Wanganui Computers in Homes - Rorohiko i roto nga Kainga o Whanganui

Making digital learning a priority for 2012

2012-01-29T19:25:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everyone!! I am sure 2012 is going to be the biggest year yet for all things Digital!!

We are starting Term 1 well for Computers in Homes in Whanganui. We are running classes at Tawhero, Aramoho, Churton and Wanganui East Schools, plus at the Whanganui Learning Centre and Putiki Marae/ Te Kura Te Atihaunui-A-Paparangi. Our goal for the year is to engage with at least 125 families, whanau and fanau and we will be working with lots of other schools during the year.

Our 2012 Stepping UP classes start at the Whanganui Learning Centre this week. Click here to visit their website for all the details

A very Happy Digital Christmas to everyone

2011-12-20T17:31:00.000-08:00

OMG it is Season’s Greetings time already. This year has just flown by so quickly. We have had a GREAT one with 184 families,whanau and fanau completing the CIH programme. It is really neat to achieve this record during our 5^th yearin Whanganui. Our total families, whanauand fanau completing CIH, since we began in 2006, is now 486!!

Whanganui Learning Centre Stepping UP Class 9 December 2011

Our Stepping UP programme has gone well too. This year, 290 learners have registered,taking our total learners participating in Stepping UP since it began, 3 yearsago, in 2009, to around 900!!

Whanganui Learning Centre CI Class 9 December 2011

We hope having a computer at home and digital skills willhelp make it an extra special Xmas for our families, whanau and fanau. Thank-you to everyone who has supportedComputers in Homes and Stepping UP!!

Churton School CIH Class 1 December 2011

Celebrating digital learning

2011-11-21T07:53:00.001-08:00

November has been another big month for Computers in Homesin Whanganui. We have had 3 graduationsfor 25 families, whanau and fanau at Tawhero School, Te Kura o Kokohuia, andthe Born and Raised Pasifika Centre. These sure are colourful events and it is so heartening to share and celebratetheir accomplishments.

Computers in Homes is still pumping in Whanganui

2011-10-04T13:04:00.000-07:00

Computers in Homes is still pumping in Whanganui. Since our last blog post, we have been busy on many fronts delivering our CIH and Stepping UP programmes. As term 3 ends, we have 5 CIH classes in progress at Kura o Kokohuia, Tawhero School, Churton School, the Born and Raised Pasifika Centre, and the Whanganui Learning Centre. There are 45 families, whanau and fanau participating.

Our Okoia School CIH class at their graduation celebration at the Whanganui Learning Centre in August 2011

When these families, whanau and fanau graduate, our total for 2011 will be 179, making 481 since we began in 2006. It is exiting to be nudging 500, and we should exceed this by the end of 2011 with our classes in term 4.

Our Stepping UP programme is exceeding it goals too. So far this year over 150 learners have completed Stepping UP. Our delivery partner, the Whanganui Learning Centre is doing an outstanding job. They have recently been awarded an excellence rating in an NZQA self-evaluation and review process in August. The NZQA report ranked WLCT as highly confident in educational performance and highly confident in self-assessment and evaluation. In all six areas of review the WLCT gained the top rating of Excellence, WOW!

Our Governance is morphing into a new Wanganui District Council digital super-family called Digital Communities (Digicom). This is a fantastic new collaboration with the Awa City Computer Clubhouse, the District Library’s Aotearoa Peoples Network, Computers in Homes, plus other WDC/NZ Government funded digital interests.

Digicom will enable us to make the most of the new UFB network being rolled out here. It is exciting to see this starting, although it will take several of years to be fully deployed. It is important to prepare well for this, so we have also formed the Wanganui Digital Leaders Forum. This is a big group, with over 20 people and 10 focus groups representing our district’s communities and interests. Yesterday, our Mayor, Annette Main agreed to be the Chair!! It sure is fantastic that she is leading us, and rates it as a key priority.

We are in countdown mode, preparing for the National Launch of Adult Learners' Week/He Tangata Mātauranga on Tuesday, 1 November 2011. This will be a held at Putiki Mare. We are expecting many VIP visitors from around NZ, including politicians, senior government department managers, plus ACE movers and shakers. Also, there will be strong support from local ACE provider’s network and the Wanganui District Council. This will be a huge opportunity to showcase our CIH and Stepping UP programmes. Having the launch at Putiki Mare means they can show off the Cyberwhare operated by Judd Bailey there.
http://aceaotearoa.org.nz/events/adult-learners-week

Great to see ACE Aotearoa featuring a Computers in Homes participant from the Wairarapa. Neat to see Digital Literacy is now an essential tool for successful living.
http://aceaotearoa.org.nz/celebrations

Wanganui Computers in Homes is HOT in July

2011-07-30T15:10:00.000-07:00

It may be mid-winter, but we aren't letting the weather hold us back. During Term 2, around 100 families, whanau and fanau have participated in our Computers in Homes programme.

WOW, that makes 436 CIH families, whanau and fanau altogether since we began in 2006. What a great way to celebrate our 5th Birthday!!

Here is a collage capturing some of our special moments over our first 5 years:

These photos are all in our online album at this link
https://picasaweb.google.com/wanganuicih/WanganuiCIHOver5Years

Our showcase CIH graduation celebration at Wanganui Girls College on 11 July was our biggest ever too. We have been running classes in 8 different partner school s and CTCs this term. Many of the learners attending these classes came with their families, whanau and fanau.

View all of Rae Cliffe’s fabulous photos at this link:
https://picasaweb.google.com/wanganuicih/WanganuiCIHTerm22011ClassesGraduationCelebration

Barriers and Bridges to Digital Inclusion: Taking action in the community

2011-06-25T22:20:00.000-07:00

This weekend my thoughts have turned to preparing for NetHui - Shaping Our Future Together, in Auckland next week. www.nethui.org.nz For an internet junkie like me, it will be inspiring and motivating. I remember a similar excitement prior to going Telecom’s launch of Xtra, in Auckland, in the mid 90’s. The roll-out of our digital highway has been a fantastic adventure. So much has been accomplished, but we are only scratching the surface.

I am looking forward to being one of the facilitators for Barriers and Bridges to Digital Inclusion: Taking Action in the Community session. We are expecting around 70 participants in our discussion. It is great to see there has been interest expressed in Computers in Homes and what lessons, learned from our experiences, can be used to assist libraries and other community-focused organisations.

Digital Literacy is now an important priority, which has become increasingly urgent to address. The cost of not doing anything impacts on everyone’s prosperity. Investment in digital literacy is not only compassionate; it produces significant positive outcomes to increase economic capital in communities through productivity gains, higher tax income, savings on benefits, and increased educational attainment.

The Computers in Homes 100,000 Challenge identifies there are still over 100,000 low-income families in NZ without a computer at home and an internet connection. In Whanganui, the last Wanganui District Council Community Outcomes survey of residents, undertaken in February 2011, identified 19% of residents (sample 400) did not have the internet at home. This equates to 3,207 households in the District.

So there is plenty of work to be done yet to transform NZ and realise our potential. It is no accident the Computers in Homes programme is now included in the NZ Government’s Budget as a cabinet appropriation. It is good that we have been recognised as a worthwhile intervention. However, this investment is only scratching the surface to address low ICT uptake. Now it is clear investment makes money for us all by increasing GDP. Our high return also enables funding for other programmes to be supported.

Big Shake-up for the Digital Divide in Whanganui

2011-05-24T19:41:00.000-07:00

We are sure powering through Term 2. There are currently 110 cih families in classes going on at Castlecliff, Tawhero and Keith Street Schools plus at Te Kura o Kokohuia, Putiki Marae Cyberwhare, the Whanganui Learning Centre, and the Born and Raised Pasifika centre. Whew, that is the most we've so far had going at once, very pleasing! Our trainers are doing a fantastic job, we have 10 in our group, and each brings something special to the classes to ensure our learners get off to the best start possible on the digital highway.

Here are recent photos from some of the classes. Please visit our online photo gallery to see more; we have over 80 albums now going back to when our first contact started on 1 July 2006:
http://picasaweb.google.com/wanganuicih/

What a way to end our fifth year in operation in Whanganui. At the end of July, we expect a total of 430 families, whanau and fanau will have completed the CIH programme since we began. This all deserves a very special celebration, so we are planning a huge Whakahirahira CIH graduation to be held in the Assembly Hall at Wanganui Girls College on Monday 11 July. This will be our biggest graduation yet, and we will have as many families as possible from Term 2 being presented with certificates of achievements, plus there will be presentations of the classes’ digital work and stories. We hope to have some important VIPs to join us too, so it will be a biggie. Please email me if you would like to come and go on our guest list:
alistair@crystaladventures.co.nz

Our Stepping UP programme is rocking on too. So far this year, we have had around 100 learners register via the Whanganui Learing Centre and the Putiki Marae Cyberwhare. This takes our total number of Wanganui‘s Stepping UP participants to nearly 700 since it began in 2009. Outcomes for learners are proving hugely positive. Stepping UP graduates are reporting the programme is helping them find new jobs, or perform better in their current ones. Additionally, many are using their learning as a step towards further study and training and report they are continuing to obtain skills and improve their digital literacy. All our learners report high levels of satisfaction with the programme and increased confidence.

As if this isn't all too good to be true, the "bush telegraph" is hinting there may be more funding for CIH coming our way. There is certainly a huge demand for our programme out there. The Wanganui District Council’s Community Outcomes survey of residents, undertaken in February 2011, found that there were still 19% of households in Wanganui without an internet connection. This is 3,207 homes still needing us! Still, we have a made a made a big difference reducing it to this, and we hope we can empower as many more of them as possible before too much longer.

We are getting very excited about the ultra-fast broadband network being rolled out here later this year. As one of the first places in NZ to have this, we intend to make the most of the opportunity to hook up at super speed. This will create huge opportunities for our Whanganui paradise to prosper and make us an even more attractive place to live in and work from.

Whanganui is keen to go all the Digital Way ASAP

2011-03-22T17:48:00.000-07:00

We are well on the way to working with over 125 new CIH families, whanau and fanau here in 2011.

So far, we have 30 families, whanau and fanau at 3 CiH classes running at the Whanganui Learning Centre, Born and Raised Pasifika Centre and for Aberfeldy School. In Term 2, from early May, we are stepping up with new classes being run at Castlecliff, Keith Street and Tawhero Schools plus others at the Whanganui Learning Centre and Born and Raised Pasifika Centre. Whew, demand for CiH here is higher than ever. As well as the above, we have at least 8 other schools and CTCs interested.

Computers for Positive Ageing at the Eugene Crotty Complex

It was neat to see John Maslin’s story about our work with older people in the Wanganui District Council’s Eugene Crotty Complex, in Gonville, published by the Wanganui Chronicle last week. Read it at this link

Last year, we installed 5 computers, connected to the internet, with Skype capability, for the residents to use in their community room. We also had workshops for residents on using them there for one morning a week from August to December.

This has been a very popular resource with the residents and it has given them new opportunities to keep in touch with families and friends, especially outside the district. Some have become Facebook ‘junkies’, others are using Trade Me, or sharing recopies, or playing Sky Virtual Super Rugby, plus using many other programmes and sites.

SURF'S UP: Bill Signal, a resident at the Eugene Crotty pensioner flats in Gonville, is a regular user of the recycled computers installed at the village's community hall. Photo / Stuart Munro. From the story: Programme Connects Retirees, by John Maslin, published in Wanganui Chronicle, Friday, March 18, 2011

Microsoft software donation for Stepping UP training

We are so pleased to receive a new donation of software this year from Microsoft Corporation to enable the Whanganui Learning Centre to deliver training on the most up-to-date available versions of the Microsoft Office 2010 Software Suite.

Our Stepping UP classes are proving as popular as ever this year. We are on track for 150 learners to complete their training and receive a Stepping UP Certificate by mid-year.
The Stepping UP programme is making a huge difference helping people to become more digitally literate and obtain skills to help them find work. Also, many are of our learners are continuing to study and obtain more qualifications and training.

We have been able to help over 600 learners to complete their Stepping UP training in Wanganui since 2009. Not bad eh? None of this would have been possible without the support of Microsoft and especially for Belinda Gorman’s enthusiasm for our work. We can all be proud Stepping UP is making a huge difference here and it will make a meaningful contribution to the overall economic outputs of the district. .

2011 is going to be another goodie

2011-01-22T13:33:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year Everyone!! In 2011, may Information and Communications Technology (ICT) take us speedily along our digital paths towards creating happy, prosperous and sustainable lives for ourselves :-)

We are starting with plenty of enthusiasm to help as many Computers in Homes families/whanau and Stepping UP participants in Whanganui as possible this year. We are geared up to have 125+ families and whanau take part in CIH, plus another 300 Stepping UP learners.

We are very proud of our achievements here in 2010. For our CIH Phase 2 goal to have 150 families and whanau graduate by June 2011, we have got 144. For our Stepping UP programme, our goal was to have 300 learners complete the course, and we have achieved 94% of this, enough to easily better the minimum level of 80% to receive funding.

It is so pleasing to see our programmes are making such a positive difference for the participant families, whanau and learners. Our last two graduations in December 2010 were fantastic celebrations, a true credit to our local Community Technology Centre partners, the Whanganui Learning Centre and the Born and Raised Pasifika Centre.

Here is our Whanganui Learning Centre December CIH class, who were presented with their certificates by our Mayor, Annette Main, and Whanganui MP, Chester Borrows. Included in the photo, at left, are class tutor Ian Jamieson and WCIH Chair, Cr. Sue Westwood. On the right side is Neil Beissel from WINZ. During the celebration we heard the learners’ stories about how having a computer and new skills will help them make more successful lives.

Our programme is so worthwhile and it is really heartening to hear about their experiences.

Click here to view our photos from the Whanganui Learning Centre Graduation Celebration.

Our Graduation Celebration at the Born and Raised Pasifika Centre on 17 December was a very special one, surely the most colourful CiH graduation ever.

Here is the class with Di Das, National CiH Manager on the left and moi at the right. It is such a privilege to work with the Born and Raised Pasifika Centre. They are so enthusiastic to be able to use computers and the internet for the benefit of their Pasifika Fanau. Centre Manager, Hellen Puhi Puhi is a great CiH Champion. We were treated to an amazing Pasifika experience and with fantastic hospitality.

Click here to view more photos from the Born and Raised Pasifika Centre Celebration

Whanganui is So Special

2010-11-21T23:42:00.000-08:00

However you spell us we are a special community. There were a couple of milestones last week which made me realise just how lucky I am to live and work here.

Monday was the opening blessing for the Jerusalem mini library. It turned out to be much more than just a library opening as it was a chance for local whanau to welcome our new Mayor, Annette Main and share her celebration of taking up her role. She is no stranger to Jerusalem of course as she has lived just down the road for over 20 years, but this was her first visit as our leading citizen and everyone took the chance to show how popular her appointment is with them.

It was neat to catch up with some of our CiH whanau from Whanganui Awa School too. There is a strong connection with the school and Jerusalem already so having a library there will ensure it stays strong.

I hope the Whanganui River communities will be one of the first to benefit from the NZ Government’s Rural Broadband Initiative when it rolls out. They are surely one of our neediest and we all have so much to gain from connecting them properly.

Friday was the signing ceremony for Wanganui’s designation status as a International Safe Community. Once again, it was heartening to see our community leaders gathered to acknowledge all the hard work that has gone into the designation over the past 6 years. It is clear there is a huge commitment right across the board here to make us a great place.

Perhaps the most exiting aspect of these events is that they are the fruits of the extensive collaboration and networking which goes on here.

The Wanganui District Council is a big catalyst for this and is to be applauded for their openness, accessibly and commitment to making us a better place to live in.

Digital therapy is great for keeping on top of mid-winter blues at the Eugene Crotty Pensioner Flats

2010-08-17T02:24:00.000-07:00

Although our primary focus for CIH is on families with children at school, older people are special too. Even if they are not key caregivers, older people can live a more meaningful role in the world and contribute plenty if they can use a computer, access the internet and can use these resources.

So it is great to able squeeze in an extra WCIH ICT pilot at the Wanganui District Council’s Eugene Crotty pensioner flats complex, with around 40 residents. We have set up 5 computers there , all connected to the internet and are really excited about letting the “crumblies’ loose on the digital highway.

It was very special today to launch the pilot with the residents. Here’s to it making a difference for as many there as possible. We are not just leaving them to it either. Ian will be taking weekly classes for them over next couple of months or so. So watch out you young punks the Eugene Crotty crew are on your tail J

Click here to see more photos

Jumping on the CIH Juggernaught in June

2010-07-11T19:56:00.000-07:00

We have had a massive month for June with 45 families/whanau graduating and receiving their computers to use at home. What a wonderful thing to have for the school holidays!!
Our June classes were at Castlecliff, Tawhero and Wanganui East Schools plus Putiki Marae. Congratulations to our tutors: Mary Dean, Debz Tongotea, Ian Jamieson & Judd Bailey. You are our stars!! It is so heartening to read through the class evaluations by the learners and see all the highly positive comments.
Each graduation celebration was special. Chester Borrows, our Whanganui Electorate Member of Parliament presented certificates for our Wanganui East School class graduation at UCOL.

Click here to see more photos of our celebrations this month.
The June families/whanau bring our total participants for 2009/10 to 84 so far. This is well ahead of our plan to have 150 by this time next year. It shows there is plenty of demand and need for us and we could easily double our outputs if funding was available.
July will be no less exciting with the Grand Launch of the Wanganui Computer Clubhouse next week, plus new CIH classes at Tawhero School, Putiki Marae and the Whanganui Learning Centre.
The Stepping UP Programme is proving popular too. We have had over 100 learners complete their 4 modules for 2010 at the Whanganui Learning Centre so far. We are thrilled to be able to offer additional classes at Tawhero School in Term 3. These will be for the CIH parents who graduated in June and who are keen to continue improving their digital skills. Tawhero School is certainly making a huge effort to connect with their community and we are very grateful to have this opportunity.

Tawhero School is a great venue for a cool class

2010-06-05T18:33:00.000-07:00

It was neat to get along to Debz Tongotea’s class at Tawhero School on Wednesday night. They are halfway through their training now. Debz is doing a very good job of taking the class and is enjoying see the transformation of her pupils into confident PC users.

It was fun to talk to them about getting set up their PC’s at home and connecting to the internet from there. Ian Jamieson came along too, and between us we explained how we would do our best to make it easy when they get their computers and internet connections at home.

NZ Government funding for Computers in Homes announcement makes Coordinators happy

2010-06-05T17:54:00.000-07:00

Our latest National CIH Coordinators meeting in Wellington on 27/28 May was a very exciting affair. The announcement on 27 May by Hon. Tariana Turia, Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector that NZ$8.3M would be invested by the NZ Government into programmes to increase digital literacy, including Computers in Homes and Computer Clubhouse, is very good news indeed. It is really heartening to read Tariana’s praise for our programmes and receive her support. http://www.beehive.govt.nz/speech/launch+computer+clubhouse+connected+and+digital+literacy+and+connection+fund

Naturally, Tariana’s announcement made our strategic planning discussions very important and we have already mapped out where the investment could be spent best. Whilst this is a great boost for CIH, the numbers likely to be enabled will only scratch the surface for helping our needy families get on the right side digital divide. There are still 100,000 low decile households who don’t have PC’s or an internet connection at home; we can help around 3,000 (3%). Nevertheless, it is a fantastic milestone that the NZ Government has now recognised CIH as important enough to scale up and have its own budget line!!

Here we are celebrating at the Porirua Business Network with Deputy PM, Hon. Bill English, and MP Hekia Parata.

It is easy to be happy when we can contribute to, and share the achievements of our most needy families in making the most of our digital opportunities. I am so proud to be able to work with the CIH team for my community in Wanganui.

Click here to see other photos from the NCIHCG Hui.
http://picasaweb.google.com/wanganuicih/NCIHCGWellington2728May2010#

Merry May Update

2010-05-26T09:42:00.001-07:00

We are making the most for our digital opportunities in Wanganui with plenty happening here to make a better digital world for our community.

Wanganui Computer Clubhouse Blessed

Last Friday, 21 May 2010 was a BIG milestone for Wanganui with the blessing of our new Computer Clubhouse. Here is our Deputy Mayor, Dot McKinnon talking about how having the Clubhouse will make a difference for us. Our kaumatua Uncle John Maihi is in the background, with Jay Rerekura, Sally-Jane De Salazar, Heather Cox, and Clubhouse Coordinator, Marcina Kenworthy.

Click here to see other photos from the blessing and scans of press coverage

It is so cool to see the Clubhouse underway. We are planning to have a formal launch in July, once membership is established and projects have started.

Wanganui CIH Progress

Currently, we have got CIH classes going at Castlecliff, Tawhero, Wanganui East and Whanganui Awa Schools, and Putiki Marae. We have got around 85 participants registered –WHEW. This is well along the way to our goal of 150 families by July next year!

Here is a photo taken earlier this week at the Putiki Marae Cyberwhare with our CIH class tutor Judd Bailey and some of the whanau.

Wanganui District Council Wisdom

I am so proud and pleased to be living in a district where the local authority has really got their act together to lead facilitation of our digital capability and capacity. The WDC has a draft Digital Strategy out for consultation AND a draft Broadband Strategy. Plus, they have got a draft Economic Development and Resource Management Strategy out with broadband capability and capacity identified as a key opportunity and desired strength.

Click here to download copies

Evidence of Digital Need for Wanganui

There are plenty of good reasons why special attention needs to be made addressing Wanganui's digital needs. Statistics New Zealand has just published their 3-yearly Household use of ICT Survey, based on data obtained in December 2009.

The survey finds there are still 25% of households NZ-wide who do not connect to the internet from home. Wanganui's uptake is much worse at 34%. This is the second lowest in NZ. For broadband uptake, 63% of NZ households connect. Wanganui's uptake is 47%, the lowest proportion in NZ.

Whilst this result is not a good one for us, it will provide a useful benchmark which we can use to move up the ladder. It is very strong evidence there is still plenty of effort needed to get on the right side of the digital divide.

On the positive side though, the survey shows plenty of evidence that those who do connect are increasing their use of on-line:

Internet banking is up 41% from 37% to 52% of total population
Social networking is now the 5^th most popular activity at 37%, not measured in 2006 (Not considered important then?)
Telephone over the internet has increased 150% from 8% to 20%
Video calling is 13%, not measured in 2006.
Download or watch movies, short films or images are up 107% to 27% from 13%.
Applying for jobs online (16%) and making online payments are 6^th= most popular both increasing 60% since 2006.

Internet activities now seem to be taking a solid role in peoples' lives and provide important tools for them to be successful. We can all take heart that now is a better time than ever to get the laggards to jump aboard the ICT juggernaught!!!!

Click here to download my full analysis of the survey.

Putiki Marae Cyberwhare is Amazing

2010-04-21T18:46:00.000-07:00

The Easter Bunny was sure kind to the Putiki Marae this year. Just before Easter they became the first Marae in NZ to operate the Aotearoa Peoples’ Network Kaharoa. All Julian (Judd) Bailey’s and Sandy Nepia’s hard mahi has resulted in an outstanding ICT community technology centre being established.

It is great for Computers in Homes to work with Putiki Marae too! Judd has started a class for 10 whanau. It is truly amazing to see the way the computers are drawing whanau back onto the marae. As well as masterminding this project, Judd is an accomplished artist and digital guru. He has taken the photos featured in this post - please click here to visit our online album with these and other fantastic shots from the Cyberwhare.

The Putiki Cyberwhare is using much more than all the basic software. One programme Judd has introduced is Freemind: http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page . This is a neat & free mind mapping programme which they are using to brainstorm ideas. Also, Judd is using Freemind to plan and map the operation of the Cyberwhare. Freemind is particularly good for showing relationships, so it is has special appeal as a tool to show whakapapa Maori (family trees).

Fantastic Microsoft Support for Stepping UP and the Whanganui Learning Centre

2010-03-21T12:41:00.000-07:00

We are so grateful to Microsoft for their donation of software valued at US$40,880. This will enable our Stepping UP programme provider, the Whanganui Learning Centre to use up-to-date software for their digital learning classes this year - YAY

Microsoft’s software donation is over and above their already committed partnership support for the Stepping UP programme. In Wanganui, we have 250 places for 2010 available in our FREE 10 hour certificated course (4 digital steps/modules x 2.5 hours).

Microsoft’s generosity has enabled us to add considerable value to the outcomes we can achieve from the Wanganui Computers in Homes programme and community digital literacy in Wanganui. In particular, we would like to thank Belinda Gorman, Microsoft NZ’s Community Affairs Manager, who has made a huge effort for us to make this all possible. We have really appreciated her visits to Wanganui and look forward to continuing this relationship as we see the results of the community ICT investment ‘mature’.

I was a 2007 graduate of the Microsoft Unlimited Potential Foundation’s Community ICT Facilitators programme run with the Department of Internal Affairs at Whitireia Polytechnic, Porirua. Three years down the track it is so cool to see how strongly community ICT and digital learning have become priorities. There are plenty of challenges coming up but we are well placed to meet them through Microsoft’s commitment to helping us. We will do our best to make the most of it.

Plenty happening in Wanganui for CIH

2010-03-12T17:21:00.000-08:00

We are moving along well towards achieving our Phase 2 goal to have over 100 new Wanganui families participating in CIH by the end of 2010.

We have just completed arrangements for the Whanganui Awa School, Ranana to become a partner school and they will be starting their first class before the end of March. It is great to be able to take CIH to this small ‘isolated ‘community. Ranana is around 50KM up the Whanganui River, so having computers at home and internet connections will make a huge difference for these people.

New classes are planned to start soon at Wanganui East, Castlecliff & Tawhero Schools plus we are finalising arrangements to make two new Community Technology Centre partnerships who will run classes.

We have uploaded a video to You Tube about Wanganui Computers in Homes. Click here to view We had this made for our entry in the Wanganui Chamber of Commerce Business Awards by Graeme Tidswell, TSH Audio Video, Taranaki. We are very grateful to Graeme for making it available for us to use to publicise CIH. The video features our Tutor/Technician Ian Jamieson and the Critanovich family telling how CIH made a positive difference for them. We plan to spend a lot of time telling our families stories this year as it is so important to share these experiences and show them to families who aren’t connected digitally at home yet.

National CIH Coordinators Hui in Wairoa/ Mahia via Gisborne 4-6 March

2010-03-12T17:05:00.000-08:00

Click here to view more photos.

Our quarterly CIH Coordinators Huis are always special; our last one in Wairoa and Mahia was ‘out of this world’. It was a huge privilege to be present for the blessing of the Wairoa Community Technology Centre, meet the learners and team, and see how they operate. They have established a fantastic resource for Wairoa’s whanau to grab their digital opportunities.

Leona and Leon, Wairoa’s CTC, Stepping UP & CIH Coordinators went out of their way to see we received amazing hospitality. Mahia was an incredible setting for our meeting. We met in the Mahia Boating Clubroom, this had a great panoramic view of the bay and we were surrounded by trophy fish and club memorabilia,. Yet even in this remote community we were able to set up a wireless network and do our business, showi each other our blogs, featured websites, plus send emails.

This was our 19^th CIH Coordinators Hui since 2006 and these have become highlights in my working life. It is so inspiring to spend time with such an incredibly motivated and talented group; we are truly the Dream Team! Here we are on the balcony of the Mahia Boat Club with lovely bouquets made for us by Meihana Baty, Wairoa kairanga (weaver) & artist.

Castlecliff School is making the most of ICT for CIH, plus Ali’s Rant

2010-03-03T01:35:00.000-08:00

It was great to visit Mary Dean’s Castlecliff School Computers in Homes class with Ian Jamieson, our technical support provider and tutor, on Tuesday night. The class are over half way through their 20 hours training and we will be holding their graduation celebration on Tuesday, 30 March - YAY!!!.

The class has been setting up Gmail email accounts using video tutorials via YouTube. This is a double whammy for our learners. As well as getting good tips for Gmail, they can go back to these links to recap, plus they get to see how useful and engaging YouTube really can be.

Ian and I were ‘blown away' with the class and are really looking forward to their graduation on Tuesday, 30 March J

On a personal level, I am currently undergoing a self imposed performance development audit and am using the frameworks from “The Winner’s Bible” by Dr Kerry Spackman (http://www.winnersbible.com), and “Creating a professional Development Plan”, which has been developed with inspiration from NASA’s guidelines and “America’s Top Career Coach”, Robin Ryan. If it is their best shot, maybe some/a lot of it can 'rub off' on me. Click this link to download the document: http://net.educause.edu/section_params/mentoring/M06_%20PDP.pdf ;-) Hah, I hope this helps me be the best I can be to make a difference for us all!!!

I am writing this today after attending our monthly Wanganui CIH Project Steering Group Meeting. We are so lucky to have such a strong group of people to govern our project. Today was our 36^th meeting, and as usual it was an inspiring opportunity to obtain a balanced, focused and well considered perspective from which to manage and coordinate CIH and Stepping UP for Wanganui.

I am truly privileged and grateful for all our steering group members’ contributions. Often, I am way out of my comfort zone to explain what I/we am/are doing, but when I have to put my hand over my heart and do it, then it sorta flows thanks to their wisdom in fleshing out the important dialogue.

A VERY DIGITALLY HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL

2010-01-21T17:36:00.000-08:00

We are looking forward to 2010 in Wanganui being a biggie for our Computers in Homes families and Stepping UP participants.

Computers in Homes classes will be starting in several schools soon, plus at the Whanganui Learning Centre, alongside their Stepping UP classes. We are always keen to hear from people wanting to join us. Please give me a call on 06 348 9504 or send me an email to alistair@crystaladventures.co.nz to register your interest.

Our last CIH Graduation, our 18^th, was held in Whanganui UCOL’s Atrium on 15 December 2009. This was for families who were trained at Wanganui East School by Ian Jamieson. It was a great chance to bring families into UCOL to celebrate their achievements. It is no accident that Whanganui UCOL is a partner with us and we want as many of our older families as possible to continue their learning and complete some tertiary study. The Atrium is a fantastic celebration venue; it was very humbling and inspiring to share the accomplishments of our families there. Our National CIH Coordinator Extraordinaire, Di Das came up from Wellington too and took the photo above of WDC Councilor Sue Westwood and I presenting Tee Apa Kiatipa with his certificate. You can see more of Di’s photos in this album (click here)

November Update

2009-11-25T10:45:00.000-08:00

Our new Community Partnership Fund agreement has been signed and we’ve started classes at Wanganui East School. There are 13 families participating and they will be graduating on 17 December, making it a great Christmas for them :-)

We have nearly finished our first year with the new Stepping UP programme. The Whanganui Learning Centre has done a great job delivering Wanganui’s first pilot. Over 275 learners have completed over 810 modules. We expect around 165 will receive their completion certificates.

It is neat to be nearing the end of year and to have project funding in place until 2011. We have got off to a good start for Wanganui’s Phase 2 for another 150 families and I am really looking forward to making a big ‘dent’ in this next year!

This morning I am off to the 18th meeting of the National CIH Coordinating Group. We have been meeting since the beginning of 2006. I'm proud to have been to all of them and it is very pleasing to see the growth of the group. We have met all around NZ where CiH is run and have got to know each other very well. This time we will be in New Plymouth. We have a busy couple of days coming up with a Stepping UP workshop today, then operational briefings tomorrow.

October and onwards

2009-10-01T20:07:00.000-07:00

There may not have been any posts here for a while, but we have had plenty going on in our Wanganui CIH project. Our new Community Partnership Fund agreement for Wanganui CIH Phase 2 was signed off this week. This means we can now get stuck into getting the show on the road.

Adult Learners Week/He Tangata Matāuranga, 7-13 September was a biggie for us with a wonderful celebration for Wanganui’s adult learners providers and learners in Whanganui UCOL’s Atrium. We heard inspiring stories from several learners and a presentation from our special guest, Gordon Dryden about his new book UNLIMTED – The new learning revolution.
Click here to see Mark Brimblecombe’s photos from the celebration
Click here to see scans of our newspaper coverage.

Wanganui’s eDay 2009 was held on 12 September. It was our 3rd year and we collected 27 tonnes of eWaste this time. This is nearly 100 tonnes over the last 3 years (27 + 41+25), a significant achievement for Wanganui to make the environment safer. We had more than 500 cars dropping off eWaste at the Wanganui Racecourse. Over 60 wonderful volunteers generously helped make it the best run event yet.
Click here to see photos
Click here to visit the eDay website

Our new Stepping UP programme is going really well. We have had more than 220 learners sign up so far and expect over 200 will receive their completion certificates by the end of this year. We were pleased to host Belinda Gorman, Community Affairs Manager for Microsoft NZ and Di Das, National CIH Coordinator; who visited us for our ALW/HTM celebration on 9 and 10 September.

Thanks again to Sasha and Sally-Jane at Whanganui UCOL for organising our Second Newsletter. Click here to view

Wanganui CIH Newsletter published for Families/Whanau

2009-07-24T14:18:00.000-07:00

Next week, we are distributing our new monthly newsletter out to all our families to keep in touch and encourage them to make the most of their digital world and learning opportunities. Click here to download a copy (PDF file).

Our local programme partner Whanganui UCOL has generously enabled this and we thank them so much for their support. This is a great example of how collaboration in local initiatives can strengthen the outcomes. We will continue to engage with as many CiH families as possible and encourage them to be the best they can be and to continue their learning.

July Confidence Booster for Wanganui Digital Literacy from NZ Government

2009-07-18T18:14:00.000-07:00

We are delighted to hear we have been successful with our latest NZ Government Community Partnership Fund application. This will enable us to assist another 150 Wanganui families/whanau to cross the digital divide. We estimate there are still over 1,000 families in Wanganui who don’t have a computer at home, so our latest funding will help us make a big positive difference.

Our next steps to roll out the programme are to thank and engage with our community partners and stakeholders, and recruit our families. We plan to have some classes started during term 3, so by the end of year we will be well along the way.

We intend to continue to keep a high public profile for our programme and will be looking to see we can recruit families with the most need and who can make the most of their opportunity. Anyone who would like to register their interest is invited to contact me, Alistair Fraser, Wanganui programme coordinator, tel 06 348 9504 or email me alistair@crystaladventures.co.nz

It was especially satisfying to see the funding announcement was made by Hon. Tariana Turia. It is inspiring to see how committed she is for our communities. Click the link to read the full announcement www.beehive.govt.nz/release/boost+open+access+ict

Our latest NZ Government funding is gratefully accepted by us. We are very pleased because we see this as acknowledgment that what we have achieved so far is producing significant positive outcomes. We think the Computers in Homes programme is a key tool for the government to use to achieve its priorities of “booting up” our productivity and digital literacy/numeracy. The Digital Age is now fully upon us and Computers in Homes is well placed to play a major transformational role.

It is great to see Hon. Steven Joyce making positive comments about Computers in Homes too. See this link for a Dominion Post story by Tom Pullar-Strecker about the ICT sector and Hon. Steven Joyce’s commitment to see the Digital Divide is addressed, plus hints CIH will be in next year’s budget. www.stuff.co.nz/technology/2547190/Joyce-sticks-to-the-script-on-Telecom

In Wanganui, our Computers in Homes programme will slot well into all the other wonderful digital initiatives happening in our community. Wanganui’s strength is the depth of its collaboration and networking amongst its community organisations. We are proud to be a partner with the Computer Clubhouse project which has also received a CPF grant to become established here. This is a very thrilling development. We hope lots of youth from our CIH families participate in the Computer Clubhouse too.

Exciting as it is to be funded to help 150 Wanganui families, this is still only a small amount of the ones on the wrong side of the digital divide. Our new national initiative, the CIH 100,000 Challenge emphasises we have a long way to go. We will be working hard to show the faith we have received to make a big difference is well founded This is a great chance to put more runs on the board and get prepared to scale up the delivery to achieve our dreams.

We have learned plenty from running CIH for our 158 families who have graduated to date. We will be continuing to engage with as many of them as possible to help them continue to learn and use ICT. Thanks to our partner Whanganui UCOL, we will be publishing a monthly newsletter from August which will be promoting learning opportunities including Stepping UP.

Our Wanganui CIH Steering Group’s governance capability has been strengthened recently with the appointment of three new members: Jenny Duncan, Chair, Wanganui Youth Services Trust, Julian (Judd) Bailey, Te Puna Matauranga o Whanganui and Sandy Nepia, Te Ropu Whakahau and Aotearoa Peoples Network Kaharoa. Welcome to CIH - Jenny, Judd and Sandy - it is great to have you aboard and you will be a big help for us to get the most leverage out of our CiH treasure for our families/whanau.

Help clean up Wanganui's eWaste

2009-07-17T20:17:00.000-07:00

Recycling electronic waste (e-waste) enables the recovery and reuse of valuable materials and ensures toxic materials are not buried in our landfills - so it's better for our environment.

eDay is a cars-only drive-through recycling event which gives you the opportunity to recycle old computers or mobile phones in an environmentally sustainable way.

Over 16,550 cars dropped off 87,056 items during eDay 2008. A total of 946 tonnes of e-waste was diverted from our landfills. This year we hope to divert over 1,000 tonnes of e-waste from New Zealand landfills.

Last year in Wanganui, our second eDay, we collected 39 tons and we look forward to another great one this year.

Please visit our webiste for more information about eDay and we especially invite you to be a volunteer and sign-up online or call local co-coordinator, Alistair Fraser on 06 348 9504

Wanganui eDay 2009 Saturday 12 September

Drop-off eWaste at Laird Park car park, Peat Street from 9am to 3pm

Learn more about eWaste - Visit our website and sign up to receive newsletters and volunteer to help us

www.eday.org.nz

May CIH Update

2009-05-04T20:46:00.001-07:00

Even though there are so many worrying things happening around us like swine flu and financial woes we can only be positive and do everything we can to make a better life.

Wanganui Computers in Homes (CIH) is certainly trying hard and we are awaiting news from the Digital Strategy Community Partnership Fund (CPF) about our application to run places for another 150 families in the Wanganui District. We expect to know if we are successful in early June.

Gathering the information and support for our application has been an inspiring and motivating experience. It was a great chance to forge new community relationships and strengthen our engagement with our partners and stakeholders.

We are very grateful for all the messages of support we have received and are sure these will make a huge difference to improving our chances of success.

We give a huge thank-you to the following people and organisations: Chester Borrows, Member of Parliament for Whanganui; Bronwyn Paul, President, Wanganui Chamber of Commerce; Judith Timpany, Whanganui Community Foundation; Tiahuia Abraham QSM, Aotearoa Women’s Welfare League; Frank Sligo, Associate Professor, Head of Department of Communication, Journalism and Marketing, Massey University; Alison Bourn, Family and Community Services, Ministry of Social Development; Sharon Duff, Whanganui Primary Health Organisation, Bob Wilson, Whanganui ACE Network; Heather Cox, Wanganui District Council Youth Services Coordinator; Des Warahi, Community Development Manager, Castlecliff Community Charitable Trust; Gerry Gibbs, Executive Director, YMCA Wanganui; Tracy Lynn, Manager, Age Concern Wanganui; and Jo Rangooni, Chairperson, Bulls and District Community Trust.

The Wanganui District Council continues to be our lead partner and has stepped up their support by incorporating CIH into their Draft 10-year plan 2009-19, also they have included other provisions for digital capacity and capability. It is great to see them taking such strong leadership for ICT and I commend them for their actions.

Whanganui UCOL has reaffirmed their partnership with us and will continue to help us make the most of taking more education opportunities to our families.

Click here and visit YouTube to view a video taken at the Computers in Homes/Microsoft NZ Stepping UP Launch at the Grand Chamber, Parliament in February.

Hear Sue Westwood, our project chairman talk about CIH, council’s roles and her passion for community education.

The National Computers in Homes Coordinators Team at the launch

The Stepping UP launch was a fantastic celebration and a great chance for us to network and fly the flag for Wanganui. Click here to see our photos from the event and other CIH albums

There are plenty of other exiting things happening for us too.

www.eday.org.nz/

We are thrilled to see eDay, our partner project has just won the PriceWaterhouseCoopers NZ Hi-Tech Award for the Most Innovative Industry Initiative. Click here for details . We hope this accolade will be the catalyst for the ‘powers that be’ to give us their funding green light soon to operate in 2009. Wanganui participated in eDay in 2007 and 2008. Last year we collected 39 tons of eWaste here and we are very keen to do it again.

Wanganui has been included as one of seven regions in the NZ Schools SuperLoop Group submission to the New Zealand Government Broadband Investment Initiative. There were 101 submissions received by the Ministry of Economic Development. Click here to read them including ours submitted by the Wellington Loop Trust on behalf of the SuperLoop Group.

Our participation has been facilitated and championed by Vivianne Murphy, Principal, Wanganui Girls College. Thanks very much Vivianne, we are lucky to have your enthusiasm and really pleased you on our project steering group too!

It was great to attend the Older People Forum at the Wanganui District Council last week. Older people have a huge need to be assisted with digital engagement and have the lowest internet usage uptake of all the age groups by far. Is great to see the Wanganui District Council championing them so strongly, and giving local support organisations a forum to keep in touch. I enjoyed participating and putting my thoughts on paper for my CIH update. Click here to download a copy.

2009 off to a fantastic start with Stepping UP & the CIH 100,000 Challenge

2009-02-11T14:50:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to the 2020 Communications Trust and the Microsoft Unlimited Potential Foundation for implementing the Stepping Up programme. Wanganui has been chosen as one of the first 3 Regions in New Zealand to operate Stepping UP.

The Whanganui Learning Centre will be delivering our first pilot for 200 families in 2009 and enrolments for classes have started already.

Here is the staff of the Whanganui Learning Centre, all ready to go!

The Stepping UP programme will provide a 'staircase' for our Computers in Homes graduates and other community members through access to more advanced digital training including with Microsoft Office Programmes.

Computers in Homes 100,000 Challenge launched today

The 2006 Census revealed that more than 100,000 families with school-aged children do not have access to the Internet from their homes. To address this, the 2020 Trust is launching the Computers in Homes 100,000 Challenge today. This is a challenge to all New Zealanders, including central and local Government, business and the community to ensure that no family with school-aged children remains disconnected.

End of Year Wrap-Up

2008-12-23T16:27:00.000-08:00

It has been a great year for us and neat to finish up having more families with computers at home than allowed for under our Community Partnership Fund agreement.

Our graduation of 6 families at Aberfeldy School last week has brought our project total to 158 families.

Our plans for next year are to obtain more Community Partnership funding to expand the project for another 150 families. We plan to include families with pre-school children without computers at home, and also the elderly who are key caregivers. We will be continuing to collaborate widely and link up with other local education providers, community organisations and agencies to do our best to see ICT uptake in Wanganui is maximised.

Thanks to everyone involved with the Wanganui Computers in Homes - our project has been a privilege to coordinate and our success has only been possible because of all the enthusiasm, wisdom and commitment we have received from the steering group, trainers’ technicians and service providers.

Please take time to share awareness of our project:

Visit our 23 on-line photo albums with photos from throughout the project
Download our latest PowerPoint presentation about our project, with great images.
Download a Word version of our project evaluation prepared for the Community Partnership Fund

CIH Family Rejuvenations Surveys Show Project is Working

2008-10-11T12:01:00.000-07:00

Here is our latest project report to the Wanganui Distict Council's Community Development Committee:

One hundred and thirty five families have now graduated to date. This is 90% of the NZ Government's Digital Strategy Community Partnership Fund’s (CPF) project agreement deliverables for 150 families.

Final classes to complete the CPF agreement have started for 17 families at Wanganui East School and 6 at Aberfeldy School. Graduation celebrations for these classes will be in October/November (Wanganui East School’s is 28 October). After these, families with computers at home will total 158.

Surveys of CIH families have been undertaken with 41 surveys obtained from the 107 families who had graduated up to the end of July 2008, this is 38%. A comprehensive knowledgebase has been obtained, individual responses have been consolidated and summarised identifying outcomes of the families’ experiences.

Wanganui CIH Mums completing Rejuvenation surveys at Castlecliff School on 10 September 2008

Donna Ngatai is thrilled to be the lucky draw winner for the Castlecliff session.

Key findings identified so far are 39% of families reporting they have undertaken other training and education since becoming a CIH family. This is 4 times the assumed level for tertiary uptake and will considerably increase the in-kind contribution estimations to match and better CPF cash funding. Another positive result of the survey is that 29% of the families reported having a computer at home helped them find work.

Strong evidence that the project has reached its objectives has been obtained. 90% of the respondents reported using email and the internet. This is a good indication that ongoing family uptake of the first 6 months free internet cost is perceived to be worthwhile by them.

The Wanganui Computers in Homes Project will be submitting an expression of interest (EOI) to the CPF for operating more Wanganui CIH initiatives in 2009/10. The EOI is due to be submitted by 10 November 2008.

Final CPF agreement requirements to complete the project by 31 December 2008 are a project completion report due on 30 September, and a project evaluation report on 30 November. The outstanding issue to be resolved is agreement with the CPF to carry-forward project funds in 2009 to cover on-going project costs for support.

Sample comments from CIH family rejuvenation surveys:

“In my eyes thee is nothing that I would want to improve. This was an awesome course that built my confidence up.”

“I don't think there is much more CIH could do. Having the opportunity of a computer in the home is really fantastic. Without CIH we would not have a computer at all. Thanks”

“I felt the programme was run very well. Doing the 20 hours a couple of hours at a time was great as it worked in well with working and the kids. When I contacted the virus I was contacted back quickly and the computer was back in the home just over a week later, we were all very pleased and grateful.”

“The computer is mainly used for my 6 year old who has verbal apraxia. It has taught him to concentrate and try to use his speech.”

“Child helps parents!”

“Confidence using a computer. My teenage son has learnt heaps and has used these skills to help other kids on his course. My 7 year old daughter loves to Google all topics and has learnt a lot as a result”

“We got connected with Watchdog Net at a very cheap rate and it has all the basics we require. Very happy and have been still with them for the last year.”

Wanganui's Digital Strategies Exciting Concepts That Lift the Spirit

2008-10-11T11:39:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to the Wanganui District Council for getting in behind the Digital Strategy and ensuring we have our digital connectivity enabled. Here is Wanganui Deputy Mayor, Dot McKinnon's Council Comment publised in the River City Press on 11 September 2008. Thanks for your leadership Dot and here's to us making the most of the ICT juggernaught.

Wanganui River City Press - Good News for CIH

2008-10-11T11:16:00.000-07:00

Here is a summary of Wanganui Computers in Homes progress published by the River City Press on 28 August 2008. Thanks to the River City Press for all your support enabling us to get our messages out there.

"Awesome" CIH Tuition received at Wanganui East

2008-10-10T23:56:00.000-07:00

Our 15th Graduation at Wanganui East School on 31 July 2008 was described as "Awsome" by Tracey Rapana. Here she is with her whanau at the celebration in a scan of the Wanganui Chronicle's story on 2 August

Click here for more photos by Ian Jones from Maxilabs and photos by Alistair Fraser

Wanganui East School Graduation Today Our Biggest So Far

2008-07-30T12:05:00.000-07:00

We are taking a big huge step forward today with a graduation celebration for 28 students from our latest classes. These classes have been running on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights at Wanganui East School during June and July. Our students were from families with children at various schools around Wanganui. We will be featuring photographs and stories from this milestone event next week.

This is our 15th graduation and it will take us to a total of 135 families who have computers in homes. This leaves 15 families to engage to complete our funding agreement allocation of 150. They have been identified and will be starting classes at Wanganui East and Aberfeldy Schools in August.

It is sad that we have finished recruiting and prepare to complete the final reporting requirements for our agreement with the Digital Strategy Community Partnership Fund to run the project.

On the other hand, it is fantastic that we will be evaluating the impacts of the project through our Rejuvenation Programme which includes a family survey and a computer WOF. As we collect this information we are already discovering CIH has made a very big positive difference to the participation families. As well as helping the children, parents are benefiting too. Around a quarter of surveys completed so far identify a parent or caregiver who has undertaken more training or education since graduation and a quarter of the surveys found a parent or caregiver had got a job or undertaken a volunteer role.

Our project is worth continuing beyond its existing commitments. We have accumulated a lot of experience and capability in Wanganui. We are looking forward to the release of the new Digital Strategy 2 when it released in August and will be using this as our springboard to move forward. We are also pleased to have established strong collaborations and working relationships in Wanganui so far and we will be leveraging these to generate new initiatives to grow the project.

Computers in homes make big difference, says group

2008-05-24T16:23:00.000-07:00

During May we have had graduations for families from Wanganui Intermediate Schhool and Wanganui Girls College. It was fantastic to share their enthusiasm and achievents and I am looking forward to Computers in Homes helping to achieve their dreams.

Here are the Wanganui Intermediate group:

More photos at this link
http://picasaweb.google.com/wanganuicih/WanganuiIntermediateSchool7May2008

Here are the Wanganui Girls College group:

Cranking Up the Benefits of ICT and Digital Capability

2008-04-30T12:28:00.000-07:00

Wanganui CIH is completing recruiting and training for families to be assisted under its seeding funding from the Community partnership Fund.

During May, we will be graduating 10 families from our new partners: Wanganui Intermediate School, Wanganui East School and Wanganui Girls College. Our recruitment and family uptakes have been slower than expected. We are turning this problem into an opportunity to strengthen our project as we know there are plenty of families in Wanganui who don’t have computers at home and connect to the internet and use email from there. StatisticsNZ said 41.6% of Wanganui’s households did not connect to the internet in December 2006. This is 7,092 households.

As we move towards completing our current targeted family numbers we are working on strategies to continue and grow CIH in Wanganui in the future. We are stepping up our collaboration with local organisations to strengthen our advocacy and obtain support to sustain our benefits.

We are pleased to see the release of the draft Digital Strategy 2. It is open for submission until 12 May. This is a great blueprint for a prosperous future and we will be letting them know we support it. We will be recommending the adoption of the Digital communities Action Plan Framework which includes Whole of Town Computers in Homes schemes.

Here is a link to the draft Digital Strategy 2 - We urge you to peruse it and support it by making your own submission
http://www.digitalstrategy.govt.nz/digital-strategy-2/

Kura Kokohuia and Ngamatapouri School Graduations

2008-02-02T15:02:00.000-08:00

Our latest graduations were at Kura Kokohuia and Ngamatapouri Schools.

Here is Kokohuia "Champion" Shane Mathews talking to graduates and whanau on 3 December 2007.

More photos here http://picasaweb.google.com/wanganuicih/KuraKokohuiaCIHGraduation

Christmas was extra special for Computers in Homes families at Ngamatapouri School who graduated on 22 December. School principal Raena Mead has worked hard to get the programme established and we look forward to CIH making a big difference.

More photos here http://picasaweb.google.com/wanganuicih/NgamatapouriSchoolPrizegivingCIHGraduation

Over Halfway Through Project Milestones

2007-11-21T17:15:00.000-08:00

Wanganui Computers in Homes passed the halfway stage of its 30 month project timeframe at the end of September.

It is exciting to have graduated 91 faimilies now. We are starting to get some very positive feedback.

UCOL Whanganui, our project partner undertook a telephone survey of families participating in the project. They found a high number reported it a positive, empowering experience. The survey coordinator noted “It became obvious to me during the course of the conversations that the Computers in Homes project had made a significant difference to the families involved”.

Schools are pleased to have families using their resources and being on school property. They have noted the enthusiasm of parents and their involvement in learning, strengthening of parent child relationships, improved child school achievements, and parents connecting to school in other ways, i.e. parent teacher associations, volunteering to help in classes and more informal consultation re school matters. One of the Dec 2006 Graduates from Kura Kokohuia has become teacher for the second class.

Our families recieve fantastic techical support from Ian Jamieson, Wanganui East Schools ICT support coordinator. Here is Ian at our latest graduation

View more photos - click on our new slideshow feature on the right side of our blog.

Wanganui District Council/Iwi Taskforce on Youth Wellbeing

2007-07-21T13:32:00.000-07:00

The Wanganui District Council/Iwi Taskforce on Youth Wellbeing has been established to look at ways to target young people who will drift into anti-social behaviour not just because of their environment but because they do not have the skills and resources to break the cycle of disadvantage.

Click here to read the Council's news release.

Computers in Homes already is proving to be successful intervention as a mechanisism for familes to understand learning and schooling. The benefit is not just that they get computers and skills but also that the interaction and attention they pay to the computers is a platform for producing better realtionships.

It is great to see Deputy Mayor Dot McKinnon feature Youth Wellbeing in her River City Press Council Comment this week.

Our Taskforce is a fantastic opportunity to make a difference in our community to help at-risk people who want to break the cycle. Wanganui is lucky to have such a committed Council/Iwi and the Taskforce deserves plenty of support.

Software for Learning

2007-05-26T14:37:00.001-07:00

It is exciting to see the range of software becomming available free or at low cost. New computer users are quickly learning the basic skills and are eager to expand them.

Wanganui Computers in Homes assisted facilitating a Software for Learning Workshop at Castlecliff School on 17 May 2007. This was for Wanganui's school prinicpals and teachers.

Presenters were Maureen Lambert, Senior Advisor, Ministry of Education (MOE) and Lyn Ross, Wanganui Schools ICT Cluster.

The session focused on the MOE's Software For Learning resource hosted at TKI

This is a fantastic reference for identifying good quality free or low cost software which can be used to expand users capability. All software featured have been evaluated by the MOE.

Wanagnui Computers in Homes families PC's have many of the programmes installed.

Here is a link to a shared document with some of the Open Source programmes which were covered in our session.

Wanganui Computers in Homes schools and families use Atomic Learning Software, an on-line multimedia trainiing site.

Graduations at Kura o Kokohuia & Wanganui East

2007-05-26T14:37:00.000-07:00

Kura o Kokohuia held their first gradaution celebration for 22 whanau on Wednesday, 16 May. Student training was completed and their computers were installed at home in December 2006.

Kokohuia also features in this in-depth report by Merania Karauria, published in the Wanganui Chronicle on 24 May 2007.

Wanganui East School's second group of Computers in Homes families are begining to graduate. Here are 4 who received their computers on Thursday, 24 May.

Progress Reported at Wanganui East School

2007-05-08T16:51:00.000-07:00

Wanganui East School has reported a number of positives from their Computers in Homes project. Here is a scan of a recent River City Press artcle describing their progress.

About Us

2007-01-26T14:25:00.000-08:00

Wanganui’s Computers in Homes project was chosen to be supported by the NZ Government’s Digital Strategy Community Partnership Fund in June 2006.

The Wanganui District Council (WDC) is lead project partner. WDC Councillor, Sue Westwood is Chairman of our Steering Group.

The other members of the Steering Group are

* Sally Patrick, WDC Community and Cultural Manager
* Bob Dempsey, Wanganui Library, Wanganui Literacy in Employment Research Project
* Nygllhuw (Nigel) Morris, Wanganui Incorporated, Chamber of Commerce, KiwiWebs
* Di Das, National Computers in Homes Manager
* Laurence Zwimpfer, 2020 Communications Trust
* Craig Sharp, Principal, Castlecliff School
* Robin Paul, Principal, Wanganui East School
* Sharon Duff, Business Development Manager, UCOL

The Steering Group meets monthly and members contribute their strong local community support management experience. A comprehensive Project Governance Terms of Reference has been developed by the Steering Group.

Our Project Partners are

UCOL Whanganui provides pathways to further learning and is committed to helping our families/whanau succeed in life.

The 2020 Communications Trust manages the National Computers in Homes programme and provides strong support to Wanganui.

The Watchdog Corportation is our project's Internet Services Provider. Watchdog ensure our families/whanau can connect to the internet as safely as possible and offer participating families heavily subsidised connection rates.

Microsoft supports Computers in Homes by providing software and through its UPLIFT Community Affairs Programme.

55 Families receive computers to use at home in December 2006

2007-01-04T10:58:00.000-08:00

During December 2006, 55 families/whanau received their computers to use at home. Here are photos of our graduating students and families:

Wanganui Computers in Homes Launch Celebration

2007-01-02T12:22:00.000-08:00

Our launch was celebrated on 2 November 2006. We were hosted by Castlecliff School with a magnificent powiri and afternoon tea.

Below, L-R, Glen Adams, Teacher, Aranui School, Jill Pettis, Member of Parliament, NZ Labour Party, Mary Dean, Teacher, Castlecliff School, Sally Patrick, Community and Cultural Manager, Wanganui District Council, and Alistair Fraser, Project Coordinator.

Sharon Duff, Business Development Manager, Wanganui UCOL and Hon. Tariana Turia, Minister of State, Maori Party of Aotearoa.

Chester Borrows, Member of Parliament for Whanganui, National Party and Craig Sharp, Principal, Castlecliff School.