Programme empowering parents | Taranaki News | Local News in Taranaki

The E-Learning Trust together with Taranaki/Central North Island Computer in Homes is calling residents to action.

Computers in Homes has grown from 15 families in Eltham to 250 families across South Taranaki, and now encompasses the whole of the Central North Island, but should more funding not be found, it could signal the end of the programme locally.

``We have funding for 75 families in the whole area, but with so great a need in other areas it is unlikely it
will be allocated here where so many have already been helped,'' says Christina Turner, regional co- ordinator for Taranaki/Central North Island Computer in Homes and project manager for project administrator the E-Learning
Trust.

The demand locally for the programme is far from sated, she adds, with 95 families currently on the waiting list, and ``that is only in South Taranaki''.

``We have not yet touched Stratford (apart from those helped through the Eltham facility) or Inglewood.''

The programme strives to help families and individuals become computer literate. With Computers in Homes
the whole family is engaged, covering basic computer use, basic word processing and how to use email and the internet, and at the end of the course is donated a computer. The cost is around $4000 per family.

``We have found that if parents do not see the value of a computer, it will just become a doorstop. That's why we
also train the parents; to empower them.''

She says the spin-off is that the parents get hooked, with many moving on to better their education after gaining confidence in themselves on completing the course.

``We had a couple of women in their 40s who always wanted to do nursing, but were too scared. After having
done Computer in Homes, they had confidence to enrol. Gaining skills is one thing, but more important is gaining
confidence.''

The programme is also run through schools.

For individuals, Stepping Up is offered in Eltham and Hawera, and though it is meant as the next level up from
Computers in Homes, teaching more advanced skills such as using Excel, Christina says there is a high
percentage of participants who has never before used a computer and that there is a great need for covering the
basics. The Stepping Up series will continue, but Karen Cave, chairperson of the Taranaki

E-Learning Trust, says more funding is also needed to address the increasing demand and to take it to other communities. She says, following the recession they saw an increasing number of adults wanting to learn computer skills that would help them land a job.
 

``The 2006 census has shown that 37 per cent of homes with school-going children does not have internet access at home. Children who do not have a computer at home are severely disadvantaged. It is no longer a nice to have, but a necessity. And, the gap is going to get bigger,'' adds Christina.

Stepping Up classes in Eltham will this month resume for this year, but the exact date still needs to be determined. Four sessions, of 2.5 hours each, are available free to anyone wanting to learn computer skills. Pre-registration is advised, but people who just turn up will be accommodated if space is available.

To answer the call to action and register, or to find out whether your family qualifies for Computer in Homes,
visit www.computerinhome.org.nz

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