As FreshwindsIT reaches its 1,000th learner, we were invited to meet Skills Minister John Hayes and UKOnline staff to celebrate the overall project success of reaching 1,000,000 learners.

One million new online citizens celebrated

A special event, attended by Skills Minister John Hayes, was held yesterday to mark a major milestone in the quest to close the digital divide.

UK online centres have supported one million people to use computers and the internet since April 2010, saving government £184 million in the process by encouraging people to do more online. The Minister for Skills and Lifelong Learning popped in to celebrate such a major milestone – achieved 9 months ahead of schedule – and to meet some of the million whose lives have been changed by their news skills.

One learner who attended the event was Mary Westwood, from Birmingham, who first visited her local UK online centre – that’s us – three months ago. She says:“At first I was absolutely terrified of computers, I’d never used one before and I just thought I’d break it. But I actually found it easier than I expected. Now the scales have fallen from my eyes and I feel like I’m finally living in the 21st century!”

A secondary benefit to helping people to use computers and the internet has been the huge impact on the economy, driving down the cost of delivering online public services by encouraging people to do more online. Since April 2010, UK online centres has supported 460,000 people to transact with government online, bringing about a total saving of £184 million in the past 27 months.

On top of this, 8% of the learners they have supported since April 2010 – which equates to 80,000 people – have also found work since gaining skills at a UK online centre, boosting the economy further.

The organisation supports some of the hardest to reach people in the country (187% of UK online centres learners have one or more indicators of deprivation, 30% have a disability and 16% are from BAME groups), through a network of 3,800 local venues or outreach locations where people can gain the skills they need to use computers and the internet.

From left to right: Nyree Scott – Project Manager, Cambridgeshire Library Lerning Services; Roger Hamilton – Activity Development Worker/IT Trainer, St Mungos; Vicky McDougall – volunteer tutor, Cambridgeshire Library Learning Services; Helen Milner – Chief Executive Online Centres Foundation; Jason Hogarth – Department of Bussiness, Innovation and ; Dolly Westwood – learner, Fredhwinds IT; Lord (Jim) Knight of Weymouth – Chairman Online Centres Foundation; Adam Lloyd, IT Lead, Freshwinds IT; Roger Darlington – Online Centres Foundation Board Member; John Hayes MP – Minister for Skills and Lifelong Learning; Dominic Steingold – tutor, Essex Libraries; Charlotte Wheat – Director of Business Development, Online Centres Foundation; Jan Cripps, tutor – Ashton Learning Centre; Martin Wilson – Director of Policy, Go ON UK; Shannon Smith – volunteer tutor, Ashton Learning Centre

John Hayes MP, Minister for Skills and Lifelong Learning, was on hand to congratulate UK online centres on their achievement, and see first hand the real impact being online can have on the lives of individuals. He says: “Most of us take for granted using the internet to stay in touch with friends and family through Facebook, find a new job or order shopping. However more than one in ten people have no access leaving them cut off and isolated.
“That’s why it is fantastic news that UK online centres have helped more than one million people to access the web. Digital skills change people’s lives for the better helping them to feel part of a modern society”.

Mr Hayes also took the opportunity to announce a six-month action research project, which will be managed by Online Centres Foundation that will test thinking around eReading Rooms. These eReading Rooms centres will provide free and friendly access to computers, where individuals and communities will be able to use the power of the internet to discover and explore any subject of their choosing. Twenty UK online centres will be involved in the project which will Include robust evaluation, with Online Centres Foundation providing recommendations to the Government on how this might be rolled out nationwide in 2013.

Helen Milner, Chief Executive of UK online centres says:“Reaching this milestone – nine months ahead of our target – is a huge achievement, and seeing some of the great learners who have benefitted from being online has been a great reminder of why this is so important.

As more people learn to use computers and the internet, digital skills are becoming more of a priority and not less, and I’m passionate that this is something that needs continued support in the coming months and years. I’m delighted we have reached such a momentous milestone, and the eReading Rooms pilot is a sign that we continue to move in the right direction, but with 8 million people offline, and many millions more lacking the basic skills to use computers and the internet, we still have a long way to go.”

We have always prided ourselves on offering professional print services at very affordable prices and not only are our prices always good value for money, we have a fantastic range of offers this month including 25% off beer mats, 10% off all print and 2for1 sides on business cards.

Please note: This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other FreshwindsIT Print Offer or Promotion.

Volunteers come to us from many different walks of life all looking for different things, some trying to boost their CV by gaining valuable work experience, others taking the opportunity to build on their skills and others just simply wishing to give some of their time to help.

We have had great success with our volunteers and they have proved to be incredibly helpful and enthusiastic. Many of our volunteers have joined in with our UKOnline IT training work, helping people around Birmingham who have never had the opportunity, to learn how to use a computer to get online and make the most of the huge benefits access to the internet brings. Tawanda Sigauke was with us for 3 months and during his time with us we found him to have the ability to communicate with people this made him a wonderful trainer. He helped with many of our training sessions teaching people how to use computers for the first time.

“I would say what I enjoyed most is to be able to go out and teach the UKOnline computer course. This allowed me to meet different people who live in Birmingham with varied backgrounds, social class and different levels of computer literacy. I would say getting someone through the course who has never used a computer before in their lives is the most satisfying feeling one can get. It made me feel that I was making a valued contribution to our lovely city of Birmingham.” Tawanda Sigauke.

After volunteering at Freshwinds, Tawanda successfully obtained a full time position as a mobile IT Support Worker for an IT company based in Birmingham and we wish him every success in his career.

Our volunteering program has been a great success over the past 4 months, helping Freshwinds to help others around Birmingham and providing volunteers with training, qualifications, useful work experience and the opportunity to meet and work with people from a variety of backgrounds in a friendly, skill-sharing environment. Many of our volunteers have gone on to find paid work, their experiences at Freshwinds having given them new found confidence and skills helping them to obtain employment in a highly competitive job market.

“Freshwinds “open to all” approach made me feel part of the organisation quickly and I soon noticed how much assistance is offered to vulnerable people in Birmingham, no matter what their issues or circumstances may be.
For myself and my own wellbeing, volunteering at Freshwinds has given me numerous things, such as regaining confidence and feeling that I am part of something that is changing people’s lives for the better. Also I have learned new skills in helping to train people with the UKOnline IT courses and I am also learning new skills that will prove to be of benefit to me, and other people, in the future.” Leighton Davies.

Since then it has been refined through the day to day delivery of support services with front line workers: Developers have worked alongside users, day-in, day-out over the last two years, with our efforts focused on addressing the needs and requirements of various models of delivery and funding streams.There are many other organisations in the same position as Freshwinds was in two years ago: without the in-house expertise needed to create their own database. Using a tangled web of spreadsheets and documents, achieving efficiency and coordination is a constant struggle. That’s a pity considering how important the work they do is. But, with the prices and complexities of commercial databases and the limited budgets and time at their disposal, what choice do they have?

As Christmas approaches and beyond it New Year, it is inevitable that we will all be doing our fair share of extra spending. With this in mind it’s worth making an early resolution to use the Internet to save you money when buying gifts and services online.

A number of Cashback websites now operate which can help consumers save money. These websites are typically free to join and once registered you simply look for shops that you intend to buy from and click the links on the cashback website. The shops give a commission to the cashback company for bringing them the visitor.

The cashback amount normally applies to certain goods and services. Typical offers range between 5% and 30%, or as fixed payments (e.g. £50+ for signing up with particular satellite TV packages). All the major supermarkets and shops are featured with offers ranging for a few pounds to up to £100 off the latest mobile phones.

In the last five months, our team of experienced trainers have now helped over 350 people, a number that is growing rapidly.

The installation of their new internet café area by Freshwinds IT has given Tasha and Debs the opportunity to offer various Training courses including UKOnline to its customers, as well as providing internet access to an area of the city where residents have little to no internet or computer access readily available.

For two hours on a Monday people relax in the warm and welcoming atmosphere of the café, while learning the basic skills of internet searching, emailing, staying safe online and how to access public services. Our first session at the beginning of November over 20 people turn up and take their first steps to getting online, accessing simple, jargon-free computer training provided by FreshwindsIT’s experienced trainers. Tasha and Debs themselves along with their volunteers have also picked up various computer skills, which they hope to be able to pass on the people who use their café in the near future.