadvantage in Belfast. The current situation is unprecedented, and on a number of levels further accentuates issues in north Belfast. It came to our attention that a high proportion of students within post primary schools were currently without access to online learning. This funding allowed for 225 students to access a fully refurbished laptop, in order for them to meet all of the educational requirements needed, and also give the schools some support to resource its wider body of students”.

Five schools were selected to receive the support. These were the Belfast Model School for Girls, Belfast Boys Model School, Mercy College, Hazelwood Integrated College and Blessed Trinity College, all of which have a high percentage of students entitled to Free School Meals.  The students who received the laptops benefited quickly and directly, and came from diverse backgrounds and across all of North Belfast.

The project also provided long term benefits too, as these same students become more comfortable about using IT at home, something that will be extremely useful for future jobs and education as remote working becomes the new norm. In addition, these schools will continue to act as a conduit to re-use this equipment for the next few years to come, allowing for future students to benefit also.

Speaking on behalf of the schools in receipt of this support, Paula Stuart from the Belfast Model School for Girls said “We were delighted and relieved to be able to offer this support to our students who need it most, in this current crisis. We are aware of so many students from the area currently not able to access online learning, because they don’t have access to a computer at home. Short term, this will be a huge help in preventing the attainment gap widening further for those from deprived areas. Longer term, the benefit of these students being more confident with technology will also boost their further education and career opportunities in the future. On behalf of all the schools and students, I’d like to thank Belfast Charitable Society, the Halifax Foundation, UCIT, Ulster University and The National Lottery Community Fund for this much needed funding”.

Paula Reynolds, CEO of Belfast Charitable Society concluded “We are extremely thankful to the other funders for their support and agility in responding to this need so quickly. These laptops offered a lifeline for students, allowing them to access their school community and learning resources.”