GreenPC
GreenPC is a non-profit social enterprise that is part of Infoxchange Australia's vision to help bridge the digital divide and ensure all people have equal access to information technology.
GreenPC refurbishes used computers received from government and business organisations and makes them available to those who might not usually be able to afford a new computer system.
We employ a workshop of trained technicians who completely rebuild and test each computer system. All GreenPC computers come with a twelve months parts and service warranty.- Please note that GreenPC is not a charity and we do not provide free computers. Rather, we do our best to make them as affordable as possible. GreenPC is a not-for-profit organisation and relies on any monies we receive through sales to pay our staff and maintain our operation.
- To be eligible to purchase a GreenPC, customers must be holders of a current Health Care Card, Aged Pension Card, Disability Card or some other form of documentation relating to low income or disdvantage.
- GreenPC also offers computer systems and information technology services at affordable rates to registered charities and community groups.
- Orders can be placed through the GreenPC website (no payment required at the time of order) or by phone on 03 9418 7400. GreenPC is happy to offer advice to all callers on what computer systems might suit their needs.
- GreenPC offers an Australia-wide delivery service on most of our systems.
- GreenPC refurbish computers donated by corporate and government organisations. Each computer is throughly cleaned, tested and updated before being offered for sale to community groups, low income individuals and the general public.
- GreenPC computers are internet ready and come with software installed.
- The project seeks to reduce the digital divide that exists between those on low incomes and those on higher incomes.
This project has two clear goals:
- To provide a sustainable job creation opportunity for long term unemployed people that provides a clear pathway to future employment in the technology sector.
- To use this trained labour force to refurbish out of date second-hand computers so that they are Internet ready for people and organisations that have not previously been able to afford them because of income status.
The GreenPC business initiative clearly seeks to build capacity into communities by enabling people on low incomes to access viable technology and seeks to reduce the environmental impact of "outdated" technology by prolonging its lifespan and usability. The process of refurbishment that is used best enables these computers to be able to provide entry-level machines and internet access at a price that is affordable to people and groups on low incomes or tight budgets.
History
In 2000, when the world was in a panic about the Y2K bug, governments and corporations got rid of thousands of computers that they feared would crash at the millennial rollover. At the same time, Infoxchange was struggling to find computers for its work on public housing estates in inner Melbourne.
The deluge of unwanted government and corporate computers was an absolute boon for Infoxchange’s program to provide access to computers in community facilities on the 11 estates.
One of the residents who was accessing the computers in the community facility said it was great to have a computer to access but "it would be so much better to have one at home, then my kids could use it for school". The seed was planted.
Infoxchange had around 3000 computers stored in garages and sheds around Melbourne. At the time, the new Victorian Government introduced a vocational program to provide opportunities for long term unemployed people, resulting in Infoxchange receiving a grant that allowed the employment of twenty-five people who were put to work stripping, cleaning and rebuilding the stores of computers.
Five of these workers were located in Robinvale on the Murray River, who were shipped 300 computers to set up a small operation in partnership with the local CEDP program.
Not only were the twenty five people required to refurbish the computers but they had to develop and run this as a business, a social enterprise. GreenPC was born.
And it boomed. So successful was the project that Councils and Governments in other states wanted to assist in the establishment of GreenPC in their areas. It was not long before the project was rolled out in Queensland, ATC and Western Australia.
In 2006 a GreenPC operation was established in Timor Leste. This Info Timor today employs twenty people and has two workshops, one in Baucau and one in Suai. It is currently being assessed to be Timor’s first NGO Registered Training Organisation delivering ICT certified training.
In it's time GreenPC has delivered over 30,000 computers to low income and disadvantaged communities and individuals. Over 500 people have been employed and training through GreenPC, of which over 80% have moved to other employment or further studies.
