Skills programme gives a digital heart to rural Powys community

A group of rural councillors who started out with limited computer skills have succeeded in creating an exciting new internet hub for their community thanks to a grass roots digital skills programme.

Residents of tiny communities around Llanfrynach, in the Brecon Beacons National Park, along with visitors to the area, now have instant access to anything they want to know about local services, events, facilities, up-to-date news or even local weather forecasts.

The website containing this wealth of information was built by the councillors themselves aided by the Welsh Government backed Communities 2.0 programmes which provides free training and tailored support in computer and internet skills in local communities.

Llanfrynach Community Council is among hundreds of local organisations to benefit from the programme which is designed to get all adults in Wales operating confidently online. Over the past five years the programme has also provided free computer training and support for over 42,000 individuals across Wales’ EU-Convergence areas. The training, delivered in local venues such as libraries is tailored to the needs of individual learners; ranging from basic computer and internet skills to bespoke training on particular programs or mobile devices.

Now the scheme is being expanded to cover all areas of the country, as the organisers of Communities 2.0 step up their efforts to ensure everyone gains the skills and know how to take advantage of the internet and digital technology generally.

Susan Brook, 67, community council member for Llanfrynach, said:

“Access to the internet is becoming like having running water in the house. It is becoming a vital part of modern life. Being denied IT is being denied communication. It should be everybody’s universal right to be online”.

She explained how the councillors decided the local community needed a website to enable residents and visitors to access a whole range of constantly updated information quickly. Although some of the council members were computer literate, they knew very little about web design. Not wanting to have to ask council tax payers to stump up for an outside organisation to host the website, councillors decided that Communities 2.0 training was the best option to keep the website within the community.

The fact that several councillors have been trained to do the job means that in moments of illness, holidays, or people leaving the area, things can carry on as normal.

“We can’t speak highly enough of Communities 2.0 – they were brilliant” said Susan.

“The training we received as enabled us to launch and run our own website for the community”

The council’s website, which has become a true hub for the community, is complete with local news and pages dedicated to various groups in the community such as the church and the Women’s Institute, which they are individually able to maintain and update with pictures, events and announcements.

“The community website has proved successful and people are using it. It’s an organic process and we welcome and encourage all input and contribution from the community – everyone is invited to get involved” said Susan.

“Communities 2.0 were coming from the right place and are helping to prevent digital exclusion. The training was totally user friendly and accessible and the teaching was excellent. We were taught what we wanted to learn on a one to one basis, the lesson was in the conversations we were having”.

“I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the training – it has affirmed our own abilities to learn something and has improved the confidence of the community at large, with the website making a difference to how we interact and communicate”.

Commenting of the success to date, Cathryn Marcus, Project Director of Communities 2.0, said:

“We are delighted to announce Communities 2.0’s is now available in all areas of Wales. To date, thousands who would otherwise remain digitally isolated, have now discovered the rewards of being online.

“Connecting pensioners with loved ones living abroad via Skype; providing unemployed people with qualifications and the ability to find work, and; ensuring disabled individuals can access skills they thought unobtainable; these are just a few examples what is now available to every person in Wales. Now is the time to get online!”

The Welsh Government and European Regional Development Funded programme provides training free of charge to Welsh residents and is delivered through partnerships with public libraries, job centres and community buildings.

Information on free adult ICT session with Communities 2.0 is available from 0845 474 8282 or from local libraries, drop-in centres post offices or other community venues.