The finalists for this year’s Tech4Good Awards have officially been announced, recognising organisations and individuals who use digital technology to improve the lives of others and make the world a better place. Now in its 9th year, they are the only awards to highlight the wealth of charities, businesses and volunteers across the UK that harness the power of technology to benefit the community.
For the first time, Samsung Electronics will be sponsoring the Connected Society category and the four finalists are CENTURY Tech, London Village Network, Albyn Housing and MeeTwo. Samsung’s partnership forms a part of its ongoing commitment towards celebrating and supporting those inspirational individuals, organisations and NGOs that are using technology to make a difference to people’s lives and their communities. Each of the finalists has been recognised for using the most innovative technology products or services to help make the world a better place.
CENTURY Tech
An AI teaching and learning platform for schools, colleges and universities. The platform learns how each student learns, adapts to their strengths and weaknesses and constantly adjusts to provide the support or challenge they require.
London Village Network
Set up in 2015 by Islington resident and single mum Rachael Box in response to a rise in knife crime, she identified a lack of positive networks as a serious barrier to economic mobility and a significant factor in the cause of anti-social behaviours. LVN is a high impact grassroots charity that seeks to improve social inclusion among disadvantaged 16-24 year olds in the capital. LVN offers an important, cost efficient, community-based solution to one of the most topical issues of the day – the rise in youth knife crime. Using app enabling technology and tapping into the under-utilised resource of adults volunteering just one hour of their time LVN offers disadvantaged youth a positive local alternative to risky, potentially criminal behaviour. To coincide with the award nomination, the charity has also set up its first ever crowd-funder, encouraging Londoners to help support its future work.
Albyn Housing
A society serving an ever-growing number of communities in the Highlands, providing good quality, affordable housing for thousands of people across the region.
MeeTwo
MeeTwo is a free, fully moderated, peer support mental help app. Peer support is recognised as an untapped resource for ‘mental help’ and offers a uniquely scalable solution to the current mental health crisis. MeeTwo enables young people (aged 11-23) to talk about difficult things, and to help themselves by helping each other.
The winner will be announced at the BT Centre in London on Wednesday 17th July.
