The Netherlands is one of the most digitalised countries in Europe, with a third of all professions using ICT resources for more than half of their working time. Children and young people are quickly joining the ICT field too, many of them enter the online world from a young age. They do not only need online access for school, but also for the general gathering of information and their development.
On the other hand, 1 in 10 young people live in a family that has to live on an income below the poverty line. They don’t have the money for a laptop or a tablet, yet it’s all-important for young people to develop ICT skills and therefore have their own devices. During the pandemic, there was a growing awareness among organisations and businesses that used laptops can still be of much use to disadvantaged young people who want to be online.
Thanks to a collaboration with Close the Gap, the Boschuysen Foundation was able to donate hundreds of devices to young people in 2020. In 2021, Close the Gap and the Foundation will continue to focus on collaborations between companies, funds and youth organisations to systemically eliminate the material shortage that was highlighted by the pandemic.