Thomson Learning provides a helping hand to students from the Mews housing estate in Westmeadows
01 October 2002
On 16 October 2002, Thomson Learning (a publishing company) supplied free copies of MS Office 2000 textbooks to Mews residents undertaking a computer course at the Westmeadows Community House.
The hand-over took place at the Mews Community House at 14 Swindon Mews, Westmeadows.
The textbooks will be used for the Certificate II in Information Technology course offered by Kangan Batman TAFE to adult residents of the Mews estate at the community centre in Westmeadows. The course can be completed in six months. This course was introduced to the residents in July 2002 and currently 14 residents of the estate are enrolled.
This course is part of a project facilitated by Outreach Victoria and funded through two state government programs, the Community Strengthening Initiative and My Connected Community.
The project which is referred to as the Broadmeadows Information Technology Pathways Project (for Broadmeadows and Westmeadows) has been designed in two phases. Phase I incorporates the residents of the Mews estate in Westmeadows and Phase II incorporates the residents of the Banksia estate in Broadmeadows.
The Phase I of the project has also involved the establishment of a community facility at the Mews estate which provides general computer access and specific training programs for residents. This facility also provides space for other important community activities such as residents’ meetings, social groups, educational activities and space for local community and government organisations.
According to Kangan Batman TAFE Information Technology teacher Robert Trainor, the provision of free books will help the cash-strapped students immensely.
“The eagerness shown by Thomson Learning to be a sponsor for the Westmeadows Mews Project is highly commendable. Their generosity in supplying the New Perspective in Microsoft Office 2000 textbooks is very much appreciated by the Westmeadows Mews community. This will help the learning process immensely,” he says.
One of the residents of the housing estate, Jaclyn, a 40-year-old single mother of two, says that the course has boosted her confidence immensely.
“I found out about the course being offered to Mews residents through a letter-box drop. I had never used computers before and thought it would be a good way to learn something about computers so that I can help my kids as well.
“Computer knowledge is very important these days, I am told that there is no age barrier in learning and that is especially true with computers. I am learning word-processing and am about to learn how to use the Internet. I have even started coming in during the day with my children and have also started helping other children learn how to use computers. Overall it has been a very positive experience,” she says.
A Steering Group has been formed to support the project’s development, implementation and evaluation. The Steering Group consists of representatives from various departments of the State Government, the Office of Housing, local educational institutions like Kangan Batman TAFE, businesses, a community health facility and the Hume City Council. The voices and needs of young people and children of the area is also high on the agenda.
