Recycling laptops empowers youth in New Zealand schools

A recent collaboration between Christchurch Boys' High School's RAD Club and Te Huarahi Linwood Avenue's Code Club illustrates the potential of refurbished corporate laptops to equip young people in Aotearoa with vital digital skills.

The initiative, part of Digital Future Aotearoa's Recycle a Device (RAD) programme, involved transforming unused MacBooks found at Te Huarahi Linwood Avenue into usable devices for students. The project aims to dismantle digital barriers and provide learning resources previously unavailable to many children in Aotearoa.

The challenge began at the end of Term Two when the Christchurch Boys' High School (CBHS) team was asked by Digital Future Aotearoa to refurbish a set of older laptops that had been stored away at Te Huarahi Linwood Avenue. Given the increasing attendance at the Code Club, these refurbished laptops were necessary to support digital learning for students in Years 3 to 5.

Under the guidance of their teacher, Phillip Wright, the CBHS students assessed the laptops. They identified key issues: outdated hard drives and unreliable batteries. Overcoming these hurdles, the team upgraded components, sourced necessary SSDs and batteries, and installed a custom macOS image to make the laptops fully functional again. Ultimately, they managed to refurbish 20 MacBooks.

In a hands-on effort, CBHS students Thomas, Max, and Janzen, accompanied by Mr. Wright, personally delivered the laptops to Te Huarahi at the end of Term Three. The students participated in a Code Club session, witnessing the impact of their work. "My favourite part was seeing the students' reactions and how grateful they were. I got a better understanding of how important our work is for those who benefit from it and the positive impact it had on those receiving laptops from us," shared Max, a Year 11 CBHS student.

Code Club leader Kate Allan noted, "When tamariki have the tools they need, they become creators, problem-solvers, and leaders in their own right."

"This access empowers them to dream bigger and push boundaries in ways they never imagined."

Despite the success of this collaboration, there remains a significant demand for devices. Digital Future Aotearoa's RAD programme continues to call upon industry leaders such as CIOs and IT managers to donate decommissioned corporate laptops.

"A single laptop can change a life," said Bronwyn Scott, General Manager of Digital Future Aotearoa. "It can unlock a student's potential, inspire a passion for technology, and lay the foundation for a brighter, more digitally inclusive future."

Donating laptops not only reduces e-waste but also contributes to nurturing a tech-savvy generation. With each refurbished device, tamariki gain practical experience and potentially see new career paths in technology. This initiative provides the first step in breaking digital exclusion cycles and boosting participation in the digital economy.