` Outline of Aims:

1. To enable disadvantaged students who would benefit educationally from having a computer, and needy community groups who would otherwise not afford one, to receive functional IT equipment to use.
2. To invite co-operation and involve businesses and other organizations in the project by encouraging them to donate their useful superceded IT equipment to the project. Their response has been magnificent.
3. In conjunction with Victoria University’s Community Incentives Programs to enable Work for the Dole participants to receive instruction, gain knowledge, experience, and improved self-esteem through the PC Repairs work as part of the project, and as a stepping stone to IT and other skills leading to possible future careers. The curriculum is designed to enable recognition of prior learning by credits where appropriate if the participants proceed to further formal study, or to help them to gain employment. The PC Repairs courses associated with this project, first commenced in mid-2000. Participants do work/study two days per week on course work for approximately 26 weeks, with participants working in two groups. A new course has just commenced recently expanding the practical workshop tuition and assessment of computers area. Several have enrolled for higher level studies in computing, others in TAFE Certificate part-time or full time courses, and achieve full time or part time employment, either during the course or on completion. They all benefit considerably. Working bees of Rotarians, Rotaractors, skilled volunteers, and willing helpers play a major role also in using their skills and energy in receiving, checking, sorting and organizing the appropriate computers and allied equipment to meet approved requests. It can get very busy at times! Some of these volunteers are shown here hard at it on a recent Saturday working bee at the Rotary Donations In Kind warehouse, West Footscray, in Melbourne, Victoria.
4. Once refurbished the donated computers are allocated (on receipt of verified request) to:
   - assist specific disadvantaged individuals with disabilities or special needs referred to us;
   - unemployed people trying to gain or regain or upgrade their employable skills,
   - needy children in senior secondary education who would benefit academically usually in Yr 10/11
   or 12 but whose families are unable to afford a computer for their child’s educational benefit); - Assistance centres for migrant refugee to help in developing English language, literacy and workplace skills;
   - Community groups in our own District 9800 including local and rural areas who need but are unable to afford a computer to assist them with vital administration or educational activities; Projects are many over the years and include
   - RC of Prahran‘s Computer Centre in a high rise flats area in Prahran;
   - Sydenham Community Centre Computer Education and Learning Centre;
   - YMCA St Albans Youth Centre to enable supervised access to computes for homework, projects, practice and learning for children after school. North Balwyn’s support for a Rotary sponsored special residence for young disadvantaged/disabled students living there, studying at TAFE, to assist and support them in their studies.
   - An elderly people’s hostel to enable the residents to learn, enjoy and master email and internet skills.
   - a specially designed and community refurbished computer learning centre for secondary students with specific mild to severe physical disabilities to enable some lessons in a purpose-built, attractive area for individual and small group work. An inner city school, unable to afford an IT projector and screen to enable groups of children to take part in course library centre work, received a very good quality, very large colour monitor generously donated by a travel company to use as a wide screen for easier class viewing when connected to a PC.
   - Computers and assistance to meet refugee students assist with English language and literacy development.
   - Other groups – such as helping through Rotary an MS Society research project set up in conjunction with the specialist’s scientific study for recently diagnosed young and older MS patients dependent on their having ready access to their own PC for ease of interaction with the researcher and with each other. Computers were donated to the referred patients, with more to come.
5. Donations of computers are also organized through Computers 4 Kids & Community and Clubs, and via Rotary ‘Donations in Kind’ appropriate IT equipment is sent through assistance from Rotary Clubs funding and working bees for International projects e.g. institutions and medical clinics etc in Timor Leste, Sri Lanka, Fiji, the Solomons, Honiara, Zambia, the Philippines, Nepal, the Papua New Guinea highlands, and even to help set up a school unit and health centre clinic in great need of assistance in the Australian outback through this charitable project.
6. One of the very pleasing outcomes is the volunteer help on working bees by Rotary Club members and colleagues including young Rotaractors, (age 18-28 y.o.), University undergraduate students and young professionals who give so generously to help with time and skills on working bees.

On behalf of the Computers 4 Kids & Community Committee, thank you for your interest.

Dawn Watson.

Contact: Committee,
(Dr) Dawn Watson (Co-Chairman) ph/fax 9337 4710 or email DawnWatson@yahoo.com.,
Jeffrey Bird (Co-Chairman),
Sue Bolton, Bob Slater, Brian Bloomer, Pauline Wong.