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View all programs Increasing necessity of digital devices and AI skills threatens to expand the digital divide and leave more students behind
12 October 2025
National education charity The Smith Family is highlighting the urgent need for more to be done in addressing the digital divide this Anti-Poverty Week [12 -18 October].
Students experiencing disadvantage continue to lack access to digital devices and digital skill development opportunities, including AI literacy - two critical barriers to educational success and future employment.
“Digital access is no longer a luxury - it’s a necessity. And now, with the rise in use of artificial intelligence, we’re seeing a new layer of disadvantage emerge. Students who are digitally excluded are not only missing out on learning today - they’re being locked out of the jobs of tomorrow,” says Doug Taylor, CEO of The Smith Family.
A recent Community Attitudes Survey of the general public, commissioned by The Smith Family, found that 78% of respondents believe access to a computer and reliable internet are essential for a child’s education.
Currently, 44% of students supported through The Smith Family’s Learning for Life education program do not have access to a digitally connected laptop or tablet at home.
In a recent survey of families who received a device from The Smith Family, 93% reported that the digital support received (laptop and/or internet) has helped their children with schooling.
Digital inclusion goes beyond devices and connectivity - it also means having the skills to navigate an increasingly AI-driven world. Yet many students experiencing disadvantage lack both the tools and the guidance to develop these skills.
“Many young people are being told they risk unemployment if they don’t adapt to AI,” says Mr. Taylor. “But for many, that’s asking the impossible. We must ensure every child has the opportunity to develop the digital and AI literacy skills they need to thrive, or we risk the current gap in education outcomes and career opportunities expanding.”
The Smith Family is working to close this gap through its partnership with WorkVentures, which provides donated and refurbished laptops to students. However, WorkVentures CEO Caroline McDaid says the demand is outweighing the current device commitments.
“There are 1.16 million young people in Australia without access to a laptop to support their education. Yet fewer than 20,000 devices have been committed to the National Device Bank Bank - a collaboration between WorkVentures, Good Things Australia and Good360 - over the next 12 months, despite 2 million computers and tablets being refreshed by companies and governments every year. We’re calling on more corporates and governments to donate their old devices and help bridge this divide.”
WorkVentures has supplied The Smith Family with over 8,000 refurbished laptops in the past three financial years, helping thousands of students gain access to the technology they need. Meanwhile the Telstra Foundation has recently committed 8,300 laptops to the National Device Bank.
The Smith Family remains committed to ensuring every Learning for Life student is digitally included - with access to a device, internet, and the skills to use them effectively.
This year, Anti-Poverty Week supports three campaigns working to end poverty: End Child Poverty, Raise the Rate, and Everybody’s Home. Public events will be held across Australia to raise awareness and drive action. For more information, visit antipovertyweek.org.au.
To donate and help close the digital divide for students, visit thesmithfamily.com.au.
To learn more about supporting the National Device Bank visit nationaldevicebank.org.au.
Students experiencing disadvantage continue to lack access to digital devices and digital skill development opportunities, including AI literacy - two critical barriers to educational success and future employment.
“Digital access is no longer a luxury - it’s a necessity. And now, with the rise in use of artificial intelligence, we’re seeing a new layer of disadvantage emerge. Students who are digitally excluded are not only missing out on learning today - they’re being locked out of the jobs of tomorrow,” says Doug Taylor, CEO of The Smith Family.
A recent Community Attitudes Survey of the general public, commissioned by The Smith Family, found that 78% of respondents believe access to a computer and reliable internet are essential for a child’s education.
Currently, 44% of students supported through The Smith Family’s Learning for Life education program do not have access to a digitally connected laptop or tablet at home.
In a recent survey of families who received a device from The Smith Family, 93% reported that the digital support received (laptop and/or internet) has helped their children with schooling.
Digital inclusion goes beyond devices and connectivity - it also means having the skills to navigate an increasingly AI-driven world. Yet many students experiencing disadvantage lack both the tools and the guidance to develop these skills.
“Many young people are being told they risk unemployment if they don’t adapt to AI,” says Mr. Taylor. “But for many, that’s asking the impossible. We must ensure every child has the opportunity to develop the digital and AI literacy skills they need to thrive, or we risk the current gap in education outcomes and career opportunities expanding.”
The Smith Family is working to close this gap through its partnership with WorkVentures, which provides donated and refurbished laptops to students. However, WorkVentures CEO Caroline McDaid says the demand is outweighing the current device commitments.
“There are 1.16 million young people in Australia without access to a laptop to support their education. Yet fewer than 20,000 devices have been committed to the National Device Bank Bank - a collaboration between WorkVentures, Good Things Australia and Good360 - over the next 12 months, despite 2 million computers and tablets being refreshed by companies and governments every year. We’re calling on more corporates and governments to donate their old devices and help bridge this divide.”
WorkVentures has supplied The Smith Family with over 8,000 refurbished laptops in the past three financial years, helping thousands of students gain access to the technology they need. Meanwhile the Telstra Foundation has recently committed 8,300 laptops to the National Device Bank.
The Smith Family remains committed to ensuring every Learning for Life student is digitally included - with access to a device, internet, and the skills to use them effectively.
This year, Anti-Poverty Week supports three campaigns working to end poverty: End Child Poverty, Raise the Rate, and Everybody’s Home. Public events will be held across Australia to raise awareness and drive action. For more information, visit antipovertyweek.org.au.
To donate and help close the digital divide for students, visit thesmithfamily.com.au.
To learn more about supporting the National Device Bank visit nationaldevicebank.org.au.
Media contacts:
Andrew Dickson | National Media Manager (National) - 0421 285 529 | andrew.dickson@thesmithfamily.com.au
Carla Horton | Senior Media Advisor (QLD & WA) - 0423 618 776 | carla.horton@thesmithfamily.com.au
Reid Jermyn | Media Advisor (VIC, SA & NT) - 0412 803 566 | reid.jermyn@thesmithfamily.com.au
Ben Chenoweth | Senior Media Advisor (NSW, ACT & TAS) - 0413 346 934 | ben.chenoweth@thesmithfamily.com.au
The Smith Family is a national children’s education charity that helps young Australians experiencing disadvantage to create better futures for themselves through harnessing the power of education. We partner with around 800 Australian schools and work with over 186,000 children and young people experiencing disadvantage access our education support programs to help them overcome. For more information, visit thesmithfamily.com.au