Computers in Homes Taranaki

Computers In Homes classes

2011-11-23T12:50:00.001-08:00

Two students from Marfell Primary School stop for a moment to pose for a photo. Karen and Pamela will graduate at the beginning of December

Regional Coordinator, Chris Turner presents a Computers in Homes School Certificate to Taumarunui Primary School Principal, Bethwen Crockett at their recent graduation.

Te Kura Kaupapa Maori O Oparure class hard at work.

Stepping Up Hawera

2011-11-23T12:35:00.001-08:00

Stepping Up graduate

2011-11-22T13:54:00.000-08:00

Marie and Jane

Marie is a recent graduate from Stepping Up in Eltham, Taranaki.

E-Waste.... What can be done?

2011-10-10T15:23:00.000-07:00

Laurence Zwimpfer spoke to Breakfast, TVNZ on October 4th, 2011

Laurence Zwimpfer, who is the Chairman of E-Day, spoke to Petra on the Breakfast program about growing concerns regarding our country's e-waste problem, and said that the current government schemes may not be enough.

See his interview by clicking the link below.

http://tvnz.co.nz/breakfast-news/trying-cope-e-waste-can-done-video-4439395

Update

2011-08-23T15:54:00.000-07:00

We had a number of Computer In Homes Graduations in June and July - Hawera had 11, Patea 6, Opunake 13, Centennial Park School Te Kuiti 25, and Raetihi 11. Well done to those graduates!!! Congratulations to these people from Patea, Chester Borrows spoke at their graduation.

The new schools starting Computers In Homes are Marfell in New Plymouth, Taumarunui Primary School, Taumarunui High School, and Te Kuiti High School.

We've got a new Stepping UP course going in Taumarunui.

We're getting a number of referrals from WINZ in Hawera for our Stepping Up classes

.

facebook

2011-08-15T10:55:00.000-07:00

We have a facebook page up and running view us at http://www.facebook.com/taranaki.elearningtrust

Its a great way to interact with and inform both our students and other interested people in what we are doing

2011-06-09T00:49:00.000-07:00

Gong for computer junk, e-literacy pioneer

Laurence Zwimpfer

Digital literacy and e-waste campaigner Laurence Zwimpfer has been made a member of the NZ Order of Merit Wellington for services to information technology.

The Queen's Birthday honour went to the Wellingtonian for services to information techology.

His 45-year career in the IT industry includes 15 years as chairman of the Computer Access NZ, a trust that reconditions computers no longer needed by business for a new life in schools or underpriviliged homes. And since 2000 he has been the driving force behind the Computers in Homes digital literacy programme.

Mr Zwimpfer's is also responsible for establishing eDay, an annual collection of (often toxic) electronic equipment waste, which has been running since 2006.

As well as running his own consultancy, Zwimpfer Communications, he is a fellow of the Institute of Professional Engineers, a fellow of InternetNZ and a fellow of the New Zealand Computer Society.

He is a past trustee of the National Library, and a former information and communications commissioner for Unesco.

Last week the government re-committed to Computers in Homes, which helps 1000 families through three-year funding granted in the 2010 budget.

“Principals keep telling us about how the programme breaks down a barrier between many parents and their schools. Parents are often uncomfortable coming into schools, but after 10 weeks of regular visits for Computers in Homes training, they are willing to engage much more closely with their children’s learning and even more importantly start to model learning for their children,” Mr Zwimpfer said.

from http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/gong-computer-junk-e-literacy-pioneer-ck-94784

map

2011-05-23T16:39:00.000-07:00

This is a map Karen created as part of her slideshow for the Primary School talk. It shows where the Taranaki ELearning Trust provide Computer In Homes and Stepping UP

The latest news May 2010

2011-05-19T15:05:00.000-07:00

Computers In Homes

CPF3 We have classes running (or starting shortly) in Opunake High School, Patea Area School and at the Hawera CTC

and with the DLC CIH Project at Raetihi Primary School, Raetihi, and Centennial Park School, Te Kuiti.

Another school recently pulled out and Christina has been looking for replacement numbers

Christina travelled to Te Kuiti, Taumarunui and Raetihi recently to visit the staff and families who will be involved in Computers in Homes. She also visited Taumarunui High School, TKKM Taumarunui and Taumarunui Primary School, with good results from all of them.

Stepping UP in Hawera is now open four days a week. Graham Nairn from Hawera has joined us as tutor on Thursday afternoons and Friday Morning.

Lisa Tangaroa will be taking some hours teaching Stepping UP once the current CIH classes finish there.

The Computer Basics Course continues to be the most popular.

Eltham Stepping UP is fairly slow to get going but Jane Gilbert has a steady number of students for her Stepping UP classes. With a bit of advertising we hope to get numbers up.

Karen has been asked to speak at Eltham Primary School to a class of children doing a project called Future Communities. They want to know how she helps in the community related to her work within Computers In Homes and Stepping UP.

2011-04-07T01:19:00.000-07:00

the Cordinators and hosts at Te Rewarewa Marae

We Recycle!!

2011-03-31T14:06:00.000-07:00


Is it a door stop?? Is it a computer??

Well, needing a sign to say We Are Here!! and having a few old hard drives around the place... I decided to use one of the old computers for a sign. Now I'm on the look out for a larger one as I need one for the footpath. (I've seen one in the techs room, but I think I better ask him first)

Are these old muesli bar boxes?? Are they the boxes that hold our modules??

These boxes are just the right size to fit our Stepping Up modules in!!!

lets Step it Up ;)

2011-03-21T16:21:00.000-07:00

The Hawera CTC is open for Stepping UP!

Christina is running Stepping Up on Tuesdays and Wednesday and is so busy that she rarely manages a lunch break.

Christina said "I had a 86 yr old lady come in that had never touched a computer. She did mouse exercises for which I gave her a certificate. She was so pleased (with receiving a certificate) that she was going to frame it".

Having the CTC in a main shopping area is proving to be a bonus as people can see we are open whilst they are in town, and if they have time they can drop in to complete a module, or otherwise set up a time with Christina when it is more convenient to them.

Eltham will be opening shortly with Karen on Fridays and new tutor Jane on Tuesdays.

In the news, South Taranaki Star Feb 24 2011

2011-03-06T19:00:00.000-08:00

This may be a little hard to read but the story from the newspaper cutting below is about how Eltham acknowledge triple success with presentations for the town and its people who have made their mark on the national stage.

Kaponga's Shirley Hazlewood who was named a semi-finalist in the Kiwibanks New Zealander of the Year Awards.
The Eltham Community Development group received the runner up plaque for the Best Professional Mural 2010 at the Resene Mural Masterpieces 2010 Competition.
Eltham had its own plaque for being semi-finalist for Community of the year Awards. Significant events that went towards Eltham being a semi-finalist were 125th Jubilee, filming of Predicament, the downhill cheese race, and the world record breaking cheese scone, walkway improvements, and the $300,000 grant for Computers In Homes.

Photos of the Taranaki ELearning Graduation Dec 6 2010

2011-02-03T17:36:00.000-08:00

Graduation was held at the Eltham Town Hall on December the 9th 2010. Unfortunately many of the 124 students who graduated were unable to attend. The graduates ages ranged for over 80 to teenagers, while two families had two generations receiving certificates. Graduates came from Patea, Hawera, Manaia, Opunake, Eltham and Stratford.

Guests and tutors

Sharon Aldridgestanding in for tutor Andrew Hornblow, Lawrence Zwimpfer and a student from Opunake

Lisa, Our Mayor Ross Dunlop, and a Hawera student

Kiwi Henare tutor, Louise Cole, DIA Regional Manager, and a student from Patea

Christina Turner Coordinator speaks
she has no shoes on!

Thanks to Richard Oliver for taking these pics :)

Say cheese!! thanks to LAIRD HARPER for this photo

edited feb 14 2011

Small Towns Conference

2010-12-12T15:09:00.000-08:00

Check it out Project coordinator Christina Turner at the Small towns conference September 2010

http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/4148330/Thinking-small-is-all-right

Christina Turner Speaking about Computers In Homes at the 2010 Small Towns Conference In Hawera

MC Te Radar

Speech Delivered by Louise Cole, DIA Regional Manager, on behalf of the Minister

2010-12-03T15:40:00.000-08:00

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1012/S00176/computers-in-home-taranaki-graduation.htm

Computers in Home Taranaki Graduation Friday, 10 December 2010, 10:15 am
Speech: The Maori Party

Thursday 9 December 2010; 3.30pm

Computers in Home Taranaki Graduation

Delivered by Louise Cole, DIA Regional Manager, on behalf of the Minister

Speech

I acknowledge the significance of this location in the rohe of Ngati Ruanui; and recognise also the peoples of Tangahoe and Pakakohi.

Your honour the Mayor, Ross Dunlop, Trustees of Taranaki E-learning; Graduates, tutors and whanau.

There is a by-line on the South Taranaki District Council website which brands South Taranaki as being ‘alive with opportunity’.

This week is an absolute demonstration of the veracity of this claim.

Just over 48 hours ago, the Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Steven Joyce announced that Hawera, alongside of New Plymouth and Whanganui, will be among the first places to benefit from the government’s rollout of ultra-fast broadband.

It was great to see your Mayor, Ross Dunlop, immediately spring into action expressing his enthusiasm for the potential of this ultra fast fibre network.

And it is indeed something to be celebrated - that broadband will be delivered at speeds of at least fifty times faster than what is currently available, bringing with it of course a direct boost to productivity across this region.

But of course it is not just Hawera that has brought fame and fortune to South Taranaki.

I was really fascinated to learn about all the ‘firsts’ that have happened right here in Eltham.

It was in Eltham in 1887 that the first dairy factory was built.

It was in Eltham in 1906 that Bridge Street became the first tarsealed road.

And it was in Eltham that the first concrete power poles were used.

So you are well used to putting Eltham on the map.

Today you expand that list further, through this special Computers in Homes in Taranaki Graduation.

I am only sorry that I am unable to be with you, to share in the excitement of this moment.

And it seems so appropriate that there will be students from Te kura kaupapa Maori o Ngati Ruanui, and Patea Area School, along with other members of the wider South Taranaki community to share in the buzz of this graduation.

Because fundamentally, what is so exciting about the Computers in Homes project is that it builds an expectation within families that being digitally literate and connected is a critical means of opening up access to the information highway.

The Taranaki project has been working with your schools to identify families who do not have a computer in their home. These families are provided with a computer and twenty hours of training, a free Internet connection for six months, and technical support.

But of course resources on their own will never make the difference.

This is all about whanau taking the control into their own hands.

In many ways, what has been happening with Computers in Homes is Whanau Ora in action. It is about building whānau capability, strengthening whānau connections and supporting whānau leadership to achieve the best outcomes for them.

And that’s why I really love the Computers in Homes concept.

Because it’s all about connecting parents with their children’s learning and providing families with the skills and confidence to use technology. The key to the success of the programme is the involvement of the whole whānau.

Of course Computers in Homes is not new to the Taranaki region. CIH was piloted in Taranaki in 2005, and in 2007 Eltham Community Care successfully extended the pilot project to a further 100 families with funding from the Community Partnership Fund. In fact I recall coming here to a graduation just a couple of years ago.

In November 2008, the Taranaki E-Learning Trust was formed to take over the Computers in Homes project from Eltham Community Care.

The Trust was granted $316,000 through the Community Partnership Fund to implement Computer in Homes to 150 families in South Taranaki; and in doing so, we know Eltham is well on the way to being a local leader at the forefront of the digital age.

And I want to mihi to Karen Cave, the Chair of the Trust, and the wonderful diverse range of trustees that are gathered together in this project. You have everything from students to senior citizens, graduates to grandparents, Councillors and the Clergy and even one of the local MPs, tena koe Chester.

There are many outcomes associated with Computers in Homes. Endless research reports confirm that digital literacy and smart, connected communities are critical to future and that reducing the ‘digital divide’ is key.

It was the challenge of digitally disconnected communities that I drew on in the case we put forward during Budget 2010 for some $8.345 million over three years for digital literacy and connection. And it is graduations like today, that remind me, just how important this investment will be in our ongoing advances as a nation.

In the Taranaki region the 2006 Census reported that some 37% of households (approximately 1000 families) do not have access to the Internet.

This flies in the face of the commitment to digital literacy - what the New Zealand Computer Society has described as being the right of every New Zealander.

A report they produced this year also suggested that addressing ICT competence in New Zealand would bring an annual productivity gain of $1.7 billion so there are clearly some tangible fiscal benefits that flow from this project.

But I think one of the most wonderful outcomes is quite simply in every family home.

This programme is community driven, and encourages families to learn together, irrespective of age.

Parents who participate in the programme receive twenty hours of basic computer training at their children's schools. This includes word processing, emailing and using the Internet for homework as well as for general family information.

Tamariki can support their parents with the skills needed to use computers and the internet. Parents in turn support their children’s learning, leveraging on the expanding array of digital technologies.

So I want to focus on the sixty or so families who are graduating today, and to say how proud we all are of your achievements.

You have taken up the challenge to get connected, to surf the net, download documents, google search, and cut and paste. You are now confident in browsing the information highway, in emailing with attachments, and you know the importance of saving as you go.

All of these skills demonstrate your open attitude to learning, your willingness to upskill and your enthusiasm in taking a whole of family approach to achieving outcomes you all want.

I congratulate you all, I salute the tutors and the coordinators who have invested in your future, and I wish you all the greatest success in the journey ahead.

ENDS

Wellington - Happy 10th Birthday Computers In Homes

2010-12-02T14:08:00.000-08:00

Christina Turner Project Coordinator for Taranaki, and Karen Cave Chairperson for the Taranaki E-Learning Trust are currently in Wellington for the Computers In Homes 10th birthday. This coincides with the quarterly meeting for the National Coordinating Group. Below are some photos...

Mt Taranaki from the plane

The birthday dinner

Di Das speaks to the group

Wellington looking all beautiful :)

National Coordinating Group Meeting

Graduation time!!

2010-11-24T00:13:00.000-08:00

On Thursday the 9th of December at the Eltham Town Hall another group of families will be graduating from the Computer in Homes course. These are people from Opunake High School, Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o te Ngati Ruanui, Hawera CtC, and Patea Area School. There will be 60 graduates this time around.
The caterer for this event will be Wendy, who is one of the graduates from the first Eltham Computers In Homes class.

The newly painted Eltham Town Hall on Stanners Street, Eltham, where the Graduation will take place

Christina our coordinator will be attending the Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o te Ngati Ruanui prize-giving assembly in Hawera, on the 14th of December to present certificates to their graduates, as many are unable to make the graduation in Eltham.

Our awesome website :)

2010-11-20T00:17:00.000-08:00

Just added to our website is a new page. The new page lists the trustees, with photos of each one. Here is the link....http://www.tel2020.org/taranaki-e-learning/the-trustees

The current classes have been making use of the web site extensively as many of the downloads the students use in class are on the website for them to down load. Here is the link for that page...
http://www.tel2020.org/computers-in-homes/handouts

We have another page titled "Hoaxes, urban myths and spam" where we have added some of the interesting and creative ways that people have tried to catch others out http://www.tel2020.org/hoaxes-urban-myths-and-spam

Announcement news and more is a page where Ive tried to put some online newspaper articles http://www.tel2020.org/taranaki-e-learning/announcements

We really like our website!! You can visit it at tel2020.org

We also have a Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000882262625&ref=ts which I TRY and put updates on.

eDay is coming!!

2010-10-18T18:34:00.000-07:00

eDay is back again this year on Saturday 6^th November at the TSB Hub.

This is a public ‘drive thru’ event where any resident can put any ewaste (computers, computer equipment, cameras or cellphones) into their boot and come to the TSB Hub, Camberwell Rd carpark between 9am and 3pm on the 6^th of Nov and drop it off for free. The equipment gets loaded into a container onsite and gets shipped off to be recycled.

Click here for more information

Funding from the budget

2010-08-19T15:44:00.000-07:00

Computers in Homes received some funding in the latest budget. At our May meeting, the National CIH Coordinating Group were guests at a function for Bill English, deputy Prime Minister, who told us that we had Tariana Turia to thank for the money we did get. He said that she sat in his office and glowered at him till he put us in the budget. It looks like we will have funding for 1000 families a year for the next three years, over the whole of NZ. We need to think about our role in this. Laurence sent an email after he had meetings with DIA. Some of the salient points are as follows:

Scope is for 3000 families over 3 years, commencing with 2010/11 year

2020 is to be funded directly

2020 will enter into agreements with local partners – similar to existing arrangements

Essential that local CIH committees (or Trusts) stay in place not essential to establish new trusts, but personally, I still think this is a good idea – to seek other local leverage opportunities – and explore the local deployment.

It looks like the Taranaki E-Learning Trust may have parts of King Country and National Park area.

Given that there are thousands of families in the South Island, South Auckland, Wellington, Manawatu, Horowhenua, and Waikato who have not been served (apart from funding 2020 has received for Di to manage in those areas) I think that we should not expect to be assigned a large number of families.

CIH Coordinator for Taranaki Christina Turner speaks with Bill English Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance

New Computer in Homes classes

2010-08-19T15:33:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday the 27th of July tutor Karen Cave had a class full of new students. To fit these classes in before the term ends Karen and Coordinator Christina Turner have had to rearrange the lesson plans from a series of 10 into a series of 8. To date 4 of the 8 classes have been completed, and most of the time things are running smoothly.

Photographs are taken of the students and then emailed to them so they can have practice downloading and saving their images and then creating an email and attaching the photograph.
Pictured below are some of Karen's students.

Classes have also started at the Hawera CTC with tutor Lisa Tangaroa.

Graduation Monday 28th June

2010-08-18T02:39:00.000-07:00

COMPUTER in Homes Taranaki had its biggest ever graduation ceremony on Monday the 28th June, with 62 students from all over South Taranaki graduating.
The event, held in the Eltham Town Hall, was well attended by graduates, their family and friends, several Community Board members, Mayor Ross Dunlop, local MP Chester Burrows and national co-ordinator Di Das. Performances were made by the local Te Kura Kaupapa Maori O Ngati Ruanui school.

“We had no idea just how well this programme was going to be received” Said Di Das, National coordinator of Computer in Homes. “South Taranaki is one of the most successful programmes, as we see students not only help their children in the home, but go on to seek more education and even better job opportunities for themselves”
MP Chester Burrows admitted that he remembers when he was first learning, how frustrated and he felt when first using new technology so he has a lot of admiration for the graduates and what they have achieved.
Eltham’s had its first intake of 15 families graduating in March, 2005. “We have seen this grow from just a small group of dedicated people to what it is today and we will see it grow even more” said Di Das.


Tutor Lisa Tangaroa and Mayor Ross Dunlop call students up to receive certificates

Below: students and tutors line up for photos :)

South Taranaki Computers in Homes project

2010-05-25T03:20:00.000-07:00

Manaia gets Digital!

2010-05-25T03:09:00.000-07:00

Some of the students have a laugh with Alison, their tutor (the one in red)

Hard at work.

New CTC opens in Hawera

2010-05-25T03:02:00.000-07:00

Taranaki E-Learning Trust's new CTC opened in time for fifteen families to begin their training in April.

The computers are all lined up ready to be installed.

Hawera families get a start in the digital world

2010-05-25T02:35:00.000-07:00

Fifteen families will benefit from South Taranaki's Computers in Homes program. Training started for these students and next week, they'll take home a computer and their families will enjoy surfing the internet.

New Classes Start.

2010-03-03T01:32:00.000-08:00

February 2010 saw four new classes start in South Taranaki.

Karen Cave teaches two classes in the Eltham CTC, and retired teacher Alison Howie teaches two classes at the Manaia Primary School in Manaia.

New Banners!

2010-03-03T01:23:00.000-08:00

Taranaki E-Learning Trust Chairperson, Karen Cave shows off out new Computers in Homes and Stepping UP banners, on display in the Eltham Community Training Centre.

NEW Trust, NEW Project, NEW direction

2009-11-26T12:13:00.000-08:00

Taranaki E-Learning Trust was born out of the old Eltham E-Learning Committee, to take the Taranaki Computers in Homes project into the future.
The trustees of the new trust are:

Karen Cave, Chairperson
Richard Oliver, Treasurer
David Birchler, Vice-President - reporting
Mary McKee, Vice-President - Fundraising
Linda Ogle, Secretary
Chester Borrows, MP, Trustee

We have attained Charities Commission status

We applied for funding from Department of Internal Affairs under the Community Partnership Fund, Third round, in 2008 and we fortunate enough to receive funding to take Computers in Homes to 150 South Taranaki District families.