CTT Helps Youth in Small Scottish Town Bridge the Digital Divide
Gorebridge, a small former mining town near Edinburgh, has struggled to adapt to life after the collapse of the British coal industry. Many businesses have closed or moved elsewhere, and investment in services and facilities is hard to come by. In 2004, the Gorebridge Community Development Trust (GCDT) was formed to attempt to address some of these issues and help regenerate the area.
Since many young people in Gorebridge do not have Internet access at home, GCDT decided to create a computer facility for young people. The Gorebridge Youth Room gives kids an opportunity to play online games, tap into social networks, and do their homework. It is hopefully the first step in bringing Gorebridge into the modern world.
Donations made through the Charity Digital Exchange, the IT donation program of Charity Digital, a TechSoup Global partner in the United Kingdom, were instrumental in setting up the GCDT computer lab. The lab's six PCs were equipped with a Cisco router and wireless adapters, Microsoft Office 2007, and Vista Business upgrades.
