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| Media Release - 14 August 2001 |
Seventeen community groups from across Victoria are among the first to benefit from a $3.5 million program aimed at helping Victorians get online, the Minister for State and Regional Development, John Brumby, announced today.
The program - My Connected Community - will provide $550,000 in its first round of funding to help people from non-English speaking backgrounds, people with disabilities and regional Victorians with the training and support they need to set up a website and publish online.
"The Internet is providing enormous opportunities and the My Connected Community program will make the Internet more relevant and more useful to all Victorians," Mr Brumby said.
"In the first round of funding, My Connected Community is helping a range of groups to get online, but especially those with limited Internet skills and experience.
"Through the My Connected Community program, community groups throughout Victoria will be able to get online, stay in touch and recruit new members.
He announced the first round of funding at the Spanish Latin American Welfare Centre in Footscray - where the grant will help members get online to contact relatives and access international news agencies.
"This program will reduce the isolation that groups from non-English speaking backgrounds quite often experience," Mr Brumby said.
The 17 successful groups will receive either $20,000 or $50,000 funding that they will use in a number of ways to help them get online, including accessing necessary equipment and training. These groups will together establish more than 400 online communities across Victoria.
My Connected Community is one of several programs under the Government's Connecting Communities strategy which aims to provide all Victorians with the skills to use the Internet, the means to access the Internet and a reason to go online.
Mr Brumby said the second funding round for the My Connected Community program would be announced early next year.
For information on how to apply visit the My Connected Community website: mc2.vicnet.net.au - or contact VICNET on (03) 8664 7001.
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