Empower Young Londoners Through Tech Workshops

Aim: Minko’s Tech Workshops will empowers 11–18-year-olds with digital skills, tech confidence & STEM access, bridging London’s digital divide.

My Journey

Hello! My name is Daryl Morgan, and I want to share the journey that led me to create Minko’s Tech Workshops. Not long ago, I was known more as a musician and a dreamer than as a tech entrepreneur. In fact, I even ran a small record label in my early days. But around 2010, life took an unexpected turn and pushed me toward technology. With just £70 in my pocket, I decided to take a leap of faith I bought a broken old Apple computer, fixed it up, and sold it. That humble £70 investment was the seed of what became Minko’s Macs, my own tech repair and resale business. 

I worked tirelessly, often selling refurbished computers out of the boot of my car. Over time, that little venture grew into a multi-million pound business, now turning over about £700,000 a year. I like to call this journey “passion-preneurship” turning my passion into a successful enterprise.

But I never forgot where I came from or how it felt to struggle for opportunities. I grew up in a community where talent was everywhere, yet opportunities in tech were scarce. My own rise from a cash-strapped creative kid to the owner of an award-winning tech company showed me what’s possible when someone believes in you and when you have the right tools. 

I founded Minko’s Macs on dedication and hard work, and as it thrived (we even won back-to-back awards as the Best Computer Repair Company 2024/2025 & 2025/2026), I began asking myself: How can I give back? How can I help more people find their footing in the tech world, especially those who might not have the chances I had?

Why I Started Minko’s Tech Workshops

By 2025, it became clear to me that the digital divide in my city was growing. Too many young people in London were being left behind in the digital world. 

In my repair shops and local community, I met bright teenagers who were brimming with curiosity and creativity, kids who could be the next great programmers or engineers, but they had no access to equipment or mentors. Some didn’t have a computer or internet at home; others had never met anyone working in tech. These were underserved, marginalised young people with huge potential, yet no support to explore technology in a positive way. Hearing their stories reminded me of my own journey. I saw myself in their excitement and frustration. I knew something had to change. That’s why I launched Minko’s Tech Workshops.

In early 2025, with the support of my company (Minko’s Macs Ltd), I set up this non-profit initiative specifically to bridge the digital divide for young people. It started in response to a growing need: the need for a place where any kid no matter their background or postcode could get hands-on with technology and feel like they belong in the tech world. What began as a simple local Mac repair service has evolved into something greater, a movement to educate, equip, and empower students aged 11–18 with the skills, tools, and confidence to thrive in the modern digital economy.

I vividly remember our very first workshop session. We had a small room below one of my repair shops, filled with a handful of second-hand laptops and a couple of eager volunteers. The kids who showed up that day were shy at first. Many had never had someone encourage them in tech. But within a few hours, you could see their eyes light up, they were coding simple games, taking apart a computer to see how it worked, and most importantly, realising that “Hey, I can do this!” That day affirmed everything for me. Minko’s Tech Workshops was born to make sure no young person with an interest in technology gets left behind simply because of their circumstances.

Today, our workshops provide much more than just an hour of tinkering. We offer age-tailored, in-person classes, a growing online learning platform, and even a structured year-long mentorship program for continued guidance.

A teenager who comes through our doors not only learns about coding or how to build a PC they also find mentors (people who look like them, who understand them), a supportive peer community, and a path toward a future in tech. This project is deeply personal to me. I know firsthand how one opportunity, one yes, one mentor, one second-hand computer can completely change the trajectory of a life. My vision was to create those opportunities for the next generation of innovators.

Meet the Team

I may be the founder, but I’m far from alone in this mission. I’m fortunate to have a passionate core team that brings Minko’s Tech Workshops to life:

• Cynthia Sargeant – With over 10 years of experience in business management, Cynthia is the one who keeps us organized and sustainable behind the scenes. She handles everything from coordinating workshops to forging partnerships, ensuring we can focus on teaching.

• Sherene Cole – Sherene has 10+ years in healthcare and a heart of gold. She makes sure our programs nurture the whole student. From promoting mental wellbeing to making our sessions inclusive for kids with special needs, Sherene’s expertise ensures every child feels safe and supported.

• Iffrah Rasheed – A psychologist with over a decade of experience, Iffrah designs our mentorship and student support strategies. She trains our volunteers in youth development and helps us craft sessions that build confidence, not just tech skills. If a student is struggling with self-doubt, Iffrah is there to help lift them up.

Each member of my team shares my belief in the potential of these young people. We are educators, mentors, and community members first. From day one, we’ve all worn many hats, teaching classes, repairing donated laptops, hosting parent info nights, whatever it takes. It’s this small but dedicated team (and our wonderful volunteers) that turn the vision into a day-to-day reality. When you support this project, you’re supporting all of us working together to inspire the next generation.

Our Vision and Impact

I believe technology should be an equaliser, not a divider, every young mind should have the chance to thrive in our tech-driven world. 

My vision for Minko’s Tech Workshops is simple: a future where every young person regardless of their postcode, background, or ability, has the opportunity to participate fully in the digital age, and even help shape the future of technology for the better. We are here to close the digital divide, one student at a time.

In our first year, we’ve laid a strong foundation and already made an impact I'm incredibly proud of. We are on track to reach over 1,000 students annually through our in-person and digital programs. 

To do this, we’ve established workshops in four key London locations: Lewisham, Camden, Shoreditch, and Wimbledon a spread that allows us to engage youth from a wide range of communities across the city. By being in multiple boroughs, we ensure that a student doesn’t have to travel far (or at all) to find us; we are already in North, East, South and West London.

We’ve also developed tailored curricula for three age groups (11–13, 14–16, and 16–18), covering everything from basic computer literacy and coding for beginners to advanced topics like building custom PCs and cybersecurity. 

The look on a 12-year-old’s face when they first get an LED to blink with code or the pride a 17-year-old feels after assembling their own computer those moments are absolutely priceless. And they’re happening every other week now in our workshops.

The impact isn’t just in skills learned; it’s in confidence gained. I’ve already witnessed dozens of success stories – students who came in doubting themselves but left with newfound excitement for technology and even dreams of tech careers they never thought were possible. 

One of our students, previously quiet and unsure, told us after a few sessions that she now wants to become a software engineer and help create apps for her community. That’s the kind of transformational spark we aim for. We make it a point to bridge gaps across ability, background, and gender everyone is welcome, whether they’re a total newbie or already tinkering at home.

Another thing that makes Minko’s Tech Workshops special is our emphasis on sustainable technology and social good. London discards tons of electronics each year, yet many of our kids can’t afford a computer. So we teach green computing: we gather donated or broken computers, and the students help refurbish and recycle them as part of learning. This not only gives them hands-on hardware experience, it also reduces e-waste and teaches responsibility for our planet. Some of those refurbished machines even go home with students who need them, creating a wonderful circle of giving.

And we don’t stop at workshops. Learning a bit of code or soldering is great, but I want these young people to see a future for themselves in tech. That’s why we’ve launched a 12-month mentorship programme for graduates of our workshops. This includes help with writing CVs, career guidance, introductions to industry contacts, and even work experience opportunitiesminkostechworkshops.com. If a student discovers they love IT support or graphic design, we pair them with mentors in that field. We’ve had teens obtain internships (and even job offers) through connections made in our mentorship program. It’s about turning new skills into real life chances.

Our mission has garnered support from the wider community as well. We’re proud to have industry figures and partners like Tim Campbell (of The Apprentice fame, and a fantastic advocate for youth entrepreneurship) and Bromley College backing our vision. Their involvement ranges from guest-speaking at workshops to providing resources and venues. Knowing that experienced professionals and educators believe in these kids sends a powerful message: you matter, and we’re investing in you.

None of this would have been possible without the strong foundation of Minko’s Macs. Being an award-winning tech company in the community gave us the credibility and resources to hit the ground running. We’ve been able to channel our technical expertise and contacts towards teaching young people. For example, our repair technicians volunteer as instructors, and our business clients often donate their used equipment. It’s a beautiful symbiosis fixing computers funded my start in life, and now fixing computers is helping fuel a new generation of tech enthusiasts.

How We Will Use Your Support

Now, we’re at a pivotal moment. The demand is growing more schools want us to host workshops, more parents are signing up their kids, and our waiting lists are getting longer. To meet this need, I’m aiming to raise £1.5 million through this Crowdfunder campaign. Reaching this goal will allow us to empower over 1,000 young people in our first year of full operation, and set the stage for even greater impact in years to come. I want to be completely transparent about how this funding will be used. Every pound will go directly toward expanding and sustaining the workshop program. Here’s the breakdown of our plan:

• Skilled Instructors & Mentors (£894,000) – The largest portion goes to people. This will allow us to hire and train passionate instructors, a program coordinator, and support staff to run sessions year-roundminkostechworkshops.com. Great mentorship is at the heart of what we do, so we need to invest in our educators.
• Equipment & Facilities (£100,000) – We’ll purchase additional laptops, Raspberry Pi kits, software licenses, and tools for the studentsminkostechworkshops.com. This also covers maintaining our workshop spaces (utilities, internet) and even basics like refreshments for the kids during sessions (got to keep that brain fuel coming!).
• Outreach & Community Engagement (£50,000) – We set aside funds to reach the youth who need us mostminkostechworkshops.com. This covers creating accessible online content, translating materials for non-English-speaking parents, visiting schools and youth clubs to spread the word, and keeping our website and online learning portal running smoothly. We want to ensure no one misses out simply because they haven’t heard about the program.
• Curriculum & Educational Materials (£15,000) – This covers the development of our workshop curriculum and procurement of learning materialsminkostechworkshops.com. For example, we’ll buy textbooks and DIY electronics kits, and provide software licenses for things like coding platforms and cybersecurity sandboxes. These resources help us give students a top-notch, industry-relevant learning experience at no cost to them.
• Contingency Fund (£30,000) – Lastly, we have a small safety net for unforeseen expensesminkostechworkshops.com. This is just good practice for a new initiative – whether it’s repairing a batch of donated laptops, covering transport costs for students who can’t afford travel, or adapting to any surprise challenges, this fund ensures the program can weather the unexpected.

(All figures above are part of our £1.5M budget plan. Any amount raised will be put to use in line with these priorities.)

By contributing, you’re not just writing a cheque – you’re literally putting tools into a young person’s hands. You’re paying for the skilled mentor who will ignite a lifelong passion, the laptop that a student will learn to code on, the internet connection that will let a shy kid join our virtual class from home. We run as a non-profit Community Interest Company, which means every penny goes back into the community we serve. I am committed to full accountability. As we achieve milestones – from launching new workshop locations to hitting that 1,000-student mark I’ll be sharing updates so you can see the impact of your support in real time.

Join Me in Empowering Young Minds

My life has taught me that talent is universal, but opportunity is not. I was lucky to find my opportunity through that first £70 computer. Many kids out there haven’t had their break yet – and together, we can give it to them. I truly believe that every pound helps unlock a young person’s digital future. By supporting this Crowdfunder, you are opening doors for these students. You’re telling a kid, “Yes, you belong in tech. Yes, you can do this.”

Imagine a London where the next generation of innovators, engineers, and entrepreneurs comes from every corner of the city from well-off suburbs and council estates alike. That’s the future I’m working towards. The students we empower today could go on to develop life-saving medical AI, create the next big app, or become teachers who inspire others in their community. The ripple effects of giving these young people a chance will benefit all of us.

This project isn’t just about teaching tech; it’s about hope, dignity, and self-belief. I’ve seen a teenager’s confidence soar after she fixes her first computer. I’ve seen friends made between kids from very different backgrounds, bonding over a shared love of coding. When you support Minko’s Tech Workshops, you’re fostering these moments. You’re helping to build a future where no child feels left out of the modern world.

Thank you for reading my story and considering our cause. This is more than a fundraiser for me it’s my heartfelt mission. With your help, I know we can bridge the digital divide and uplift an entire generation, one student at a time. Let’s make sure that every young person who dreams of a brighter future in tech has the chance to achieve it. Thank you for joining me on this journey to empower the next generation.

Together, we can inspire and equip hundreds of young minds – and in doing so, light up the future for us all. Let’s make it happen!

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 26th August 2025 at 10:18am