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| Launch Media Release |
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The program - My Connected Community - will provide community groups 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 aims to make the Internet more relevant and more useful to all Victorians," Mr Brumby said.
"My Connected Community will be open to a range of groups, but will target those with limited Internet skills and experience."
Under a six-month pilot, 30 groups across the State have already participated in the My Connected Community Program. A total of 1,500 groups are expected to be supported under the program.
Mr Brumby launched the Program today at the Royal Women's Hospital in Melbourne, where one community group - Austprem - has participated in the six-month pilot.
"Austprem - a support group for parents of premature babies, increased its membership from 39 to 65 during the six-month pilot," Mr Brumby said.
Mr Brumby said the program signalled the Victorian Government's commitment to ensuring all Victorians have access to the Internet, the skills to use it and a good reason to get online.
"Until now the focus has been on providing more Internet access points and helping people to learn the skills they need to get online," Mr Brumby said.
"These efforts have been extremely successful in Victoria, and we are at stage now where we also need to give people a reason to get online.
"My Connected Community will stimulate the creation of Internet content and will provide people with a means to get their existing groups online, or to create new communities of interest using the Internet."
Mr Brumby said the first funding round for the program would be announced by June 2001. For information on how to apply visit the My Connected Community website - http://mc2.vicnet.net.au - or contact VICNET on (03) 8664 7001.
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