One of the KCC’s overriding goals has been
to tackle the social exclusion of and within
its community. The KCC has recognised that
access to the internet and basic IT skills can
play a major role in tackling social exclusion.
Groups including the elderly, women and
immigrants can benefit greatly by gaining
online access to health, education and benefits
information, and by keeping vital contact
with friends and relatives.
Moreover, it is well known that the scale of
the IT skills gap among adults is greater than
that of basic literacy and numeracy. On that
premise, people risk being increasingly
excluded as the rest of us accelerate towards
a society in which computer skills are fundamental
to the way we live.
Another growing concern and one, which the
KCC shares is the fact that such members of
the community not only face the problem of
being socially excluded but also risk being
jobless or being forced to go into unskilled
work. Hence, IT courses suitable for
refugees, asylum seekers and or migrants settled
in this country. Our different levels of
study, ranging from basic literacy to
advanced also include further support for
lower and higher levels to help students with
speaking, pronunciation and spelling.
Indeed, overnment studies have shown that
three-quarters of the workforce now use
computers as part of their job. By 2010, 90%
of all jobs will need computer skills.
Research from e-skills UK, the relevant sector
skills council for information technology,
shows that just over half of employees
believe their staff need additional computer
skills.
Equally important is that children from families
that do not own computers are at a significant
disadvantage and access to technology
at school does not necessarily compensate.The KCC has aimed at providing training
for those members of its community
whom cannot afford computers at home in
order to narrow the gap between their more
advantaged peers.
An important object of the KCC is helping
such children and young people within its
community to develop core skills which will
be useful in studying and working after they
leave school. As such particular emphasis is
given to the core skills of IT and problem
solving. To that end, the KCC has endeavoured
to providing a significantly simplified,
more coordinated approach to providing
internet access and IT training.
Training in the core areas of IT that are currently
being covered are;
- Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint
- Internet and e-mail
- Multimedia Flash
- Multimedia Dreamweaver; and
- Photoshop
The IT courses currently running at the KCC
are from Wednesday to Sunday between 10
am to 6 pm. To meet the demand 16 fully
functional brand new Dell computers with
flats screens all installed with the relevant
software where purchased.
The KCC IT tutor has developed levels of
competence in the area thought and certificates
of competence are awarded to those
who attain the required level. It is anticipated
that these certificates will support job and
educational applications.
At the time of writing, the KCC IT tutor had hahimself been deemed competent to provide
IT training for members of the wider community
through the Job Centre scheme, whereby
local jobcentres will forward their clients to
the KCC for training in basic IT skills. This
programme began on the 26th of January
2006 and will be run on Thursdays and
Fridays. Certificates for these courses are
awarded by an external body; namely the
European Computer Driving Licence
(ECDL) for the successful completion of the
courses. Additional to the wider members of
the community, the ECDL courses will also
be available for existing members of the
KCC.
The classes are scheduled on the days and times indicated on the table below;
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