Laptops for everyone

About PL24Reboot

PL24Reboot is a community project providing free laptops for those who need them in the PL24 area (Par) and elsewhere in Cornwall.


The project started during the January 2021 pandemic lockdown, when there were lots of children home-learning with inadequate access to a suitable device. Now, the project has expanded to provide laptops to anyone in Cornwall who needs one to learn, get a job or just connect with other people.


There are hundreds of unused laptops tucked away in cupboards (11 million nationwide, according to Nominet). We want to give these a new lease of life by giving them to children and disadvantaged users in our area, to improve their opportunities.


We ask for donations of laptops, in working order, up to 10 years old. The first thing we do is to completely wipe the hard drive to eliminate all trace of their former owner.


We then rebuild the machine as a Chromebook, suitable for home learning with all of the Google tools such as Classroom. Other suites such as Microsoft 365 also work as web-apps.


Some fairly new laptops are rebuilt with Windows so that they can be used by people doing IT foundation courses.


Laptops are supplied, free of charge, to children and adults in Cornwall. Schools and agencies prioritise who needs them most and deliver them. We don't provide laptops directly to users.


There is no money involved: people donate laptops, we set them up with free software and then give them away.


Re-using laptops in this way helps people, using a resource that is already here in Cornwall that would otherwise be adding to the pile of electrical waste.

Donate a laptop!

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Questions and answers

Who’s donating?

Laptops are mainly donated by people who have bought a new device and simply put their old laptop away in a cupboard. We also accept donations from businesses.


Why are people donating?

Nobody wants to throw out a laptop! Laptops seem too valuable to do that. Also, people worry that their data or identity may be at risk. By donating to PL24Reboot, both issues are solved.


What is the need for laptops?

Even without the Covid pandemic, access to expensive laptops for learning is a problem. With lockdown in place, devices were desperately needed for children and young people to do their home learning. Now, we serve a wider range of adult users, too.


How do I get a laptop?

We have worked with most of the academy groups that run the schools in our area: CELT, Kernow Learning, TPAT, Aspire and St Barnabas. We also receive requests from support workers helping disadvantaged people who need a laptop to improve their skills or get a job. Agencies include Pluss, Pentreath and CN4C.


Who is funding the project?

Nobody! It’s free. Laptops are donated, we use free software that requires no licence payment and we give away the laptops to people who need them. There are a few costs for things like replacement chargers and consumables but that’s about it. The Par Bay Big Local project kindly stepped up and offered to cover costs like these, and we are happy to be part of their digital inclusion strategy.


What can I donate?

Any Windows laptop or Macbook Pro up to about 10 years old is good. Please see the checklist on the Donate page. It must be in working order with no significant damage and preferably complete with its charger. You must own the laptop and have the right to donate it. We cannot make use of tablets/ipads or phones.


Is it safe to donate?

Yes. The first thing we do when a laptop comes in is to completely wipe the disk using a utility called ShredOS. This is extremely comprehensive and takes 5-15 hours to complete, sweeping away all the data. We then install a completely different system that turns the laptop into a Chromebook. In some cases we rebuild laptops with Windows.


What’s a Chromebook?

A Chromebook is a Google-based laptop. It is not Microsoft Windows. It has the excellent Chrome browser and all of the Google apps like Docs, Gmail, Photos, Youtube, Classroom etc. Being a simpler system than Windows, old laptops work much much better and faster. We use ChromeOS Flex (formerly called Cloudready) to set up the laptops and they are all configured in exactly the same way.


How do I donate?

See the Donate page for full details. Please read the Engagement Policy, below.


How do I donate if I’m not local?

You could post the laptop to us but it’s probably better to find a scheme local to you. See the BBC Make a Difference webpage or the Restart Project.  Or set up your own local scheme, copying what we have done here, which is suitable for a small-scale operation. You only need organisational skills, a modest level of professional IT expertise and some space to do it. See also Good Things Foundation and the Nominet Reboot scheme.


Who is behind this scheme?

Having discovered that there was no local scheme to reuse his old laptop, Bob Shillito has set this one up, following the principles recommended by the Nominet Reboot scheme. Although better known for teaching school children to sail and windsurf during his time at Polkerris Beach, Bob previously worked in secure IT and on a series of projects large and small - skills which are now being put to use once again.


Engagement policy


The donor


The donor must agree:

  • To provide devices that meet the minimum specification
  • That they own the device and have authority to dispose of it.
  • That upon donation they no longer have right of ownership
  • That the device poses no safety or ongoing legal issues
  • To perform a factory reset on the device or remove their sensitive data where possible
  • That they have full responsibility for the content on the device and backing up any data
  • To the following statement from PL24Reboot


PL24Reboot:

  • Will make every effort to ensure that data security and privacy is maintained throughout the donation process
  • Has no responsibility for data (and data loss) on the device once donated
  • Will attempt to wipe devices in accordance with UK law Infosec Standard 5
  • If the device data cannot be wiped, the disk containing it will be destroyed (sledgehammer)
  • Has indemnity for all claims against the device
  • No returns are possible once the device has been donated
  • Is under no obligation to provide updates as to what happens to the device


The recipient 


The recipient must agree:

  • Upon receiving the device you become the legal owner of the device. With that comes a responsibility to use it properly, repair it if it needs to be repaired, and if you would like to, insure it in case it gets lost, stolen or broken
  • Upon receiving the device you have full responsibility for the content and data stored and used on the device
  • If the device will be used by anyone under the age of 18, we ask that a responsible adult keep an eye on how that person is using the device because you will be responsible for that young person’s use
  • You have responsibility for long-term internet data connectivity
  • If something does go wrong, we do not exclude or limit in any way our liability to you where it would be unlawful to do so. This includes liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence; for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation; for breach of your legal rights in relation to the devices; and for defective devices under the Consumer Protection Act 1987. We will only be responsible if our negligence causes death or injury, or it would otherwise be unfair for us to not be held responsible
  • To the following statement from PL24Reboot 


PL24Reboot

  • Are not liable for any loss or damage that you might suffer when using the device to the extent: (a) we have complied with these terms and such losses arise solely as a result of you not following our guidance in these terms, or (b) that loss or damage could not reasonably have been foreseen. Loss or damage is foreseeable if either it is obvious that it will happen or if, at the time the contract was made, both we and you knew it might happen
  • We are not liable for business losses. We only supply the devices for domestic and private use.


Agency, school or other distribution partner

  • Has responsibility for delivering the device, returning it if not used, and supporting the user setting up the device
  • Has responsibility as a data controller for determining if personal data is required to be collected and processed in the capacity of delivering services associated with this initiative and will take steps to understand and comply with the associated obligations under Data Privacy Law 
  • Has responsibility to ensure the appropriate security of data in its possession as part of this initiative


Privacy policy


PL24Reboot promise to respect the confidentiality of any personal data you share with us, to keep it safe, and to take every effort to protect your privacy. We will always be clear how, when and why we collect and process your information; we promise we will never do anything with your details that you wouldn’t reasonably expect.

 

We collect information in the following ways:


When you give it to us directly by getting touch, for example to make a donation or to request a device

 

When you give it to us indirectly by requesting a device or information via third party such as a partner agency. These independent third parties will only share your information when you have consented.

 

Via Social Media. Depending on your settings or the privacy notices for social media and messaging services like Facebook, WhatsApp, LinkedIn or Twitter, you might give us permission to access information from those accounts or services.

 

Cookies:


Our website does not use cookies or any kind of tracking or monitoring processes.

 

What personal information we collect and how we use it:


We will only ever capture the minimum amount of information that we need in relation to your interaction with us, such as keeping track of donated devices and to who they were distributed. We do not collect any data from under 18’s. See also our Child Protection Policy.

 

Data Sharing:


We do not need to share your data with any other party. However, if there is a specific requirement to do so, for example, for publicity purposes on our website or social media your written permission will be obtained.


How long we retain your information and how we keep it up to date:

For donors, we will only keep your information for as long as we need it to efficiently process your donated device. 


Partner’s information will be updated only as required to maintain an ongoing relationship.


Disclosure:

We will disclose your personal information to third parties if we are under a duty to disclose or share your personal data in order to comply with any legal obligation, other agreements; or to protect the rights, property, or safety of our users, or others.


How we keep your information safe and who has access to it.:

We ensure that there are appropriate physical and technical controls in place to protect your personal details. We have a duty to report certain types of personal data breaches to the relevant supervisory authority, and where feasible, we will do this within 72 hours of becoming aware of the breach. If a breach is detected and likely to result in a high risk of adversely affecting you, we will inform you without undue delay.


Your data on the donated device

We will destroy any personal data held on the device, as set out in the Engagement policy.


Our contact details:

Bob Shillito, PL24Reboot, laptops@pl24reboot.org.uk

Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy


PL24Reboot delivers devices to children and young adults through third parties such as schools, colleges, social care organisations and other agencies. These third parties also become responsible for supporting recipients in the first instance.


Where further support is required directly from PL24Reboot, we will only communicate with or assist in person with a user at the explicit request of the agency and the permission of the young person’s guardian. Any such communication will always be in the presence of the guardian.


Where publicity for PL24Reboot will help to generate further benefits for young people, stories and photographs about individuals may be considered. In this case, the explicit permission of both the agency that supports them, and their guardian will be obtained. In such cases, any young person will be identified only by their first name, or anonymously.


PL24Reboot will never hold any user login details.


Child protection statement:


PL24Reboot believes that it is always unacceptable for a child or young person to experience abuse of any kind and recognises its responsibility to safeguard the welfare of all children and young people, by a commitment to practice which protects them.


We recognise that:

  • the welfare of the child/young person is paramount;
  • all children, regardless of age, disability, gender, racial heritage, religious belief, sexual orientation or identity, have the right to equal protection from all types of harm or abuse;
  • working in partnership with children, young people, their parents, carers, and their agencies is essential in promoting young people’s welfare.


We will seek to safeguard children and young people by:

  • valuing them, listening to and respecting them;
  • interacting with them only to the minimum level necessary to provide support, as described above.


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