Running Together - Ravenswood OAC
A pilot program,
Running Together conducted by Equity Standards Branch in the Department of Education, will begin at Ravenswood Online Access Centre in late June, to encourage use of the Centres by the Indigenous community. Use of technology is seen as critical to many further life options. As the number of registered users of centres grows (to its current figure of about 32,000) it is important to encourage participation by all groups in the community.
Under the program, a number of Aboriginal mentors, who are already competent ICT users, will receive training in working with others who wish to learn basic computing skills. Following this, each of the mentors will offer ‘An Introduction to the Online Centre’ to four or five new users, and provide them with the support they need. The Ravenswood pilot will be repeated in at least one other OAC before the end of the year. The model will be carefully documented and costed, and then be available to be replicated in other situations or for other groups of people. Watch this space.
Adult and Community Education (ACE) Grants
Thirteen Online Access Centres were successful in obtaining grants . Most received a grant for $800 to deliver a range of training programs to both specific groups and the general community.
Bagdad OAC will conduct word processing courses and
Exeter is running graphics manipulation and web publishing courses.
Launceston OAC used it grant to conduct basic web page design courses for a local indigenous group.
Burnie OAC is conducting the
Burnie Bytes Back Program (Basic Computer Training Courses) that will include training for a number of Bosnian refugees.
Geeveston OAC will conduct basic computer training for their volunteers and Centre users.
The Linkzone
The Linkzone is a web portal designed to provide links to information and services for young Tasmanians. Funded by the Commonwealth's
Networking the Nation Program and managed by the Office of Youth Affairs (OYA), it will be launched in early July.
As part of the promotion of the site, OYA hopes to have Centre Co-ordinators and volunteers wear a complimentary t-shirt during the launch week and direct young people to the linkzone site.
Coming Events
- Tasmanian Communities Online Regional Cluster Meetings – 4 June 2001 (Burnie), 6 June 2001 (Launceston), 8 June 2001 (Hobart). These inaugural meetings are part of a broader strategy under the new TCO operational arrangements to support high quality service delivery and operational standards across the network of Centres. Meetings will be held in each region twice a year for Centre Co-ordinators and interested Centre volunteers including Management Committees.
- Online Access Centres Annual Conference “Tullah”
- 5 October 2001 - Co-ordinators Professional Development Day
- 6-7 October 2001 - Conference
- Tasmanian Community Network (TCN) Smart Communities Forum “Get on with IT” 21-22 August 2001 in Launceston. This forum is an opportunity to learn about developing and running community projects involving information and communication technologies. Details www.tcn.net.au
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