Good360 x Finder: Introducing Laptop Launchpad, addressing the Digital Divide

Good360 Australia are excited to announce our partnership with Finder on our new project to address the Digital Divide in Australia, Laptop Launchpad.

The Australian Digital Inclusion Index found that 1 in 4 Australians are digitally excluded from society. This means that too many Australians do not have access to the same digital services and necessities that most cannot live without. This gap in access to digital tools is referred to as the digital divide.

Good360 Australia have partnered with Finder to call on Australian businesses to donate their retired laptops for a good cause. These laptops will undergo a refurbishment and distribution process through Good360, and they will be connected to Australians in need through our network of over 3,000 charities and disadvantaged schools. This will come at no cost to our members, so they can source the devices their communities require whilst also being able to utilise their budgets for other necessary items. With 53% of our members having requested computers in the past, it is clear the digital divide exists as a social issue to be addressed in order for all Australians to access essential online services.

Why are we addressing the digital divide?

The digital divide has proven to be a significant issue in Australia. As society becomes more reliant on technology in sectors such as health, finance, and education, Australians without access to digital devices will become restricted in their ability to access these essential services. This exclusion is also particularly acute in low-income households, regional Australia, and remote First Nations communities. As a result, digital exclusion can have a multiplier effect and leave people without digital access further disadvantaged in the future, as they lose access to education and job opportunities, and experience isolation.

Good360 Australia are also playing our part in ensuring that retired corporate devices do not go to waste. A recent UN report found that Australia creates more than 500,000 tonnes of e-waste a year, making it the fifth worst offender in the world on a per person basis. Through this partnership, Good360 Australia and Finder aim to redirect one million laptops to the people who need them most. For laptops that are no longer fit-for-purpose, we will see through that laptops are recycled mindfully to prevent excess e-waste.

Finder is kickstarting this campaign with a pledge to donate all company laptops in the fifth year of the device’s life, as well as making a $20,000 donation to cover refurbishment costs. You can read more about Finder on their website.

Our goal is to have 1 million laptops pledged, 100,000 laptops redistributed and $10m raised to cover refurbishment costs, by 2025 – and you can help!

Are you an individual or group who wants to get involved? $100 can help us cover the refurbishment and delivery costs of one laptop. Make a donation to bridge the Digital Divide today.

If your organisation is interested in donating retired laptops, pledge your company’s laptops here.

How you can get involved in Laptop Launchpad