Henfield Youth Club is celebrating the power of connectivity, thanks to a grant awarded by Focus Foundation. The charitable foundation equipped the youth group with four new computers and provided funding to cover the cost of essential software upgrades to existing equipment.
The grant has been awarded to provide the young people who attend Henfield Youth Club with the technology, equipment and skills they need to feel empowered to reach their full potential. It allows the children who attend the youth club to use the computers for CV writing, job searches and applications together with providing an essential tool for career research and communication.
In order to optimise the power of the new technology, one of the IT experts from Focus Group volunteered to deliver IT training to young people at the club. The training covered the knowledge and skills needed to maximise the benefits of the new equipment and how to maintain the technology.
Focus Foundation is a fundraising and grant-giving charity, and the philanthropic arm of Focus Group - a leading UK provider of essential business technology. With its vision to connect customers, people, and communities at the heart of what they do, Focus Foundation was established in 2021 to support UK-based charities and social enterprises. Its principal ambition is to make a positive and lasting change to people’s lives.
Elaine Goodman, trustee at Focus Foundation said: “I’m delighted we’ve been able to support Henfield Youth Club. It’s been a challenging couple of years for young people, with ongoing disruption to education, training and personal development experiences. So now - more than ever - they need the tools, motivation and support to build the confidence they need to move into further education, training opportunities and career pathways.”
Henfield Youth Club manager Debbie Slaughter, added: “We are really grateful to Focus Foundation for their support in this project. It has given our members a fantastic understanding of how computers are put together, which is a brilliant educational experience. We have been able to upgrade our very outdated systems, giving the young people the opportunity to use them for homework, research and not to mention fun playing their games! Mark has been brilliant with our young people, patient and informative. They have loved it!”
Elaine Goodman
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