The owners of three Dandenong businesses have just launched the not-for-profit This Is IT Schools (TIIS). The newly formed organisation aims to engage with Government secondary schools across South East Melbourne in a project that repurposes top of the line laptops from the Corporate sector.
End of corporate life laptops are donated to TIIS who then wipe and repurpose each laptop which is then awarded as a Scholarship to deserving students identified by each school.
Simon Whitely, CEO, Corex Australia; Todd Hartley, Managing Director, Hilton Manufacturing and Tyrone Landsman, CEO, Future Recycling were looking for additional ways to engage with and support local communities. In a series of meetings with Andrew Simmons from SELLEN and Sandra George from CGD’s South East Business Networks, the idea of focusing on the supply of laptops was borne.
The official launch of This is IT and the handover of the first group of computers was held at the City of Greater Dandenong on 7 February, 2020. CGD Mayor, Jim Memeti, welcomed 80 attendees from 14 secondary schools across the region, who were joined by more than 30 businesses and two young rugby players from the Melbourne Rebels who assisted the NAB and the City of Casey in the handover of 120 laptops.
Andrew Simmons spoke of how the idea emerged and the amazing passion of the three founding businesses in tapping into their networks to help bring the idea to life. Paul Woods from the NAB also spoke about why they had decided to donate their first group of laptops – and how much further they hoped to take their involvement. The City of Casey donated 100 laptops which were handed to schools and scholarship recipients within their locality and CGD have a tranche of more than 100 laptops to be made available over the coming months.
Of course, all businesses at the launch were encouraged to commit their support to This is IT - a project that has the potential to have enormous impact both socially and environmentally.
In a lovely piece of timing, one of the scholarship recipients was having his 13th birthday and with a gentle nudge, a room of around 150 people burst into song with ‘Happy Birthday to You’!
For details about how your organisation can support this outstanding project – visit https://www.thisisitschools.com.au/ or email info@thisisitschools.com.au
