Blancco partners with Ethan Indigenous to bridge digital divide in the Indigenous community

The initiative launched by Ethan and David Liddiard Group in collaboration with Blancco aims to improve digital inclusion by providing access to devices for Australia’s Indigenous community

Australia – May, 10 2022 — Blancco Australasia PTY LTD, the industry standard in data erasure and mobile device diagnostics, today announced it has partnered with Ethan Indigenous PTY LTD, to provide equal opportunities to young Indigenous Australian’s, enabling them to transition to economic independence through education, and employment in the IT industry. Blancco will support the campaign with licenses of its data erasure software so that refurbished devices can be safely and securely donated to schools and communities in need. Blancco and Ethan Indigenous have also committed to upskilling Indigenous cadets to help with the refurbishment process, with training on how to perform certified data erasure on donated devices.

Ethan Indigenous is a joint venture between Ethan and the David Liddiard Group, alongside partners including Blancco. One of the main goals of this collaboration is to empower the Indigenous community through improved digital and social inclusion. It will focus on upskilling youth for professional career pathways in ICT. This initiative will promote engagement with the circular economy, through sustainable support for existing government initiatives that are equipping the Indigenous community with access to technology and connectivity.

The coronavirus pandemic exacerbated existing challenges facing Indigenous Australians. Not having basic access to the internet or a laptop, computer or mobile device alienated young people isolating at home and delayed their education. Similarly, IT departments too faced restrictions while operating outside of office settings. To address and overcome these challenges, Ethan Indigenous with the help of Blancco’s Data Erasure Software aims to make IT assets more easily available to the Indigenous community by donating devices collected from Government institutions and enterprises.

As part of the collaboration, Blancco will be providing Blancco Drive Erasure Software to facilitate a secure purge of all data on the donated devices. Not only is this software compliant with the Australian Data Privacy Act and ISM requirements, but it also provides a detailed audit trail and certificate of erasure. The software securely sanitises devices of any traces of data and enables the refurbishment and reuse of the device.

To date, Blancco’s Drive Erasure Software has helped ready more than 2000 devices for redistribution amongst young people. This has already resulted in an increase in access to online learning and employment. The training provided by Blancco and Ethan Indigenous helps the community to develop valuable IT skills, as well as a deeper understanding of the importance of data management best practices that engage the circular economy.

David Liddiard, Managing Director of the David Liddiard Group has committed his life to ensure that Indigenous youth have a brighter future and the prospect of a professional career. David said, “It is only through putting technology in the hands of Students can we close the digital divide for our youth and enable them to have an equal opportunity to achieve their personal and professional goals.”

The vision of the two groups spearheading the project resonates with Adam Moloney, Chief Financial Officer, Blancco, who added, “This initiative is an example of how engagement with the circular economy can not only improve sustainability, but also improve social issues and inequality, providing our future generations from all socio-economic backgrounds with access to the resources and technology needed to receive a good education and equal employment opportunities.”

The project is always welcoming donations of new and used devices with future plans for further expansion to as many Indigenous communities and schools as possible. To find out more, visit: http://ethangroup.com.au/indigenous/home/index.html