Spark - Community

Digital Boost Alliance commitment

Spark believes that digital technology can make a significant, positive impact on our nation's social and economic wellbeing. Technology can enable stronger, safer, more connected communities. It can open more opportunities for our children and improve health outcomes for New Zealanders. And it can enable Kiwi companies to compete - and win - on the world stage and become smarter, more agile businesses by harnessing all the benefits of new technologies. And through the work of the Spark Foundation, we continue to champion digital equity by focussing on digital access, digital skills and pathways, and digital wellbeing.

Digital accessSkinny Jump: a not-for-profit broadband product that is available to households who find that cost is a barrier to having an internet connection at home. Jump is available through a network of community partners. There are no credit checks or contracts and it comes with a free modem. It costs just $5 for 30GB of data and the first 15GB of data each month is completely free. - RAD (Recycle A Device): a programme that takes second-hand laptops from individuals and businesses, teaches high school students to refurbish them and then distributes them to households in need.

Digital skills and pathways: Take2 a programme that aims to break the cycle of crime through technology. Take2 teaches incarcerated individuals to code, enabling meaningful employment opportunities once they are released.

Hihiko Te Rawa Auahau: delivered by Toi Kai Rawa, the Bay of Plenty’s Māori economic development agency, innovation hubs will be embedded into 30 Māori communities across the wider Bay of Plenty over the next the years.

Digital Natives Academy: a not-for-profit based in Rotorua that aims to create career pathways for whānau who don’t have access to technology, by offering a supportive and safe environment to learn, and free courses in areas like digital wellbeing, game design, and animation.

Digital Future Aotearoa: Digital Future delivers a range of programmes including Code Club (a nationwide network of over 400 coding clubs for kids), The Electric Garden (a programme for years 5-8 students that teaches kids about digital technologies through the garden), and Recycle A Device (see above). 

Digital wellbeing

The Light Project: this is a pilot project that aims to help youth, their whānau, schools and wider communities to navigate the challenges presented by the new porn landscape in Aotearoa. It addresses one of the biggest barriers to digital equity amongst some New Zealand families – a fear that the internet might cause harm to tamariki and rangatahi.

Digital Discipline: a programme that delivers education and awareness through workshops and keynote speeches around social media use and wellbeing.

Te Iwi Matihiko: A values-based approach to digital wellbeing that draws from the Te Whare Tapa Whā model of health but designed for today’s youth. The programme aims to introduce tamariki (9-11yrs), rangatahi (12yrs+) and pakeke (adults) to the key tools they will need to safely navigate social media and online gaming. Te Iwi Matihiko was developed by Digital Natives Academy.