Now Nobius supports the Good Things Foundation

Nobius IT Monitoring specialists supports The Good Things Foundation

At the #DigiGov conference mid September #Nobius exhibited our IT Monitoring wares (#Zabbix), as many companies do. I wasn’t expecting to learn about the major issue that is the UK’s Digital Divide. Well I came away vowing that now Nobius supports the Good Things Foundation Let me tell you why.

UK Digital Divide

I discovered that despite the amazing efforts of The Good Things Foundation , and other valuable organisations, it seems that by 2030 there will still be around 5 MILLION people in the UK with NO WAY OF CONNECTING TO THE INTERNET. And I mean NO WAY – whether that be cost, connectivity or devices. Imagine that, getting on for 10% of the UK will be effectively excluded from society.

To get an idea of what this means, it’s almost 56 Wembley Stadiums full.

Surely we should all contribute to ensuring that doesn’t happen. Can you?

What is this Foundation

The Good Things Foundation was founded by several collaborators in 2010 and since then it builds and manages program to fill the digital divide.
Let me tell you the 3 main ways how they do it;

They support the National Databank – mobile service providers donate SIM cards preloaded with an amount of data access.
They coordinate and refurbish unused devices via the National Device Bank, distributing them to people affected by the digital divide.
They support the National Digital Inclusion Network, providing education to enable digitally excluded people to access the Internet and Digital Services.

I encounter many customers as we discuss and implement IT Monitoring solutions using open-source software Zabbix. So now I’m aware of the Good Things Foundation, my colleagues and I at #Nobius have decided to support it directly.

Our commitment

We’re proud to collaborate on this exciting initiative, and we commit to;
– spread the word about this foundation’s good work
– encourage our customers to consider how they can contribute to its actions
– re-circulate our own equipment to help the foundation achieve its stated goal “where everyone benefits from digital
– contribute appropriate online resources into their growing library
– assist foundation members and the digitally excluded by donating our time and expertise to those who need it.

Why you might consider helping

A wide digital divide is expensive for all of us. Being unable to take advantage of services that are offered online – for instance, banking, car tax, council tax and advice services means that these services must be offered via many different channels.
All this costs real money to run.

Now I am not advocating shutting down telephone lines, but I am advocating that IF you can do it online then that’s the cheapest way to do it. Also, you don’t have to wait in phone queue for literally hours to speak to someone who answers your question in a minute.

There’s also the benefit of widening the skill base of younger people. At Nobius we’re concerned that one consequence of the digital divide is that younger people are excluded from the workplace because they don’t have the digital skills that are needed for just about every good paying job and career option. I believe that needs to be fixed so as businesses we have access to enthusiastic, confident and above all digitally-motivated people.

Finally, let’s play the green card. Not the US Immigration scheme, but the environmental impact.

Stop throwing away old kit. Get in touch with The Good Things Foundation and donate it. Typically, this costs businesses nothing and youare making a real difference to closing the digital divide