A new campaign to encourage people to get online in Caerphilly County Borough has had its offical launch.
Welsh Government Finance Minister Jane Hutt helped launch ‘Get Caerphilly Online’ at Markham Community House, near Blackwood, on Friday May 18 – the Digital Day of Adult Learners’ Week.
Get Caerphilly Online is a partnership between the Welsh Government’s Come Surf With Me Caerphilly, the Communities 2.0 programme and BT’s ‘Get IT Together’ project.
The new website for the campaign www.getcaerphillyonline.org.uk explains the support that is available through Get Caerphilly Online to individuals, organisations and businesses – and how people can get involved as volunteers.
Staff and volunteers involved in Get Caerphilly Online will work with local groups and organisations to provide free computer sessions to people who want to get online, learn how to use the web and realise its numerous benefits.
Finance Minister Jane Hutt said: “We want everyone to benefit from using the internet so that they can improve their quality of life and increase the opportunities available to them. Digital inclusion can only be achieved through the concerted effort of the private, third and public sectors and ‘Get Caerphilly Online’ is a great example of what working together can achieve.”
John Fisher, Chief Executive of Citizens Online, said: “We are really pleased to be working in Caerphilly and our Project Coordinator, Kerry, is looking forward to the challenges of delivering the project across the borough. The success of these projects is working in partnership and we are keen to talk to any organisation that would like to participate or get involved in any way.”
Anthony O’Sullivan, chief executive of Caerphilly County Borough Council said: “We welcome the launch of this latest initiative to get even more people online across the county borough. The council is pleased to be working in partnership with a range of agencies to promote digital inclusion – especially in disadvantaged communities – and we look forward to the benefits this new scheme will bring.”
For more information on Get Caerphilly Online, contact Matthew Lloyd of Communities 2.0 on 02920 556192 or 07766 495617 and by email at matthew.lloyd@walescooperative.org