For many young people, having a laptop is part of everyday student life. For Holly*, it was the difference between struggling to keep up and being able to study with confidence.
Holly is a care leaver who was studying at a local North East university. They were living close to university in shared accommodation and working hard to complete their course, but without their own laptop, everyday academic tasks were much harder than they needed to be.
Their course involved extensive reading, research, essays, exams and lecture notes. Relying on university library computers meant working around opening hours, travelling to access equipment and trying to complete long pieces of work without the flexibility most students take for granted. When learning moved online during the pandemic, the barrier became even more serious.
“A laptop is fundamental to my degree course because of the extensive essays assigned that require a great deal of extra research reading.”
Through a Point North grant, Holly received a laptop that enabled them to work from home, access online lectures, complete assignments and keep their university work organised. It reduced the pressure of constantly needing to use shared facilities and gave them greater independence in how and when they studied.
“A laptop being provided for me has reduced the stress of having to continually go to the library.”
Having the right equipment helped H take part more fully in university life, feel less excluded from their peers and focus on succeeding in their final year.
“I am now completely accepted on my course and happy to have a laptop that works well.”
A relatively small grant removed a major barrier to learning, reduced stress and helped a young person continue building an independent future. With the right digital tools, Holly could access opportunities on a more equal footing and keep moving towards the life they wanted to build.
*Note: ‘Holly’ is a pseudonym. Their real name has been changed to protect their privacy and safety.