CommIT Basic IT Skills Sessions hit Blackpool!
Jennifer Cooper, 18/02/2008 - 13:00
The CommIT project is currently running Basic IT Skills sessions in Blackpool every Tuesday and Wednesday and they are proving very popular with the attendees. A one day session was also delivered over half term to allow those unable to attend weekly sessions the opportunity to develop their skills with childcare provided!
Tuesdays Basic IT Skills sessions work with the parents at Blackpool TIggers, a charity providing sports and social activities for children on the austistic spectrum, helping the parents to improve their IT skills and boost their confidence and knowledge about working with computers.
On Wednesdays there are two seperate workshops running simultaneoulsy, one at Claremont First Steps Centre and the other in association with the Ashley Foundation at Elm House. Claremont First Steps Centre recently had a brand new computer suite installed, increasing their capacity to help improve the IT skills of those in the local area in association with the CommIT project.
The Ashley Foundation, a registered homeless charity, offers support and housing for people in need. The sessions on a Wednesday afternoon give residents of the Ashley Foundation's three hostels the opportunity to further improve their IT skills and the volunteers are currently helping them set up an in house magazine, created by the residents, for the residents.
The one day session at Claremont Childrens Centre helped indviduals to improve their confidence and IT skills. One participant said he had "found a lot of different things" that he could do on a computer and that he found the course "very useful." Another felt the course was "very helpful" and she could now "use the internet competently...do spreadsheets and cv's" and also use databases.
Activities for the children were provided by the LUVU Creative Arts volunteers. They helped the children to make their own skittles as well as playing French cricket and parachute games. The children were read a story about "Larry the Litterbug" and also made their own litterbugs, making lots of mess in the process!
All in all the day went very well and CommIT, in association with the Schools Partnership, will hopefully be running further one day sessions over the Easter break and Summer term.
