JamiesComputers

Environment Agency enforcement officers have raided two sites in east London and in Essex in the most significant action to date in stopping the suspected illegal export of electrical waste from the UK.

Read full article here.

It's April 21st and there's a group of work placements huddled around cups of coffee excitedly planning their day. These individuals are people that have joined Jamie's to benefit from our training, because they have been socially excluded and need some help into the employment market.

They're excited because they have been working all month refurbishing the computers that have been donated by local businesses, which are now ready to be shipped to the University of Bangladesh where they will be used by students who are also improving their prospects through training and education.

Our work placements are awaiting the arrival of the container and making final checks ready to begin loading when it comes. One of the placements will be looking after the stock management system and ticking off all the assets as they leave. One will be operating the fork-truck. A few more will practice their manual handling skills, as they arrange the boxes securely on the container. And all of them will enjoy the team celebration when they have finished and begin to feel proud of their fantastic achievements.

This would not be possible without the support we receive from our customers. A big thank you to them!

We're continuing to work with Computer Aid International to send more refurbished computers to the developing world. The computers are put to use where they're needed most. They're used in thousands of schools benefiting many hundreds of thousands of students. And it's not just schools, the PCs are also being used to enhance the capacity of not-for-profit organisations. Organisations whose work collectively encompasses a huge range of areas central to the development process including health, human rights, HIV/Aids and environment, to name a few.

Our next consignment will contain 200 computers and will go to the University of Bangladesh. But we need help! More information here....

Computer Aid International - an organisation that we work with - have been featured in a CNN news report:

A case study we just provided to Sparks:

Homelessness charity, The Society of St James has been providing food, shelter and support to homeless people in Southampton since 1972. In 2003, senior housing manager, Della Cunio became aware that many of the residents were struggling with low self esteem and confidence and were becoming isolated. To combat this, she decided to start a ‘work project’ where residents could learn and train, and in doing so begin to build confidence and break isolation.

Residents of the organisation were consulted on the idea, and one resident in particular, John Smith, was already known to staff as a keen computer hobbyist. The consultation showed that a computer project would be welcomed and John was invited on board to help get the ball rolling. Subsequently Jamie’s Computers was born.

Initially the project was reliant on funding and the focus was very much on learning and training. The project took a few donated PCs and a workshop was started for clients to learn how to refurbish the computers, which they then used to word process and play games. But what soon occurred to the staff involved, was the potential Jamie’s had to grow the refurbishment operation into a commercial enterprise that would not only provide a host of work-based-training opportunities, but also the income needed to run the project. And this is the direction that the project took.

Now, Jamie’s is a fully functioning computer disposal business that provides solutions to more than 400 businesses disposing of IT, and more than 4,000 homes. Numerous individuals have purchased low cost refurbished PCs and Jamie’s also works in partnership with Computer Aid International to provide computers to developing countries. John has been on this journey with Jamie’s.

When John first started with Jamie’s he was a resident in one of The Society of St James’ shared houses. He was overcoming alcohol issues and Jamie’s Computers provided John with somewhere to be during the day, where he could make a meaningful contribution. John volunteered a number of days of week and was in fact instrumental in setting up the first refurbishment workshop. John mentored others, teaching them how to repair PCs, demonstrating the confidence he felt at the project.

In 2004 Jamie’s received funding from the Big Lottery Fund’s, Community Recycling and Economic Development (CRED) Program, which in part allowed Jamie’s to take on paid work placements. John was an obvious choice and started a 3 day-a-week placement on a temporary basis. The fund also allowed for Jamie’s to move into permanent premises and John helped to move the project into its new 8,000 square foot warehouse and set up the commercial workshop. For a while, John was the only paid worker in the workshop and he worked with managers at the project to put in procedures that would see hundreds of tonnes of IT processed over the years following.

In 2006 John’s post was made permanent and he officially joined the staff team. He was also given the opportunity to develop his training skills, later becoming a Trainer and teaching a wide range of courses including Health & Safety, Build Your Own PC (delivered to excluded school children alongside other staff) and Digital Photography.

John is no longer with Jamie’s – he moved on in 2008, but his story shows a triumph against the odds, and reminds us all of what is possible if we provide the right help.

*Name has been changed to protect identity.

Rosa Chapman from City Limits, Southampton, is delighted to be the winner of Jamies e-bulletin prize draw and is now the owner of a high spec Pentium 4 refurbished computer. It is the first time that Rosa has owned a PC, and she could not wait to get it home and started playing! Rosa is an Employment Officer for City Limits working to help young people 18+ to gain education, training and employment. She is passionate about her work and with her Jamies PC she will have easier access to the Internet to enable her to help her clients research their options and to find brighter futures. Jamies Computers refurbishes and sells computers. Not only is PC re-use better for the environment than breaking them up or recycling them, but it gives people the opportunity to buy a PC which is Internet ready at a fraction of the high street prices. Congratulations Rosa!

We're in the process of updating our asset tracking system at Jamie's by installing a database that will give us more hands on information. This will enable us to provide more feedback to customers on exactly what happened to their PCs, ie whether they were re-used, recycled etc, so that customers can use this in their own PR.

We've always had a system, but it was in desperate need of modernisation! And it's nearly done. It's very, very exciting.

The beta version was installed late last week and I can't wait to get my hands on it and start playing!

Amanda Golding
Refurbishment Coordinator

Jamie’s Computers Hosted a Ministerial Visit

Southampton based social enterprise, Jamie’s Computers was one of 14 organisations in the region to receive a ministerial visit, when Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his Cabinet descended on Southampton on Monday 23rd February.

The computer re-use and recycling project, Jamie’s Computers is a project of Southampton’s largest homelessness charity, The Society of St James. Jamie’s welcomed Liam Byrne, Minister for the Cabinet Office to its operation in Northam as part of the ministerial visits which took place in the region.

Minister Liam Byrne said:

“Jamie’s Computers is a great example of how social enterprises can benefit the local community and the country as a whole. It’s clear to me that they give vulnerable people real opportunities to realise their potential and get on in life, regardless of their circumstances.

“In this tough economic climate we need businesses like this that put ethics first. This way we can all build a fairer society and a stronger country.”

The visit followed this month’s announcement of the Government’s Third Sector Action Plan, which has been designed together with third sector leaders over the last three months and builds on the wide range of measures the Government has put in place to support people through the economic downturn, and on the Government’s long term commitment to voluntary organisations and social enterprises.

Della Cunio, Operations Director for Jamie’s said of the visit:

“We were delighted to learn that the Minister would visit the project – it was a great compliment to the work that we do and a proud moment for all the staff and service users involved.

“The importance of social enterprise in the provision of public service and contribution to the economy is recognised by government and keenly promoted. We were pleased to be able to provide a positive case study for the Minister.”

For more information about Jamie’s Computers call 023 8063 2198 or visit our website.

Click here to see more pictures.
Click here to watch a short video.

... but it's not stopping our learners from arriving for a training day on the web design project! Well done chaps

And it's coming down quite hard now!

Want to know more about the web design project and how it's going? Visit the facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=58888&id=732573750&ref=mf#/pages/Southampton-United-Kingdom/Jamies-Computers-Web-Design-Project/33429237708

So you’ve had a big clear out at work which has resulted in a big pile of stuff that you no longer need - an old coffee machine perhaps, a desk, some old PCs and a pile of paperwork. You’re pretty switched on, so you know that ‘reducing, re-using and recycling’ your waste is something that the government would like you to do – for the good of the planet and the community. But here’s the thing. Times are hard, you hardly have time and with all the legislation you have to comply with, you’re not sure you’d be able to get anything very innovative past your boss. So you hire a skip.

As you’re lugging it all across the car-park and throwing it in, there’s this nagging voice in your head reminding you how un-green you are being. You try to block it out, telling yourself that the exercise of filling the skip will save you going to the gym. Not going to the gym will mean the treadmill won’t be switched on. Not switching on the treadmill will save some energy. Saving some energy will reduce your carbon emissions. Phew! The voice stops.

But then you pick up your old PC and start walking it to its grave (the skip). For a moment you’re lost in the memories of the times you’ve had together – surfing the Net when you should be typing that report, tweeting about your boredom when you should be typing a letter, photoshopping your holiday snaps and circulating them - what fun you had!

And before you know it you’re knelt at the Directors door, a quivering mess, computer in arms saying ‘No! She’s too young to die!’

And that was the moment you decided that there must be a better way. A kinder way. A greener way. It was also the moment that your boss told you, that it better not cost too much and it had better not get him into trouble. Gulp!

But actually, if you know what you need to look for, it’s easy peasy! And here’s a quick guide:

So your PC works and you’d like to see it re-used. It would also be great if it could be re-used by someone disadvantaged right? So a charity might be the answer. But disposing of your PC is covered by quite a few bits of legislation:
1. The Environment Act (duty of care)
2. The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive
3. Hazardous waste regulations, and
4. Data Protection Act, after all you probably keep personal data on it

Now I appreciate that it may be starting to sound like a bit of a headache so here’s the pain killer…

There is a network of re-use organisation that will not only ensure your PC gets a new home, but are also registered with the Environment Agency and can wipe your data too. Pick one of these organisations and you just scored 10 gold stars from your legal department and another 10 gold stars from your social responsibility crew! Yay!

Moving on to the other items in your skip, organisations also exist that can your shred your paper and recycle it, re-use your old desk and probably re-use that old coffee machine too! And if you ask them about relevant legislation, they’ll be more than happy to tell you all about it I’m sure.