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Our impact in Coventry

Across our fantastic city, we're working with organisations who help people get connected to the digital world. Giving people confidence, skills, and sharing opportunities.

Here's just a few, of many, inspiring examples.

The partners we empower

Through collaboration with our #CovConnects Partners, we're supporting residents across Coventry on their digital journeys, closing the digital divide with help and support.

By providing our partners with devices, connectivity, resources and capacity, we enable them to do what they do best - support local people to get online, build skills and unlock opportunities.

Change residents' lives

James Gough, Project Manager at WATCH Charity, told us:

"Many of our residents are in the process of establishing their life in the UK. They are motivated to boost their education and skills, build experience and contribute to the community. The digital access provided by #CovConnects means greater freedom and a route towards the life they desire."

The Working Actively To Change Hillfields (WATCH) Centre

At the WATCH Centre, digital inclusion is about more than technology. It’s about confidence, opportunity and community. 

Residents can access a wide range of training including: 

  • English and computer classes 
  • Radio training 
  • Weekly job clubs 
  • Personal development workshops 

All designed to build skills, reduce inequalities, tackle unemployment and improve lives. 

Through #CovConnects, residents at WATCH can: 

  • Access free National Databank SIM cards 
  • Drop into weekly digital support sessions 
  • Receive devices from the #CovConnects Device Bank 

Making a difference to Daksha

Daksha Piparia, Volunteer Manager at Coventry Independent Advice Service, said:

"We have delivered around 480 community digital sessions per year in local libraries, supporting local people with a range of requests including printing, online digital skills courses such as Learn My Way, completing online forms, setting up devices, email, help with CV's and job applications."

"We have also been able to gift a range of devices through the #CovConnects Device Bank, for people who are unable to afford a laptop or internet access but are essential for education, job hunting, training and accessing government services."

"We have helped people who struggle with mobile phones costs through gifting SIM cards. The support from #CovConnects has been instrumental in our mission to empower local people and give them the knowledge and skills they need every day. We are also incredibly grateful to out brilliant team of volunteers who make this work possible."

Coventry Independent Advice Service (CIAS)

Coventry Independent Advice Service offers free, confidential, community‑based advice that helps residents navigate life’s challenges - including the digital ones. 

CIAS delivers weekly volunteer‑led digital skills drop‑ins in libraries across the city. Giving residents hands‑on, practical support to use technology confidently in their everyday lives. 

With support from #CovConnects, CIAS residents can also: 

  • Access devices from the #CovConnects Device Bank 
  • Get connected with National Databank SIM cards and data 

The difference we make

Since the launch of #CovConnects in 2022, we've worked with our partners to make a true difference in Coventry for residents facing digital exclusion.

Here is a snapshot of our impact to date.

Covconnects statistics and impact infographic

From Cov, For Cov - the difference we make 

  • 6,000+ digital devices distributed through the #CovConnects Device Bank 
  • 220,000+ kg CO2 eq Carbon emissions saved
  • 2800+ Kg of e-waste responsibly handled
  • 350+ devices repaired
  • Refurbished laptops, smartphones and tablets, plus peripherals and smart devices 
  • Mi‑Fi units and data‑enabled SIM cards help residents get online safely and confidently when they need to 

#CovConnects Partners - powering digital inclusion 

  • 200+ #CovConnects Partners supported with devices for their communities 
  • 70+ partners returned for a second application - showing just how vital digital access is across the city 
  • 15,000+ Coventry residents impacted
  • 4 Businesses donating devices
  • 133 Digital inclusion hubs
  • 16,500+ National Databank SIM cards distributed in Coventry
  • Pilots, workshops, digital drop‑ins and tailored support - all enabled through the #CovConnects Device Bank and wider system support 

Changing lives, one digital journey at a time 

Our commitment to digital inclusion in Coventry is simple: We’re here for residents’ digital journey, because when people are connected, communities thrive. 

Examples of our important work include:  

#CovConnects: learnings from a city-wide device reuse system Phase one report - June 2026

Executive summary

Digital inclusion is often treated as a short-term, standalone intervention. Electronic waste is treated as an environmental problem. Coventry is showing they are, in fact, part of the same system and that the system can be joined up to benefit the city, and its residents, as a whole.

In September 2025, Coventry City Council and Virgin Media O2 strengthened their partnership to scale this approach, working towards a circular model where unwanted devices (such as laptops, phones and tablets) are reused locally to enable Coventry residents to get online, while reducing environmental impact. Devices are embedded into health, education and community settings, ensuring they reach the people who need them most, alongside the support required to use it safely and effectively.

Together, this approach reflects a shared ambition to move beyond short term pilots and instead embed digital inclusion and device reuse into public services, supply chains and organisational behaviour as core city infrastructure.

In Phase 1 (our learning phase), this joined up approach delivered tangible results, with over 6,000 devices distributed through trusted networks. This demonstrated wider impact across access to services, social connection, economic participation and sustainability.

This report shows how Coventry has moved from early action, to system-level change, and how Phase 2 will test what it takes to make digital reuse "business as usual", establishing the UK's first localised, self sustaining device reuse city, with learning that can now inform national policy and practice.

Read the full report - find out how getting people online is transforming lives [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/downloads/download/8623/building-a-city-wide-digital-reuse-system-for-people-place-and-planet].

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