TELUS expands Buy One, Give One to support care leavers
TELUS has unveiled a Buy One, Give One program to support Canadian youth transitioning out of foster care.
The initiative, which is now in its fifth year of operation, will provide youth with mobile phones and plans across the country. For every new or certified pre-owned phone purchased by TELUS customers during the Black Friday period (Nov 28 to 30), the company will donate a device and a wireless plan to a young person through its Mobility for Good program.
The offer applies to purchases made both online and at select retail locations. Anyone buying a qualifying phone from TELUS will automatically trigger a free phone and plan for a youth leaving the care system. The company's Mobility for Good program is designed to address digital inequality and help vulnerable young adults maintain access to essential digital services as they build independent lives. The program also supports initiatives such as low-cost plans with the option to buy a discounted device for low-income seniors and digital literacy, safety workshops, and resources through TELUS Wise.
TELUS promotes the initiative as an illustration of its commitment to both its customers and to the broader community. The company points to its track record of supporting social programmes, emphasising that campaigns such as this align with broader corporate objectives centred around facilitating digital inclusion. The company says that since the launch of Buy One, Give One in 2017, it has donated over 23,000 phones.
Support for Canadian youth
Many youth exiting government care face financial and social barriers to digital connectivity, often lacking access to a mobile phone plan for job searches, education, and staying connected. TELUS' scheme, which is now in its fifth year, seeks to mitigate these challenges by providing ongoing support.
Since the inception of the Buy One, Give One effort in 2017, TELUS reports having donated more than 23,000 phones to young people across Canada. The donations are part of a wider company strategy to support social outcomes in communities while maintaining customer engagement through purpose-driven campaigns.
Digital access and connectivity
Digital connectivity has increasingly become essential for employment, educational opportunities, housing applications, and maintaining social networks. Programs such as Mobility for Good are seen as key in addressing the risks of exclusion among care leavers who might otherwise be left behind by widening digital divides.
The Mobility for Good program offers recipients not just a free device but also free mobile service, giving eligible youth ongoing access to communication tools as they navigate the early years of independence. According to TELUS, participation in the scheme does not depend on the use of other TELUS services or contracts, and the donated mobile devices are inclusive of the standard features expected in current smartphone models.
