Data donations can close digital divide for struggling Australians

Australians are being encouraged to close the digital divide by donating some of their data to provide much-needed internet access to struggling families and individuals.

Australians are being encouraged to close the digital divide by donating some of their data to provide much-needed internet access to struggling families and individuals.

Optus’ Donate Your Data program has helped more than 25,000 Australians stay connected through partnerships with various charities and organisations.

One of these charity partners is Good360, an organisation that connects new goods donated by businesses to people and communities who need them most.

“Donate Your Data is a unique service that enables Optus customers to donate some of their data each month to young people across Australia through our charity partners including The Smith Family, Mission Australia, Good360, ABCN, KARI Foundation, yourtown, The Story Factory, and Sydney Children’s Hospital,” says Matt Williams, Optus’ managing director of marketing and revenue.

Matt Williams, Optus’ managing director of marketing and revenue.

“Optus customers have now made more than three million donations, enabling thousands of young Australians in need to study, look for work, access vital services such as telehealth, and to connect with friends and family.”

Optus customers can donate a portion of their monthly data allowance via the My Optus app.

Here’s how the telco is working with charities to help disadvantaged Australians.

GLOBAL CARE AUSTRALIA

Around $4000 worth of Optus Sim Cards have been donated to Global Care Australia.

Programs, and activities include domestic and international disaster relief, low-cost grocery stores, safe housing, and property restoration projects.

Recent focus for Global Care Australia has been towards Ukrainian refugees fleeing to Australia from their war-stricken country.

Recent focus for Global Care Australia has been towards Ukrainian refugees fleeing to Australia from their war-stricken country. Ukrainian refugees have been met with free Optus sim cards around Australia, ensuring they are connected and can always be contacted, in addition to alleviating any associated financial stresses of securing a device and data in a new country.

ANGLICAN COMMUNITY CARE INC

Optus provided Good360 with $4800 worth of sim cards to assist vulnerable South Australians in regional and country towns gain access to mobile calls and data through Anglican Community Care Inc.

Anglican Community Care homelessness and community services manager, Trish Sparks, says internet access is vital as services, including Centrelink, have increasingly moved online. “Mobile data is essential if someone is in crisis and needs to be connected with these services, especially for people in rural and regional settings unable to access services in-person due to having no access to effective means of transport,” she says.

Anglican Community Care Murraylands homelessness service manager Thanuja Hiripitiyag.

“We know that access to communications is vital for people in crisis to protect their safety, engage with services, apply for jobs or housing and keep connected with family and friends, especially if they may not have a stable home or personal address.”

THE FREEDOM HUB LTD

Around $24,000 worth of Optus sim cards have been donated to the Freedom Hub, a charity that helps people who have experiences human trafficking and slavery within Australia.

Through accessible data, survivors have been able to transition from the face-to-face educational curriculum to online learning, ultimately boosting engagement during a time when engagement was rapidly declining.

The program helps set up survivors with autonomous access to The Freedom Hub online services, where they can access yoga classes, coffee club, language groups, resources, and many other classes from the comfort of their own homes.