08 Digital Inclusion Wales: 2008 Conference Report
Sharon Morris
Rhondda Cynon Taff Community Radio Project
The conference was addressed
by two people who have been
heavily involved with
Communities @One projects,
Sharon Morris who is a
beneficiary of the Rhondda
Cynon Taff (RCT) Community
Radio project and Stephen
Harmes who co-ordinates the
River Dee Community Church
ICT project.
Sharon, who was first to the stage,
talked about her journey from
technophobe to active IT volunteer.
Here is a summary of her
presentation:
carry out administrative tasks at Community Radio project. Her
Sharon, who recently used IT for Radio Cwmni, Sharon feared that role included the recruitment of
the first time at the age of 50, has she would not succeed. Despite volunteers to the three stations
always lived in Treherbert in the her concerns, Sharon signed up for in Treherbert, Penrhys and
Rhondda. She explained that her some informal training in Microsoft Penywaun, as well as
11 year old granddaughter is a Office applications, e-mail and administrative support, internet-
“whiz on the computer”, which internet usage. The training was based research and studio work
with volunteer presenters and
>Others like her have learnt new skills
contributors.
while increasing their confidence
Sharon openly acknowledged that
her voyage into the world of ICT
and self-esteem in the process
has had a huge effect on her life
and she knows that through the
community radio project, others
Sharon found very embarrassing provided by a mentor that was like her have learnt new skills while
as she could not understand the associated to the project. increasing their confidence and
things that she could do on the self-esteem in the process.
computer. Just being able to send and
receive an e-mail meant the world Sharon summed her experience up
Sharon became interested in to Sharon. Sending ‘attachments’ by saying that the radio project had
volunteering for her local was a source of further provided “some sense of
community radio station (Radio bemusement though “who community again between our
Cwmni – part of a Communities wants to click on a paper clip?” valleys.” To all that heard Sharon,
@One funded project). She said she wondered. it was evident that as well as the
that “as the area has lost a lot in radio project having a powerful
recent times, the radio was proving Within a few months Sharon had effect on the community as a
a real boost for the community.” made giant strides and was whole, it was having a profound
However, when being told that she assisting Andrew Jones, project impact on the lives of those
would need to use a computer to co-ordinator of the RCT involved.