Government Office for London Annual Review 2001-2002 | Download the Complete Review in PDF Format here
Doing IT for themselves
It seems unlikely that there would be any connection between a bi-lingual outreach facility in Haringey, buses in Islington, an HIV project at Chalk Farm and a London-wide social housing group.
But there is - ICT; or UK Online to be completely accurate.
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In the March 1999 budget, £252 million was made available through the Capital Modernisation Fund to establish ICT learning centres across England. The aim was to give every adult (aged 16 years and over) with limited or no previous experience, the opportunity to access and learn about ICT. Launched by Tony Blair in September 2000, UK Online is about delivering products and services from the government, the public, private and voluntary sectors through ICT. Help and support is available to enable anyone access to IT through their local UK Online centres or via the website www.ukonline.gov.uk |
Working in partnership with the New Opportunities Fund, the GOL UK Online team has allocated £38million to 167 projects (establishing up to 390 centres in London), ranging from small community groups to large charities and local authorities. Prior to contracting, each project passed through a robust bidding process to establish how it could deliver ICT services to excluded client groups in deprived areas.
The success of the projects led the team to surpass their contracting target (95% signed by March this year), which in turn raised the national performance, leading to the unit getting a commendation from DfES (Department for Education and Skills). The range of projects includes the Ming-Ai Institute in Haringey, which provides an exceptional bi-lingual and outreach facility for Chinese and other nationalities. Chalk Farm Oasis is a larger project with 8 centres enabling people with AIDS/HIV (as well as their carers and relatives) the opportunity to access ICT to enhance their chances of entering employment, education or pursuing a career in the voluntary sector.
Islington Online (LB Islington) combines static centres with 2 buses equipped out as mobile ICT centres. The buses take the classroom to the people literally travelling the streets of the borough, building a bridge to learning across Islington in a friendly and informal setting. Cllr James Kempton, Islington Council's Executive Member for Regeneration and Education said: "Islington's IT bus is making a real difference by giving people who cannot travel or would not go to a more formal venue an opportunity to use ICT. By parking on estates and outside shops, hundreds of people of all ages have been given a chance to see what other learning opportunities are available to them".
Meanwhile a double whammy for the Silwood Cybercentre - being named "Best UK Online centre" for London and Gulsen Huseyin, winning "Best UK Online learner" within the London Region. Based in Lewisham, the centre is run by a partnership headed by London and Quadrant Housing Trust. Sonia Meggie, Cybercentre manager for L&Q said: "We see Silwood as a launch pad to IT for local people. Our learning programmes are very popular because they bring IT to the doorstep. With our partners, Lewisham College and the local Silwood SRB team, we aim to offer a really friendly environment so that people who may have missed out on IT training in the past can take free courses. People who come here know it's friendly, welcoming and fun".
Gulsen, a local Silwood resident who enrolled on a learning programme at the Cybercentre said: "I knew a bit about computers, but I'd lost my confidence since having my children. When the PC technicians' course started I went along and enrolled. The staff persuaded me to take the short entry test and I was in! I'm really enjoying the course and my aim is to get a job using my newly earned skills".
The centre, housed in a terraced house at Silwood, includes a computer room, a dedicated PC Technician's suite and a small studio with Apple Mac and PC computers. There are full time staff on the premises ready to give advice on suitable courses or just give a hand to those who come to a drop in session.
Project manager at L&Q, Maggie Gebbett said: "At L&Q we have gained experience of ICT through our Residents Online project. This latest Cybercentre project shows a partnership approach at Silwood that adds an extra dimension to a community undergoing extensive regeneration. Winning the UK Online award is a real bonus for Silwood. I hope everyone with computer access will log on to www.silwoodonline.org.uk and see what's happening".
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73.6% of public libraries have public access to the
internet in March 2002. 18 London boroughs had internet access in
all of their libraries. London has approximately 300,000 people employed
in the 'knowledge industries' and almost 50% of households have
access to the internet.
(Ellen Ryan, Project Manager of Islington Online, Dr. Chris Jude, Director Lifelong Learning Islington Council, and the Mayor of Islington, at the launch of the Islington Online mobile centre) |
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