Traveller Families and e‑Learning Foundation Grants
This is a news item supplied by Ken Marks of The School of Education in Sheffield.
If you have any queries or require further information please refer them to the e-learning foundation. You will find their email and website addresses at the bottom of this page.
The e-Learning Foundation has been working with schools to help address the digital divide since 2001. Its main grant programme is focused on schemes which encourage parents to work with their schools to raise some funding towards the cost of ICT equipment and connectivity, and grants are used to enhance school-based efforts. The Foundation’s core principles involve equity (all children must benefit equally regardless of family income), sustainability (largely through parental contributions), and ensuring that the equipment is used in the home (not just in school).
Any school can affiliate and to date some 400 have taken this step, with something like 100,000 children benefiting. TES need to be alert to the work of the Foundation as there may well be schools which could be encouraged to participate, with long-term benefits for Traveller pupils
However, the main purpose of this note is to alert colleagues to a special Individual Support Grant programme which the Foundation is coordinating and which will run to February, 2010. The programme is aimed at families who won’t meet the Home Access criteria (children at Key Stage 2 or 3 and an annual income of less than £16,040), but are earning less than £27,000. Such families can receive a grant towards the cost of purchasing a computer and towards mobile-broadband connectivity
How will it work
There are likely to be quite a lot of Traveller families who might benefit, but applications have to be made by their school. The school would need to affiliate to the e-Learning Foundation and will need to apply on behalf of at least ten families. Note that they don’t all need to be Traveller families. The overall grant would be for up to 30% of the total cost; although any one family could receive up to 50% of the cost of equipment. Unlike the main equity grant schemes schools will not need to raise any funds although there will be a £50 administration fee per application.
A final note
Becta has set aside a fixed sum of money for this scheme and it will be run on a first come first served basis within the February, 2010 deadline mentioned above. So if you are aware of families/schools who might benefit they need to act quickly.
For further information please contact the e-Learning Foundation
01932 796 685
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