The Mercers’ Company
“Project Connect”
The Mercers’ Company has been generously supporting the e-Learning Foundation since 2002 with grants to fund school projects in the London Boroughs of Greenwich and Tower Hamlets.
In 2008 the Mercers' Company generously agreed to fund “Project Connect” in the London Borough of Lambeth and awarded a £50,000 grant to the project. This exciting scheme will provide 1,600 deprived 14-16 year olds with home access to learning technologies as well as encouraging the children to take part in local clubs and societies, and to commit to raising their educational attainment. The project will run for four years from 2009-2012 and the aim is to create a sustainable model to replicate in other London Boroughs.
Project connect has been taken up by the Lambeth Academy, Bishop Thomas Grant Comprehensive School, Archbishop Tennison Secondary School and The Elmgreen School, the first Parent Promoted school in the UK which pays special attention to wkring closely with families and the local community. Provision for computers and internet access for 1,650 pupils will be made available across teh dour schools.
“Project Connect further enables us to further support the work of the e-Learning Foundation in creating successful and sustainable projects to enable children in deprived areas of the capital to access technology which is key to their development in the digital world in which we live", said Michael Marchant, Head of Education, at The Mercers' Company
"In a 21st century global economy our children will need state-of-the-art information technology abilities. Far too many of our socially disadvantaged school children are denied access to the Internet and have very limited IT skills. At the e-Learning Foundation we have been working to ensure children have these skills and we are thrilled that Project Connect will go some way to addressing the digital divide in Lambeth," commented Valerie Thompson, Chief Executive of the e-Learning Foundation.
"Access to a computer at home is no longer an option, it is essential to a child's studies. Through Project Connect we will be able to boost the skills and improve the opportunities of many disadvantaged children in Lambeth," commented Chris Davies, Director of the Lambeth e-Learning Foundation.