The Situation
In February 2026, Bury Works: Digital for All supplied 20 laptops to ADAB to support them in running digital skills courses and supervised drop-in sessions at the Mosses Centre in Bury. These devices are former Bury Council devices that have been securely collected, data wiped, refurbished and redeployed by Whitefield-based company Tier 1. Tier 1's circular economy approach prioritises reusing equipment wherever possible, helping to reduce electronic waste and lower carbon emissions. By giving these devices a second life, the Bury Works: Digital for All Device Refurbishment Scheme and Tier 1 are able to support both environmental sustainability and digital inclusion by making quality technology more accessible to communities, organisations and individuals.
These 20 laptops were used to support residents with a wide range of activities, including job searching, CV creation, online applications, Universal Credit journals, immigration and housing applications, online banking, document uploading and accessing essential online services. By providing the laptops, Bury Works: Digital for All enabled ADAB to increase digital confidence, independence and employability among its service users. This case study demonstrates how Bury Council and local partners can work together to provide holistic support for residents in places where they feel comfortable.
ADAB have reported that ‘the learners are making really strong progress and gaining confidence, particularly in overcoming initial barriers around using technology and engaging with digital tools. It’s been really encouraging to see how quickly they are developing their skills. Thank you for enabling this support — access to laptops has helped remove a significant barrier for our BAME community, where digital access and confidence have previously been a challenge. We are now starting to see clear progress in their digital skills, independence, and willingness to engage with online services. We really appreciate you providing the devices and creating these opportunities for our learners — it’s making a real difference.’
It also provided the opportunity to identify residents who lacked access to a device of their own and would benefit from receiving a laptop.
Supporting Continued Learning
One of the recipients was an unemployed 55-year-old woman who had recently completed a Beginners Digital skills course at ADAB. As she was unemployed and not receiving any benefits, she faced financial difficulties and could not afford a suitable device. Without regular access to a laptop, she was unable to practice the skills learned during her digital skills course, which could affect her confidence and digital progress. ADAB therefore referred her for a device so she could continue developing her skills, access online services independently, search and apply for jobs and improve future employment opportunities.
Having her own laptop enabled her to practise and build on the skills gained through her digital course, increasing her confidence and independence when using online services and reducing her reliance on family members for support.
In her personal life, she uses the laptop to manage emails, complete online forms, access information and services, keep in touch with family and organise important documents. It has also helped her establish a routine and feel more connected, particularly while she is unemployed. She can now search for suitable jobs, prepare applications and continue learning online at her own pace. She has also progressed on to the Improvers Digital Skills course at ADAB, showing how device provision can sustain skills development.
The recipient stated that:
‘The laptop has helped me a lot. Before, I finished my IT course, but I did not have a laptop at home to practice. Now I can use email, fill in forms and look for jobs. I can do more things by myself and I do not need to ask my family for help all the time. I feel more confident and I want to keep learning.’
ADAB also provided the following quote:
‘From a referrer’s perspective, this resident was a strong candidate for the device because she had already demonstrated commitment by completing an IT course at ADAB. However, without access to a laptop at home, there was a real risk that the skills and confidence she had developed would be lost. Her unemployment and lack of benefit income also meant that purchasing a suitable device was not financially realistic.’
Providing the laptop has enabled her to put her learning into practice beyond the classroom and embed digital technology into her daily life. It has supported her to become less reliant on others, take greater ownership of personal tasks and remain engaged with future learning and employment opportunities. This referral demonstrates that access to a device is not only about getting someone online; it can strengthen confidence, independence, motivation and social inclusion. The device has provided her with a sustainable way to continue progressing after completing her course, rather than allowing her learning to end when the classroom support finished.
Allowing People to Contribute to their Communities
Another recipient was a 60-year-old resident who had been known to ADAB for approximately 20 years through her long-standing voluntary work. During this time, she has supported wellbeing sessions, helped with community events and assisted with general administrative duties. Although she has a wealth of experience and remains committed to supporting the community, not having her own suitable device created a significant barrier within her volunteering role. When covering events and completing administrative work, she struggled to keep detailed notes, organise documents and maintain accurate digital records. She often had to rely on handwritten notes or access to shared devices, making it difficult to update information, retrieve documents and follow up on tasks efficiently.
ADAB referred her for a device to enable her to record information, organise documents and manage her voluntary responsibilities more effectively. The laptop would strengthen her administrative and digital skills while increasing her confidence and independence in the role. The device would also ensure that her valuable contribution to ADAB could continue without limited access to technology affecting the quality of her work.
Receiving the device positively impacted the resident’s voluntary work and personal development. She can now type and maintain detailed notes when supporting ADAB’s events and wellbeing sessions, rather than relying mainly on handwritten information. She is able to organise documents into clearly labelled folders, update records and retrieve information more efficiently when following up on tasks. The device strengthened her organisation, time management and attention to detail, allowing her to plan her responsibilities more effectively and complete administrative tasks with greater accuracy. It has also improved her confidence when using emails, creating documents and researching suitable resources for wellbeing activities. She now feels more independent in her role and requires less support from staff to complete digital tasks. In her personal life, she can access online services, manage appointments, compare household costs and keep important information in one place. As she is unemployed, she can also search for suitable employment or volunteering opportunities, update her details and complete applications online. Overall, the device has helped her feel more capable, organised and digitally included while allowing her to continue making a valuable contribution to ADAB and the wider community.
The recipient fed back that:
‘The laptop has made my volunteering much easier. Before, I was writing everything on paper and sometimes it was difficult to keep all my notes and documents organised. Now I can type my notes from events and wellbeing sessions, save my documents in folders and find them when I need them. I feel more confident doing admin work and I do not need to ask other people for help as much. After volunteering at ADAB for many years, I am happy that I can keep learning new skills and continue helping my community.’
The referral has also recognised and invested in the development of a long-standing volunteer. At 60, she has demonstrated that digital learning and progression are not limited by age. The device has increased her confidence, independence and willingness to take greater ownership of administrative responsibilities. It has allowed ADAB to retain her valuable community knowledge and experience while supporting her to adapt to the increasing use of digital systems within voluntary and community-based work.
Facilitating Career Progression
Another ADAB volunteer held a role as teaching assistant but did not have reliable access to a suitable device outside the centre. This created barriers when preparing learning materials, researching information and developing resources for learners. Using a mobile phone was not practical for creating documents, completing detailed work or keeping teaching resources organised. He also had limited opportunities to practise important digital skills independently, including using email, word-processing software, online learning platforms and file-management systems.
ADAB referred him for a device because it would help him prepare for sessions more effectively, organise teaching materials and provide better support to learners. It would also allow him to develop transferable skills such as planning, communication, time management and digital administration. These skills will strengthen his confidence within his voluntary role and support his progression towards further training and future paid employment.
The device has had a significant impact on the resident’s professional development and employment journey. While volunteering as a teaching assistant, he used the device to research classroom activities, prepare learning materials, organise documents and improve his digital administration skills. This helped strengthen his planning, communication, organisation and confidence when supporting learners and teaching staff.
He has since secured a job as Assistant Head of Year 8 at a school. The device supported him with searching and applying for the position, preparing for the interview and developing the digital skills required for the role. He now uses these skills to manage emails, prepare resources, maintain records and complete administrative responsibilities more efficiently.
At weekends, he also works from home in a part-time role as a Customer Adviser for Lloyds Bank, using the device to carry out his duties remotely. Receiving the device has therefore supported his progression from volunteering into paid employment, helped him secure two roles and increased his financial independence, professional confidence and long-term career prospects.
The resident said:
"Receiving the laptop has helped me move forward in my career. When I was volunteering as a teaching assistant, I used it to prepare learning materials, organise my documents and apply for jobs. It also helped me prepare for my interview, and I have now secured a job as Assistant Head of Year 8 at a school. At weekends, I also use the laptop to work from home as a Customer Adviser for Lloyds Bank. Having my own device has improved my confidence, organisation and digital skills, and it has helped me become more financially independent.”
These outcomes demonstrate that the device was not only used for general internet access but became a practical tool for career development, interview preparation, remote working and ongoing professional responsibilities. The referral helped him build on the experience gained through volunteering and turn this into paid employment. It has strengthened his digital confidence, organisation, financial independence and long-term career prospects. His progression also shows the wider value of investing in volunteers who already have the motivation and ability to contribute but may be held back by digital exclusion.
Learning
Together, these case studies demonstrate how combining access to devices with digital skills training can help residents build confidence, develop practical digital skills and achieve positive outcomes in learning, volunteering, employment and everyday life. By working in partnership with ADAB, Bury Works: Digital for All has helped reduce digital exclusion, enabling residents to become more independent, access opportunities and participate more fully in their communities. This partnership ensures that the laptops redeployed by Tier 1 were able to have a greater impact directly in the community. We were also able to create a skills progression pipeline for learners engaged through the digital skills courses ran by ADAB to continue to improve their digital aptitude and apply their learning for real-world benefits, such as securing new employment.