I’ve written about the family literacy project at our school where we provide computers and home internet access to immigrant families to help with English language development. This effort was developed together by families and school staff.

I recently learned about a a government program in the United Kingdom called Home Access. This is how it describes itself:

Get On In School: Get Online At Home

Home Access is a government drive which will help low-income families to get access to a computer and the internet to get online at home.

If you are a low income family in receipt of certain benefits you could qualify for a grant to buy a computer and/or a minimum of one years’ internet access. The programme is aimed at those that need it most and targets families that do not have access to a computer or the internet at home.

Depending on what you need, the grant allows eligible applicants to buy one of the following packages:

1. Full package (a computer, one year’s internet access, service and support)
2. A computer with service and support only
3. One year’s internet access

I don’t know how extensive, or successful it is (if anyone does, please leave a comment). Depending on how a program like this is structured, it can certainly be an effective tool for parent engagement.