Digital Inclusion Wales: 2008 Conference Report 09
Stephen Harmes
River Dee Community Church ICT Project
To view the presentation from this session, click here
Following Sharon, Stephen • Migrant workers drop-in facility: The conference then heard how
Harmes told the audience This has supported people who the River Dee project has received
about his experience running have come to live in Flintshire a lot of significant local support
the River Dee Community from a number of different which has been vital to its
Church ICT project in Flintshire. countries, particularly Polish development and subsequent
workers. Stephen told the success in engaging the
The main points of Stephen’s conference how these people community.
presentation were as follows: had overcome numerous
barriers to succeed in their use Stephen said that the project’s
In late 2006 he set about of ICT. intention is the development of
enhancing the work of community
groups that were already using the
• Youth provision: As many as 40
self-confidence in beneficiaries as
venue by providing IT equipment
young people attend the centre
well as building the project to a
and training that was made
on a regular basis, mostly to
point that would enable everyone
possible by Communities @One
make use of the internet
in the community to be involved.
funding. By recruiting an outreach
access that is available there.
Stephen closed his presentation
worker, Stephen was then able • Residents associations, by looking at the project’s future.
to extend this provision to new, including two ‘satellite’ He said that a business plan was
emerging groups and ultimately outreach community projects at being formulated with the Wales
aimed to engage everyone in the two locations where additional Co-operative Centre to help form
town of Flint. IT training is provided. a social enterprise. The enterprise
As part of his presentation,
• Net Café: A free Saturday
would see his staff providing ICT
Stephen looked at the range
internet facility, which is in the
training to local businesses, with
of outreach community projects
process of functioning as a
any income helping to pay for ICT
that are being provided by the
social enterprise. Stephen
training for the community.
Community Church and which
mentioned that his 2-year-old
are served by ICT facilities.
grandson is a frequent visitor
These projects included:
on a Saturday as he is already
getting into computers!