One Door Opens Another Two
Empowering collaboration between Auto Trader, Community Computers and Harmony Youth Project
When community meets opportunity, real change follows. That spirit is alive and well in Bolton, where Harmony Youth Project has been empowering individuals for over 27 years. Now, thanks to an empowering collaboration with Auto Trader and Community Computers, a new initiative is opening more than doors, it’s opening futures.
A Vision Becomes Reality
George, a long-standing member of the team at Harmony Youth Project, recognised a growing barrier among community members: digital exclusion. Many local residents lacked even basic digital skills, limiting their ability to search for jobs, access public services, or simply connect online.
With this in mind, George applied to Auto Trader’s Digital Inclusion Fund. The proposal: a two-year, in-house digital skills course that would provide foundational tech training to the people who need it most. The course would focus on the basics, turning on a laptop, navigating the internet, setting up email, booking GP appointments, and writing CVs. The goal? Empowerment through access and education.
Auto Trader responded by not only funding the course but also donating 15 refurbished laptops, removing a significant barrier for Harmony Youth Project: access to reliable hardware.
Closing the Loop with Community Computers
This is where Community Computers stepped in. As a not-for-profit ITAD (IT Asset Disposition) organisation, they handle the secure collection, data-wiping, and refurbishment of used IT equipment, turning corporate e-waste into tools for digital inclusion.
Adrian from Community Computers explained the meticulous process behind the scenes. Devices are collected securely, transported in vans tracked with GPS, and stored in secure facilities. Before redistribution, every device undergoes certified data erasure, ensuring donor privacy. Donors receive formal certification and reports detailing the positive environmental impact, both in carbon saved and waste diverted from landfills.
Through this circular economy approach, Auto Trader’s unused tech found a new purpose. Harmony Youth Project received high-quality, secure devices to support their new course, and participants gained a vital entry point into the digital world.
More Than Just Laptops
For Harmony, this partnership is about more than just IT devices. The organisation also runs a food bank that supports around 30 households each month, offering referrals to debt advice, mental health services, and financial support agencies.
Harmony’s physical space doubles as a community hub, helping bridge generational gaps. As George noted, younger generations often engage online, while older residents may prefer in-person interaction. By designing inclusive activities, Harmony is fostering cross-generational connections and building a more cohesive community.
The Ripple Effect
This partnership has created a ripple effect of opportunity. What began as one funding application led to a fully equipped digital course, which in turn enables unemployed individuals to build essential skills and confidence. Each refurbished laptop represents not just access to the internet, but access to autonomy, opportunity, and hope. As George says, “One door opens another two.”
The collaboration between Auto Trader, Community Computers, and Harmony Youth Project is a testament to what can happen when organisations align around a shared mission: closing the digital divide. In this case, one door didn’t just open another, it opened two!
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