Project 500 asks recruitment industry to join together to help kids
The recruitment industry is being asked to come together to give disadvantaged families basic computer equipment to ensure children aren’t missing out on their schooling during the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond.
Ofcom estimates that more than a million children don’t have access to a laptop, desktop or tablet at home, which means families are fighting daily to homeschool their children without access to the basic equipment that is required.
A group of recruiters decided they had to do something…
Project 500 – established by Chris Redmond (managing partner, RedHolt Search & Advisory Service), Tim Roedel (CEO, Simply Commerce) and Sean Anderson (CEO, Hoxo Media) – is a scheme that is designed to help provide some of the UK’s most disadvantaged families with the laptops they desperately need. This is a video of the trio explaining why they felt they had to help.
During February, the aim “is to engage our very own recruitment sector in order to supply 500 laptops to some of the families currently struggling”, a Project 500 statement said. “Together we need to raise £80k in donations. Between our businesses, we have donated £6k to the cause. We need your help to hit our target of £80k/500 laptops.”
Redmond at RedHolt told Recruiter: “We will never truly know how many children’s lives we change through this, but I’m proud to be part of this recruitment sector initiative. It’s a real statement about the generous spirit within recruitment across the UK.”
And one of the pupils from All Saints CE Primary School and Nursery who has been helped already by Project 500 said: “Thank you for the laptops you have given our school. It will really help us with our learning. I like making PowerPoints and looking things up on the internet. I don’t like writing very much because my handwriting is quite messy. I like typing so I am going to practise touch typing. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
We know that some recruiters have already been helping their local communities with equipment, but let’s see if our industry can join together and get the laptops to the most needy families and schools by the end of February. If you’re interested in backing Project 500, please click here and show what a difference the recruitment industry can make.
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