Sky announces new tech grants to support young people get online when leaving the care system

Sky is today announcing the roll-out of its Sky Up Tech Grants initiative with an investment of £220,000 to provide young people with equipment and connections to get online. 

The initiative is specifically targeted to help young people between 16 and 25 to live independently, after leaving the care system. It forms part of Sky’s
ambitious goal to tackle digital inequality and provide support to a quarter of a million digitally excluded people through a £10m fund.

Through its Sky Up Tech Grants, Sky aims to support thousands of young people leaving care by giving them individual grants that include a personal tech device pre-loaded with relevant software, an internet connection through Sky, and access to skills training.

Young people benefiting from the Sky Up Tech Grants will receive:

• Free Sky Broadband for up to 18 months
• A technology bundle including laptop, rucksack, digital active pen & software
• Access to specialist events focusing on skills, careers and wellbeing.

Sky has partnered with social impact agency Spectra to create a new technology grant programme, which will initially be focussed on three Local Authorities: Dorset, Stockport and Gateshead.

Sky launched its ambition to address digital exclusion in April 2022 with a three-part initiative designed to tackle digital inequality and provide support to a quarter of a million digitally excluded people through a new dedicated £10m fund. The initiative, Sky Up, supports people to succeed in a digital age, ensuring that those who are most at risk of being digitally excluded are given access to the right skills, technology, and connectivity.

As part of the initiative, Sky announced that it would deliver 100 new Digital Hubs, powered by Sky’s broadband network to provide free internet access and digital skills support, as well as expanding Sky Up Academy Studios to engage 20,000 students a year. 

Notes to editors:

For more information on Sky Up, please visit here

For further information please contact:

skyup@sky.uk

About Sky

Sky is one of Europe’s leading media and entertainment companies and is part of Comcast Corporation, a global media and technology company that connects people to moments and experiences that matter. At Sky we Believe in Better. It’s in our DNA.

We’re famous for innovation. We offer streaming services NOW and WOW; the world’s smartest TV, Sky Glass; Sky Stream, the new, easy way to get the Sky Glass experience on any TV; and the best aggregation platform, Sky Q. We provide connectivity you can count on in mobile, and fast, secure, reliable residential and business broadband.

We’re Europe’s premium content producer. We create award-winning original content, produce the biggest live sporting events, and we provide free access to news and the arts.

We believe that we can have a positive impact on society, by supporting and creating tens of thousands of jobs, addressing digital inequality, being a diverse and inclusive employer, and becoming net zero carbon by 2030.

About Spectra

Spectra is a social impact agency & exists to create a society where opportunity and achievement are open to everyone. They design and deliver Equity, Diversity and Inclusion programmes.