The Leeds Databank User Group brings together organisations gifting free data SIM cards via Good Things Foundation’s National Databank. The group is hosted by 100% Digital Leeds in partnership with Good Things Foundation. The group meets quarterly, with the aim of working together to identify any operational challenges, solutions, and successes relating to SIM gifting. Member organisations also share best practice and ideas on how to identify, engage, and support those experiencing data poverty.
“The sessions are extremely helpful knowing that it’s not just you facing specific challenges. A great share was how our organisation plays a key role in distributing SIM cards to communities, ensuring connectivity for those who need it most. Through support sessions, we have focused on effective distribution strategies, such as identifying underserved areas and prioritising vulnerable groups. These sessions also emphasised the importance of accurate record-keeping to track distribution, monitor impact, and ensure transparency. By sharing best practices and innovative ideas, we’re improving how we reach and support the community, making connectivity more accessible and equitable for all.”
Community Ambition
The National Databank
The National Databank provides free SIM cards with 4G data, texts and calls to those who cannot afford it. The National Databank is an initiative led by Good Things Foundation, with SIM cards donated by Virgin Media O2, Vodafone, and Three. Members of Good Things Foundation’s National Digital Inclusion Network can apply for free data SIMs. Good Things Foundation distribute the SIM cards to Digital Inclusion Hubs across the UK, who activate and gift the free mobile data to people in their community experiencing data poverty or living on a low income.
As of February 2025, there are 117 organisations in Leeds gifting SIMs via the National Databank. Those that are open to people being signposted in to their service are listed on the 100% Digital Leeds Community Support Directory.
The purpose of the Leeds Databank User Group
The Databank User Group was formed after 100% Digital Leeds found that some delivery partners were experiencing difficulties with gifting SIMs and needed support to efficiently and effectively administer the National Databank. After speaking with organisations about their challenges on an individual basis, the 100% Digital Leeds team realised that organisations were experiencing similar challenges with overarching themes.
Good Things Foundation were invited to partner with 100% Digital Leeds to co-facilitate a Leeds-based Databank User Group to better understand and address common challenges faced by multiple organisations when administering SIM gifting.
Co-facilitating the User Group allows Good Things Foundation to address challenges and share solutions with organisations on a group basis. As well as more efficiently addressing challenges across multiple organisations, Good Things Foundation can also offer preventative advice and support, especially useful for organisations that are earlier in their Databank journey. This may include signposting to existing training, such as Databank Refresher Sessions, scheduled Question and Answer sessions, and mentoring from Good Things Foundation’s Ambassador Network. Good Things also use the group’s feedback to more easily identify common challenges and inform improvements to future iterations of the Databank.
The Databank User Group allows organisations to:
- Gain an awareness of the number and range of organisations offering SIM gifting across Leeds
- Link with organisations offering SIM gifting to a similar geographical community or community of interest, to get a better understanding of the wider support available
- Feel less isolated, understanding that others have faced and overcome similar challenges
- Address shared challenges as a group
- Hear best practice, tips and tricks from their peers
- Share organisational successes
The Databank User Group enables organisations across Leeds to share challenges and help each other to resolve them, with the support of 100% Digital Leeds and Good Things Foundation. The User Group is also a space to celebrate organisations’ successes and reiterate the impact of providing free SIM cards to address data poverty.
“Playing an active role in the 100% Digital Leeds National Databank User Group has been incredibly valuable. It’s great to engage with Hubs on these regular sessions and to be able to provide guidance and support with the National Databank. By being involved in this group we are able to gather insight that we can use to improve our service.”
Good Things Foundation
Understanding the challenges faced by organisations
Prior to the first meeting of the User Group, 100% Digital Leeds surveyed organisations to ask them what they would like to see from the group, ensuring that the meetings were guided by the current and ongoing needs of partners.
Organisations shared a range of operational challenges, including:
- Managing access to the Databank Portal
- Understanding how to accurately report SIM gifting via the Databank Portal
- Demand for SIM cards exceeding supply
- Delays with reordering SIM cards, due to organisations’ inaccurate reporting
- SIM cards expiring before being gifted
- Staffing changes leaving organisational gaps in knowledge on how to administer SIM gifting
- Understanding the differences between the SIM cards provided by Virgin Media O2, Vodafone, and Three
- Difficulties identifying service users experiencing data poverty
Celebrating success
Leeds Refugee Forum were invited to the Databank User Group to share their approach and the success of their SIM card drop-in sessions. To manage the high levels of need, Leeds Refugee Forum run two drop-in sessions a week for people needing SIM cards. They target advertisement of the sessions to people accessing support across Leeds Migration Partnership. Between June 2023 and June 2024, 715 service users were given SIM cards.
“Providing SIM cards helps our service users feel more connected to their local and global communities and with their loved ones.”
Leeds Refugee Forum
Identifying service users experiencing data poverty
Complete Woman CIC were invited to the Databank User Group to share how they identify beneficiaries and effectively gift SIM cards. Complete Woman explained how they focus on embedding conversations about data poverty into their existing services that address wider poverty. This includes services such as their foodbank or support services for undocumented migrants, which are more likely to attract people on low incomes. Complete Woman also highlighted the way in which SIM gifting fits into their wider digital support offer, such as their free wifi on site, and their weekly IT classes where people can get help from staff and volunteers to improve their digital skills.
“We enable participants to access the internet, essential services, and information that they previously struggled to engage with. Many of our beneficiaries have limited or no internet access at home, and this initiative empowers them to independently connect to vital online resources, enhancing their daily lives.”
Complete Woman
Joining the Databank User Group
100% Digital Leeds and Good Things Foundation welcome new members to the Databank User Group. If your organisation is gifting SIMs via the National Databank and would like to be invited to the quarterly User Group meetings, please contact 100% Digital Leeds.