One of the North East’s most successful tech entrepreneurs has backed a Dynamo North East campaign to tackle digital poverty.
Serial tech entrepreneur and philanthropist Paul Callaghan CBE, who among other roles is co-founder and chair of The Leighton Group and chair of the board of trustees at Sunderland Music, Arts and Culture Trust, is throwing his weight behind the Dynamo North East Digital Inclusion Fund.
Led by Dynamo North East and supported by The Community Foundation, the fund will support initiatives to help people gain confidence in digital technologies and create pathways into employment.
The fund will bring together the region’s tech sector to narrow the digital divide, funding organisations that can directly support those most excluded by these barriers, a cause Callaghan proudly champions and hopes people will get behind.
“As someone born and raised in the North East, I am delighted to be involved in this initiative,” Callaghan said. “We are rightly proud of the growth of the tech sector in this region, which has excellent companies and a fantastic workforce, yet we still have one of the highest rates of poverty and digital exclusion in the UK. People face greater inequality and economic disadvantage without access to digital technology and the internet. This often harms children and young people’s education and career opportunities. For older people, it can lead to social isolation and a damaging lack of access to online services.”
He added: “I know how generous the people of this region can be and working collectively as a business community, we can help to address the challenge of digital poverty and change the lives of many people.”
Dr David Dunn, CEO of Dynamo North East, the region’s argest tech cluster, added: “We are delighted to have Paul joining us on our mission to help tackle digital poverty in the North East.
“The emergence of new technologies over recent years have had a transformational impact not only on our day-to-day lives, but also our industries, meaning today’s employees are often just expected to be digitally confident.
“However, while the North East has made great strides in attracting such employment opportunities, digital poverty levels in the region remain at higher-than-average levels, which is why we are calling for people from across the industry – like Paul – to come together and help us tackle this.
“Together, we can narrow the digital divide and ensure that, as new opportunities arise, they are open to people from all backgrounds and communities.”
The Community Foundation’s recent Vital Signs report on Access found that many people in the North East, including those affected by social and economic disadvantages, see digital advances as a barrier in their lives.
Callaghan will speak at the official launch of the fund at the North East Tech Charity Dinner, at Wylam Brewery in Newcastle on Thursday 13th March. Companies and ambassadors from across the North East tech sector will come together at the event to celebrate the fund’s launch.
