Support for families at graduation

Thirty-seven Far North families celebrated recently at a Computer in Homes graduation attended by John Carter, National Party MP for Northland, Kelvin Davis, Te Tai Tokerau Labour candidate, along with other local dignitaries.

Through the national Computers in Homes programme, local families are provided with computers and internet access along with training, skills and support to use this technology, via their local schools.

The programme brings computer technology within reach of all NZ families with school-aged children and allows parents and grandparents to connect with their children’s learning.

Computers in Homes estimates more than 100,000 NZ families with school-aged children in low income communities still don’t have a computer at home.

The organisation was in Kaitaia to both celebrate local achievements and raise awareness of the programme to encourage government and business to scale up their support.

“We were encouraged by the level of support from local community leaders that were present,” said Computers in Homes’ national co-ordinator, Di Das.

“We do hope regional celebrations such as the Far North’s will encourage the government and businesses to expand their support for the programme to ensure it gets the funding it needs to connect the other 100,000 families in NZ without a computer and the internet.”

Ms Das says NZ’s 2006 Census results reinforce the need for funding and support to establish and develop Computers in Homes into a national programme and policy.

“Forty-seven per cent of households with school-aged children in the Far North District have no access to ICT for their education, according to the 2006 Census. This is compared with 13 per cent of households in the North Shore City,” Ms Das says.

“This region ranks 69th for internet access out of 73 districts in NZ. Computers in Homes have helped to connect some of these Far North families but there are many more here and across the country who are waiting to be included,” she says.

The programme started in 2000 and has already supported more than 4,000 NZ families with recycled computers, six months of free internet access, computer training and technical support, via their local schools.

Parents receive 20 hours of basic computer training including word processing, e-mailing and using the internet, conducted at their children’s school or a local community hub.

The training is aimed at empowering parents to become actively involved in their children’s learning, as well as increasing their own employment opportunities and confidence. Results from the programme have included employment success and continued education.

Ms Das says the programme has also seen a number of parents actively engaging with their school for the first time.

“We receive numerous e-mails of thanks from participants in the programme. It opens up a whole new world of opportunity for families who participate,” Ms Das says.

Computers in Homes is an initiative of the 2020 Communications Trust with support from the MoE and the government’s Digital Strategy Community Partnership Fund.

The 2020 Trust is looking for funding and support to expand Computers in Homes to all low income communities where children do not have access to computers and the Internet in their homes.

For further information visit: www.computersinhomes.org.nz