BT and One Economy Partner to Train Youth as Broadband Ambassadors for Older Generation

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. and WASHINGTON, April 15 /PRNewswire/ -- BT and One Economy Corporation have joined forces to create a cross-generational, digital inclusion program aimed at equipping youth from low-income neighborhoods to support older adult family and community members on using information communications technology effectively. The goal of the digital literacy program is to help both low-income youth and older adults develop skills that will improve their lives and help them enter the economic mainstream.  

In support of the digital literacy partnership, and leveraging BT's existing Internet Rangers program(1) in the UK, BT is providing One Economy with a grant of $200,000 over the course of two years to fund the development of an online platform for young people to teach adults how to use the internet.   In addition, the joint program will create volunteering opportunities for BT employees in the United States to engage with One Economy in digital literacy training at a grass-roots level.  

"We are very excited to have the opportunity to expand BT's social and economic sustainability impact across to the US through this partnership," said Michael Boustridge, president, BT Global Services Multi-National Corporations.  "We believe One Economy, an established and well respected organization with a commitment to helping break down the barriers to broadband adoption, is exactly the right partner for us.  We also think the timing couldn't be better as we see our efforts reflecting the goals of the recently announced National Broadband Plan, which addresses adoption of digital literacy for the senior population."

The program will be built on the individual successes of BT's Internet Ranger's program in the UK and One Economy's "Digital Connectors"(1), a curriculum based digital literacy program that immerses low income youth in certified technology training and prepares participants to enter the 21^st century workforce.  

"We are delighted to collaborate with BT to launch this new program, which combines two successful models from both of our organizations to create a powerful, multi-generational digital literacy program," said Moustafa Mourad, Interim President and CEO, One Economy.  "In addition to their investment in this program, having BT employees volunteer their expertise and time to digital literacy efforts is invaluable to helping One Economy improve the lives of low income youth and older adults through the power of technology."

The grant to One Economy is part of BT's corporate Country Charity Partnership program, a company-wide global initiative and a key component of BT's global CSR program. The US program is the first in a series of four pilot programs to be sponsored by BT in various countries over the next two years, aimed at supporting community investment through education and the transfer of ICT skills – a natural fit with BT's overall CSR strategy.

(1)For more information on BT's Internet Rangers program, go to: http://www.btinternetrangers.co.uk/

For more information on One Economy's Digital Connectors program, go to: http://www.one-economy.com/what-we-do/digital-connectors

About One Economy

One Economy is a global non-profit organization that uses innovative approaches to deliver the power of technology and information to low-income people. More than 17 million people have used One Economy's online tools and resources to build better lives. Learn more at www.one-economy.com. To date, One Economy has launched on-the-ground programs in 42 U.S. states, Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East.

About BT

BT is one of the world's leading providers of communications solutions and services operating in 170 countries.  Its principal activities include the provision of networked IT services globally; local, national and international telecommunications services to our customers for use at home, at work and on the move; broadband and internet products and services and converged fixed/mobile products and services.  BT consists principally of four lines of business: BT Global Services, Openreach, BT Retail and BT Wholesale.

In the year ended 31 March 2009, BT Group's revenue was 21,390 million pounds.

British Telecommunications plc (BT) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Group plc and encompasses virtually all businesses and assets of the BT Group.  BT Group plc is listed on stock exchanges in London and New York.

For more information, visit www.bt.com/aboutbt

To view BT's Responsible Business webpage, and view the company's annual Sustainability Report, go to:  www.bt.com/betterworld.

SOURCE BT