RAD connection with Ara | Te Pūkenga gifts 60 laptops to students in need
02 May, 2023
Partnering with Ara “a shortcut to key targets in digital divide”
NCEA students (L- R) Ratu Fuaolefau, Dormay Laufiso and Sydelle Samuelu run checks on laptops before taking them home.
A new relationship between Ara | Te Pūkenga and the Recycle a Device (RAD) programme has resulted in more than 60 ākonga (students) taking home refurbished laptops to help with their studies.
It’s the first time RAD has partnered with Ara’s Pacific Bloom holiday programme and the Whaipānga series (this one specialising in digital technologies). Both Pacific Bloom and the Whaipānga series, which offers experiences across a range of departments, are geared towards connecting with Pacific and Māori high school students.
Year 9 to 13 students from all over Canterbury and South Canterbury attended the three-day Pacific Bloom programme. They gathered on campus for NCEA tutoring, workshops, and study tasters as well as fun activities and the opportunity to meet others.
But the workshop, hosted by RAD, was a gamechanger for many. They learned new skills in refurbishing recycled devices before getting to take one home.
NCEA Level 2 Student Dormay Laufiso initially came to Ara for holiday help with maths, science and English but left with her own laptop.
“It will be really helpful for me because most of my work is online,” Laufiso explained. “But with no laptop at home I have to do everything at school by borrowing a device there. This will mean I can get work done after school hours.”
The workshops provided hands on learning in digital technologies.
“Figuring out how to break it down and refurbish it has actually been really simple,” she added. “The presentation and the imagery put up on the board make it really easy to follow.”
RAD was initially set up during the nationwide Covid lockdowns, under the umbrella of Digital Futures Aotearoa. It provides an accessible circular economy for unwanted hardware, increased access to digital technology education and free devices to those in need.
It embraced an idea to repurpose and distribute laptops which originated with Remojo tech, a start-up founded by a pair of then-high schoolers trying to meet the needs of fellow students.
Co-founder Owyn Aitken said it was rewarding to see the RAD partnership grow.
Now studying at Otago University, Remojo co-founder Owyn Aitken was on hand for the Ara workshops – their biggest ever.
He said it was rewarding seeing RAD go from strength to strength while satisfying the not-for-profit’s key aims.
“Students gain the skills to fix pretty much any computer by taking it apart and putting it back together. They walk away with a device for their learning or applying for jobs, and at the same time we’re reducing e-waste.”
The computers come from large corporates or government ministries and a lot of work goes in before the programme to remove private data and troubleshoot problems. The trainers also pre-diagnose any issues to ensure any necessary parts are ordered.
With strong goals of donating 5000 laptops into the community in 2023, RAD Community and Schools Liaison Eva Riddell said partnering with Ara’s programmes ticked a lot of boxes.
“Our targets have always been those groups who we know are unfortunately affected by the digital divide in New Zealand and this is primarily our Pacific, Māori and new migrant communities.” Riddell said noting that having a device is almost a basic human right.
“With services now online, a cell phone just doesn’t cut it for schoolwork or paperwork. So, for us it’s about trying to help level the playing field.”
Riddell said it was hoped barriers to careers in information technology might also be broken down. “That’s the seed we hope to plant. The ultimate would be empowering students to consider applying for a digital technologies course at Ara when they hadn’t considered it before.”
Ara Engagement Services Te Kaiwhakauru (Team Leader) Tia Hunt said it was rewarding seeing the ākonga signed up to the Whaipānga Digital Technologies event so absorbed in learning through the unique teaching style of the RAD team.
“The rangatahi are relatable, and the group seemed to find it easier to engage with them and the work itself,” he said. “Watching the class in action I think everyone will have taken something away from this session – well beyond simply taking a device home.”
Find out more about RAD here: Recycle a Device
Keep up to date with Pacific Bloom here: Pacific Bloom 2023 - Ara