Connectivity for Plymouth's RAS Community

It had come to light that some refugee and asylum seeker community members were prioritising data over essentials such as food due to the pandemic. Spending £40 on data in order to stay connected with friends and family, access online shopping, and keep up with the latest news.

Internet access has become essential during COVID-19 lockdown as agencies and services have moved online and free wifi hotspots have reduced leaving the most vulnerable people more isolated, distressed, and worried about themselves and their families. In recent publications from the BBC, the lockdown has highlighted the Digital Inequality in the UK, identifying 1.9 million households that do not have internet access, Information Technology devices, or the knowledge or skills for such devices. 

Plymouth Connectivity Project Aims:

• Better financial management
• Reducing isolation
• Greater impact on mental health
• Increasing communication with friends and family
• Access to education - child through to adult
• Access to other online projects and programmes in supporting the RAS community

Plymouth Hope has worked in close partnership with Devon and Cornwall Refugee Services (DCRS)/Sparc Sport collaboration, ODILS, Plymouth City Council (PCC), Beyond Borders, and received an independent donation in a movement to provide Wifi dongles to National Asylum Seeker Services (NASS) accommodation. 

The aim of this project is to get Plymouth's Refugees and Asylum Seekers community members online with little or no barriers for a fixed-term period during the pandemic. 

We have undertaken taken research to find the most cost-effective unlimited data plan for the number of National Asylum Seeker Support accommodation houses on organisations' records, each dongle cost £33 per month. Due to the funds from partnering organisations in and around Plymouth, Plymouth Hope has been successful in securing 79 dongle for two months with Vodafone, this project has been wildly appreciated by the beneficiaries. 

A survey was carried out after a month of the Wifi dongles being dispatched

Comments and Feedback: 

• "It’s very good to have WIFI so we don’t have to use data for online studying and keeping in touch with friends and family. The WIFI box is nice and compact."
• "In general the connection, it’s good and average. On the other hand, it’s really helpful mainly during this COVID period, and even after why not? Thank you ???????? for this amazing initiative."
• "The Wifi box is very helpful to contact with family and to learn English lessons from YouTube"
• "Very good, now I know I can study at home, which is very important to me."

What have you used the Wifi box for? 

• Contacting family and friends
• Social Media platforms - Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc
• What's App
• DCRS (Devon and Cornwall Refugee Services) activities
• Odils activities
• Education for Adults
• YouTube
• News
• Legal Advice"

Understanding your donation:

£33 will provide Wifi for 1 house for one month

£16.50 will provide Wifi for 1 house for two weeks

£8.25 will provide Wifi for 1 house for a week

We, Plymouth Hope and The Connectivity Partners would be grateful for your financial support to allow us to continue this project to support the Refugee and asylum-seeking community in accessing agencies, education, news, online information, and online physical activities.