tech-reuse-for-good

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Wed, 21 Oct 2026 01:17:20 GMT

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Wed, 21 Oct 2026 01:16:17 GMT

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Wed, 21 Oct 2026 01:15:36 GMT

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Takai, Lola digital training partner - Thursday Island

Grace’s first A

Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:17:07 GMT

Tech4Kids Tasmania | WorkVentures, Anglicare TAS, TasCOSS and TasNetworks

Grace, a Year 9 student in Tasmania, did not have internet access or basic software such as Microsoft Word outside school hours. Without the tools to complete assignments at home, her grades sat around Cs and Ds.

Receiving a refurbished laptop through Tech4Kids gave Grace her own device for research and schoolwork. As a visual learner with dyslexia, being able to work at her own pace and use the right tools made a significant difference.

The first assignment Grace completed on the laptop was about her Aboriginal heritage. She received her first-ever A grade. The result boosted her confidence, and she has since discovered a love of writing, creating stories simply because she enjoys it.

Grace’s experience shows how removing a practical barrier to digital access can open up much more than a screen. A suitable device can give a student the time, tools and confidence to participate in learning and discover new possibilities.

1,000 laptops for Tasmanian students

Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:14:15 GMT

Tech4Kids Tasmania | WorkVentures, Anglicare TAS, TasCOSS and TasNetworks

For students without a suitable computer at home, digital exclusion can mean missed assignments, reduced access to tutoring and fewer opportunities to explore their interests. In 2025, WorkVentures launched Tech4Kids Tasmania with Anglicare TAS, TasCOSS and TasNetworks to help address that gap.

The program delivered 1,000 laptops to digitally excluded students, bundled with internet support and digital coaching. A baseline survey of 200 recipients found 99% intended to use their device for education, 63% also planned to explore interests such as art, music or coding and 70% had already engaged with digital coaching. Sixty-five per cent of laptops were being used after school for up to two hours of extended learning.

Early stories show the devices supporting online learning, creative interests, access to mental health support and pathways towards future careers. For many students, the Tech4Kids laptop is the first computer in their home.

“Without Tech4Kids, my children would never have had laptops at home. Now, four of them have the tools they need to learn and grow.”

A single mother of five

From hesitation to confidence

Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:10:42 GMT

Be Connected Digital Device Grants | Good Things Australia Network Partners

For many people experiencing digital exclusion, the barrier is not only knowing how to use technology. It is having reliable technology to practise on in the first place. The Australian Government’s Be Connected program provides grant funding to community organisations to teach digital skills in local communities.
At certain times, specific grants are made available for the provision of devices for people who are digitally excluded. Feedback from Good Things Australia Network Partners shows how access to a suitable device, combined with guided support, can build independence and connection.

Celebrating and Conserving Cultures works with culturally diverse communities, including women, seniors, new migrants and low-income families. Some community members rely on basic smartphones, making Tech Reuse for Good case studies | 3 learning, communication and essential online tasks difficult. Creative Bytes has seen similar challenges among older Australians in regional and remote areas, where people may depend on shared or outdated devices.

The experience of these organisations reinforces a central principle of tech reuse for good: devices have the greatest impact when people also have access to appropriate training and trusted support.

"Access to technology has made a significant and visible difference for people in our community, particularly older Australians who previously felt excluded or intimidated by digital tools. Having reliable access to a device, combined with guided support, has helped participants move from hesitation to confidence in a relatively short period of time. Many participants report feeling more independent and less reliant on others for everyday tasks, which has had a positive impact on their wellbeing and sense of connection."

Stewart McMillan and Heath Gilham, Creative Bytes, VIC, 2026

Repairing tech and creating opportunity

Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:01:44 GMT

The Reconnect Project

The Reconnect Project is a circular economy social enterprise and charity that gives refurbished mobile technology a new purpose. Its inclusive repair workshop provides training and paid work to neurodivergent young adults, who securely erase and refurbish phones, tablets and laptops.

The devices are then distributed through social service and community organisations, including women’s refuges, homelessness agencies, at-risk youth programs and refugee support services. The model connects two forms of impact: creating employment and training opportunities while improving access to functional technology for people experiencing digital exclusion.

Reconnect Project reports that it has helped 4,382 people become digitally included with the right piece of technology, provided more than 2,000 hours of training and 5,800 hours of paid employment to neurodivergent young people, and saved 971 tonnes of CO2e by repairing and reusing devices.

One recipient was a 14-year-old Syrian refugee in Liverpool, NSW whose family could not afford a laptop. After receiving one through a partnership with Georges River Life Care and Liverpool Girls High School, the student was able to complete schoolwork and fully engage in their education. The laptop also enabled other family members to get online.

Access to a mobile phone can make an enormous difference in someone’s life, providing a vital connection to family, community, employment and support services. Through the MobileMuster partnership and Project Phoenix, the KARI Foundation has been able to provide people experiencing challenging circumstances with a practical resource that strengthens their independence, safety and sense of culture and connection. We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to support our community in this meaningful way.

A phone that reconnects people to opportunity

Mon, 19 Oct 2026 05:53:40 GMT

Project Phoenix | MobileMuster and KARI Foundation

Project Phoenix tested whether lower-value mobile phones, often overlooked by commercial refurbishment pathways, could be safely recovered and reused for people facing disadvantage. The pilot refurbished 100 phones, with 50 distributed through KARI Foundation and 50 through DV Safe Phone.

KARI Foundation received 50 devices, each with a free activated Optus Donate Your Data SIM so recipients could use the phone straight away. The phones supported people to seek employment, stay connected with family, attend medical appointments and access support services. MobileMuster reported that the pilot also avoided an estimated 5.6 tonnes of carbon emissions.

The project demonstrates how extending the life of mobile technology can deliver both environmental and social value, particularly when devices are distributed through trusted organisations with strong community relationships.

Lauren Pitkin – Kari Foundation.

A device bank built around people, not just hardware

Mon, 19 Oct 2026 05:22:22 GMT

National Device Bank | Good Things Australia and WorkVentures
The National Device Bank is designed to turn pre-owned technology into practical digital inclusion support. Donated laptops, mobile phones and tablets are collected from private and public sector organisations, securely erased, repaired where needed and prepared for reuse.

The refurbished devices are then distributed through WorkVentures and Good Things Australia’s network of community organisations, helping technology reach people who need it most. Importantly, the model recognises that a free device is only the first step. Recipients can also access technical assistance and digital skills support, from setting up a device to learning how to use applications for education and employment.

By bringing device donation, secure refurbishment, community distribution and skills support together, the National Device Bank creates a pathway for surplus technology to deliver social value while extending the useful life of devices.

Visit www.nationaldevicebank.org.au to find out more.

Digital access on Country

Tue, 01 Sep 2026 01:02:52 GMT

First Nations Device Bank | WorkVentures
The First Nations Device Bank proof of concept is testing how donated and refurbished technology, training and community-led support can improve digital inclusion in remote First Nations communities. The model was developed with First Nations communities and distributes devices through trusted local partners.

By April 2026, 505 devices had been distributed across 24 communities, with an estimated 2,210 people supported. Forty-two per cent of devices were being used in communal spaces, often shared by four to 14 people, extending their reach well beyond the number of devices distributed. The program also reported 8,331 kg of e-waste saved from landfill and 769 tonnes of net carbon emissions avoided.

Early feedback points to increased confidence, stronger basic digital skills and improved access to services such as banking, MyGov, telehealth and Centrelink. The pilot has also highlighted that meaningful digital inclusion depends on more than hardware. Quality devices work best when they are paired with co-design, practical training, ongoing technical support and trusted local relationships.

“I hope to empower young people to pursue remote work opportunities that allow them to remain on Country and work for any company across the globe (or start their own). And this all starts with access to reliable devices, becoming familiar with hardware and software, exploring safely online and developing an interest in these spaces.”

Takai, Lola digital training partner - Thursday Island