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| Local Communities Receive Online Boost |
 Marsha Thomson MP |
Information and Communication Technology Minister, Marsha Thomson, said Moreland Adult Education's My Connected Community project, launched today, was a good example of how the innovative program was assisting Victorians to create online communities.
"The program aims to benefit community groups without a strong Internet presence to communicate better with their members and even to recruit new members," Ms Thomson said.
"The Internet is now part of our everyday lives and the My Connected Community program is about making the Internet more relevant and useful to more and more Victorians."
Moreland Adult Education received a grant of $50,000 in February 2003 to establish more than 35 online communities over two years. It will deliver the project jointly with the RMIT Learning Network.
The four new groups cater for Arabic speaking women in the Moreland area, senior Internet users, organisers of a local women's music festival and staff of Moreland Adult Education.
Ms Thomson said the Bracks Government's My Connected Community program had proved highly popular with Victorian communities, having reached its target of establishing 1500 online communities three months ahead of schedule.
"The My Connected Community program allows Victorians with a mutual interest to share and engage with each other. It provides Victorians with the training and support they need to get online, stay in touch and build Internet skills and experience," she said.
Under the $3.5 million My Connected Community program, community groups are provided with the support and tools to establish a website, publish online, network to members, extend their membership and activities, and communicate with similar communities of interest elsewhere via the Internet.
The My Connected Community program in particular targets individuals or groups that are socially, physically or geographically isolated, as well as people from non-English speaking backgrounds, indigenous people, older Victorians and people with a low income.
My Connected Community is one of several programs under the Government's Connecting Victoria strategy, which aims to deliver the benefits of technology to all Victorians.
View launch photos and details of Moreland Online Groups
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