Addington Community Closing Digital Divide

Closing the gap between people with and without access to information and communication technologies (ICTs) is the aim of a Community Internet Centre that will be on Friday in Addington, Christchurch.

The centre is part of the addington.net project, which has been developed to provide affordable access to ICTs through a community net centre and web site.

The project is the result of a partnership between the Addington Neighbourhood Association, Addington Bush, Manuka Cottage and Addington Business Association who joined forces to improve employment opportunities for residents and strengthen community networks.

addington.net is the first project of its kind in the South Island and aims to remove barriers related to using ICTs through sharing resources, equipment and facilities, says committee spokesperson Jennifer Watts.

“Because we live and work in the area, we realised that without opportunities to learn about and use ICTs, a large sector of our community would be excluded from participating in New Zealand’s drive to become a knowledge economy.”

The centre is based in the Addingtown Mall and features a suite of 15 recycled computers. A co-ordinator will be appointed within the next month to oversee the centre’s daily operations.

The project has received support from a number of organisations including Telecome, Christchurch City Libraries, Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology, Canterbury Development Corporation and the Strengthening Community Action Plan Core Group.

The group plans to have a community web site online in time for the centre’s opening and is investigating other joint ventures that meet the community’s needs.

The Hon. Jim Anderton will officially open the community net centre at 3pm on Friday (November 23). Members of the public and the media are welcome to attend the opening, which will be held at Addingtown Mall, 300 Lincoln Road.

For more information, please phone:

Jo Wolfreys 021 467 744

Michelle Budge Ph 03 337 9784 025 726 511

Jennifer Watts Ph 03 338 1332

In Other Words Communications

Michelle Budge 11 Strickland Street Somerfield Christchurch 8002

at home 03 337 9784 on the run 025 726 511

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