NATIONWIDE PROJECTS

The Aotearoa New Zealand People’s Network is a collaborative project that will give New Zealanders greater access to computers and the Internet through their local public library. Increased People’s Network funding means that the first phase rollout will now include Canterbury’s Waimakariri, Selwyn and Hurunui Districts, taking the total number of libraries covered to 35. The other phase one regions are Wairarapa/Tararua, Taranaki, South Island West Coast, and Kawerau. The project will provide libraries in these areas with free IT equipment, networking, training for their staff, and access to web based tools and services.

The Aotearoa New Zealand People’s Network covers all three strands of the Governments New Zealand Digital Strategy. Connectivity because the project offers broadband access to Internet tools and services; Confidence because it offers an environment (the library) where people can safely learn and/or enhance their knowledge and ICT abilities; Content because anyone can access content using Aotearoa People’s Network computers, meaning New Zealanders will be able to visit their local library to create and store their own stories, histories, or content.

http://www.natlib.govt.nz

Computers are now a vital part of our children's learning and a basic tool for most community organisations. Today it goes without saying that information and communications technology (ICT) is New Zealanders' ticket to the 21st Century.  However, not all groups in our society have access to the ICT revolution. Prices for new computers can be a very real entry barrier for cash-strapped schools and not-for-profit community organisations.
To help solve this problem, the Computer Access New Zealand Trust (CANZ) was set up in 1999. It was an initiative of the 2020 Comunications Trust, supported by the Ministry of Education.

http://www.canz.org.nz/

For the first time, New Zealand has an encyclopedia that has been published on the Internet rather than as a book.  Launched in 2005, Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand, showcases New Zealand history and culture, both for New Zealanders with a growing interest in their own country and for people overseas.

http://www.teara.govt.nz

Hector Protector is part of the Internet Safety Group’s NetSafe Programme, which educates New Zealanders about safety and security online. Sponsored by Microsoft New Zealand, the first stage of Hector’s World involved the release of the Hector Safety Button in 2004.  Once the button is downloaded from the Internet Safety Group website, Hector swims alongside children using a PC as they surf the Internet or use email.

http://www.hectorsworld.com

CommunityNet Aotearoa is a government and community partnership and makes resources available from both sectors.  The site acts as a portal with an indexed list of more than 900 selected links, covering more than 40 community-related subject areas.
The portal is designed for people working in and with whānau, hapu, iwi and community organisations.  It also acts as a guide and exemplar in using the Internet, providing a place for community groups to post news, events, advertisements, training and job vacancies and more.

http://www.community.net.nz

Computers In Homes is the brainchild of the 2020 Communications Trust, which aims to provide access to ICT and the Internet to all families in Aotearoa New Zealand.  The Computers In Homes project (CIH) aims to support low income communities to use ICT to strengthen their education. It is very much about what ICT can do to for family opportunity rather than a hardware dump or the learning of computer skills for their own sake.
The project works via low decile schools to help families in greatest need to use the Internet, e-mail and basic computer skills in their daily lives to enhance their performance at school and at work. Training for parents is provided at their children's school and this must be completed before the refurbished computer is taken home to the family.

http://www.computersinhomes.org.nz/

The 20/20 Communications Trust also received Community Partnership Funding for two futher projects, 'Positve Computing for Parents' - training modules for parents and caregivers around ICT safety, allowing parents to effectively monitor their children's usage, and 'Living Heritage' - developing NZ Content via projects by school students that are uploaded on to the Living Heritage website.

http://www.2020.org.nz