Voluntary groups: apply to BT community connections scheme for free broadband

BT Community Connections award scheme gives community and voluntary groups the chance to get online by offering internet ready PCs and a contribution towards one year's broadband access.

BADAWA won the BT Community Connections award scheme in 2001 when its existing IT facilities were insufficient for use by the young people in the local community.

The award addressed the group's desperate need for an additional computer to meet the demands of the young people in the local community for access to IT facilities and the internet.

It now has four PCs for the local community to use and is currently in the process of applying for the next level of the BT Community Connections award scheme. This will give BADAWA the chance to win even more IT equipment, for example. a laptop or printer scanner, which will help satisfy huge demand from the community for more access to the IT suite.

BADAWA is an Ofsted registered youth and childcare centre which incorporates many services including a free- to- use IT and internet suite. The group also offers different classes to suit every taste from revision and educational support classes to music courses, cultural activities, dance and arts and crafts. BADAWA works in partnership with various other local organisations for specific areas of their work.

Margaret Hodge said: ' It is great to see first hand how worthwhile a PC has been to this local group and how the local children and young people has benefited as a result'.

Sitnah Palmer, Project Co-ordinator at BADAWA said: 'Since winning a BT Community Connections award in 2001 we have gone from strength to strength. We have secured further funding to expand our facilities and now have four PCs for our community to use. It is great that there is an opportunity for us to apply for another award with the chance to win even more IT equipment. We have at least 70 young people using the facilities during the school holidays. It was wonderful that Margaret Hodge came here to see how we have benefited from this award.'

Beth Courtier, head of BT's charity programme, said: 'We are launching another year of this successful project. This award offers an amazing opportunity for deserving groups to bridge the digital divide. Since 2000 BT has invested £4 million into the scheme, awarding more than 4,600 internet-ready PCs to a wide range of groups nationwide. This year we will be awarding more than 1,300 awards to groups who can demonstrate how a PC and internet connection will benefit their work and the local community.'

Related links to this article:
To apply for a BT Community Connections Award please log on to www.btcommunityconnections.com

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