Minister of State Lenihan announces 7,000 training opportunities.
Scheme amounting to over €340,000.
The Minister for the Knowledge Society Conor Lenihan, T.D, today announced the availability of approximately 7,000 training places for people who wish to learn how to use the internet, email and other important computer applications..
These training opportunities will be available throughout the country as a result of the BenefIT 2 eInclusion scheme. Minister Lenihan invited applications from community & voluntary groups under this scheme in September. Applications have been evaluated and grants are being awarded to 3 groups. The training will be very practical and is aimed at beginners. It will include how to use e-Mail as well as using the Internet to find information, products or services. In addition to the basics trainees will also have the chance to learn other skills and can choose from areas like on-line banking, use of on-line government services and digital photography.
The successful grantees are:-
• Age Action Ireland
• Dublin Employment Pact
• Mullaghmatt Cortolvin Community Development Ltd.
Between them they have been allocated funds under this scheme amounting to over €340,000.
Training will be available in every county in the State with multiple training venues in many counties. Details of the training locations, the number of training places in each county and contact details will be posted on the departments website in mid December at http://www.einclusion.ie/
Minister Lenihan said “This represents an opportunity for even more people all over Ireland to benefit from the knowledge society. Learning these skills will open new doors and can help people to save time and money as well as providing them with a whole range of new opportunities. As we approach the time when people are considering New Year resolutions I’d encourage people to take these chances now on offer”.
ENDS
Note for Information of editors.
This scheme focuses on encouraging and facilitating digital engagement primarily by facilitating the acquisition of the necessary skills to engage with and benefit from modern technologies. Digital engagement is a key strand in the Governments strategy to develop Ireland as a knowledge society/economy and compliments efforts being made in other areas such as infrastructure.
All participants will receive training in:-
• Setting up own personal eMail address
• Sending and receiving eMail
• Using a search engine to research a subject of their own choice
• Conducting a simple “transaction” on-line. E.g. buy or reserve something, book a ticket, pay a bill, reserve a library book or checked that you are on the electoral register
In addition they will be offered a choice of not less than 3 from the list below from which they can select the subject of their choice for further training.
• An introduction to digital photography
• An introduction to using the internet for voice or video telecommunications
• An introduction to on-line banking (not available in some cases)
• Introduction to the use of government services on-line.
• Assisted & supervised Revision of one or more of the other topics learned
Participants in the training will in most cases be asked to pay a nominal fee of €20 – but this can be waived in some cases depending on the circumstances.
The average cost to the Department per person trained under this scheme will be approximately €50 – which is substantially less than under previous schemes. This has been made possible by examining the best performances achieved under previous schemes and designing this scheme having regard to the identified examples of best practice and challenging applicants to meet those standards – which they have done - and by focusing the efforts on the type of training which research indicates has the potential to make the greatest impact. This ensures we maximize the impact for the resources available.