Microsoft congratulates the following Unlimited Potential (UP) grant recipients. We are proud to support their work.
Austria
Austrian Computer Society (OCG), Vienna
OCG is membership organization focused on the information technology sector in Austria. They are responsible for ensuring that the European Computer Driving License (ECDL) is available to individuals with disabilities. Funding from Microsoft will be used to provide IT skills training to individuals with disabilities to meet the standards of the ECDL. Training will take place at community technology learning centers based in five universities across Austria. OCG will work closely with the Austrian Labor Market Service, which provides job placement services to the unemployed.
Seniorkom
The Austrian Council for the Aged was founded in 1976 as the official organization serving the interests of approximately 2 million Austrian senior citizens. It is the umbrella organization that represents both pensioner and senior citizen organizations, and it operates as a nonpartisan discussion forum for all issues that affect elderly people. The council also works to integrate partnerships between different generations and to facilitate access to IT and IT training for older people. The UP grant will be used to support an IT information road show that will travel throughout Austria. The road show will provide IT exposure to 130,000 seniors and will provide training courses for 1,500 seniors, who will become trainers themselves. In addition, all senior centers in Austria's nine capitals will be equipped with PCs, donated by Hewlett-Packard. Seniors will receive IT skills training from senior trainers and young trainers from local schools.
Belgium
ECPO Computer Technology Learning Centre
Established in 2000, L'Espace Citoyen Porte Ouest (ECPO) operates in the post-industrial districts of the city of Charleroi (a French-speaking community in Belgium). Charleroi is a socially and economically deprived area with high rates of unemployment, illiteracy, health problems, and desertion. The ECPO community center facilitates employment-related IT training and connections to the job market. The UP grant will be used to expand the existing CTLC infrastructure and extend IT training by creating a PC-refurbishment program, which will allow trainees to gain work experience in administrative, business, and logistic fields. The training expects to reach 1,200 people per year.
Link in de Kabel
Established in 2001, Link in de Kabel, located in Leuven (a Dutch-speaking community in Belgium), is a cooperative of 10 nonprofit organizations that aid underprivileged young people, creating opportunities for social, economic, and digital inclusion by providing them with IT skills training. The UP grant is intended to support Link in de Kabel in planning IT skills training and helping extend its network of co-funders.
Bulgaria
Foundation Horizonti
Foundation Horizonti was created by a group of specialists and students in 1995. The foundation supports the education and professional practice of visually impaired students and specialists by technical and informational means. It also creates new means to access information, making it a hub for culture and information. The foundation is driven by two fundamental ideas: that computers are the connection blind people have with the outside world that does not require a companion or a guide, and that strong computer literacy and skills improve educational levels for people who are blind, thus increasing their chances of finding professional realization.
The UP grant will enable Foundation Horizonti to establish a modern IT training center in the city of Sofia for people who are visually impaired. The center will provide training materials that are usable by people who are blind, organize the train-the-trainer programs, and conduct training in Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office. Additionally, the project will help customize the SpeechLab (BACL's Text-to-Speech system) for the visually impaired. This Bulgarian-language screen reader is a unique product; when it is completed, it will be accessible by visually impaired persons throughout Bulgaria and will make Windows and Office accessible in their native tongue. The foundation plans to train 36 trainers who will then provide training to around 350 visually impaired young people in Sofia.
Czech Republic
PCs Against Barriers
The project PCs Against Barriers was established in 1996 as a result of a partnership between the foundation and Microsoft Czech Republic. The project's goals are to increase ICT literacy and skills for people with disabilities, to help them find jobs, and to increase their self-confidence and financial independence. Each year in the Czech Republic, approximately 300 citizens become physically disabled as the result of accidental injuries. Computers and the world of information technology provide opportunities for a rapid return to a full life for these people. Since 1996, more than 1,200 people have completed computer training courses in the PCs Against Barriers classrooms. Some learners took basic courses, and many continued to more advanced training. The Microsoft UP grant will be used by the foundation to continue its activities and to further explore expansion opportunities for its initiatives.
Denmark
Danish e-Learning Center (DanskABC), Copenhagen
Established in 2002, Dansk e-Learning Center develops e-learning courses for refugees, immigrants, and foreigners learning the Danish language. Dansk e-learning center works closely with the Danish Ministry of Refugees, Immigrants and Integration Affairs, and course content is developed by leading Danish university researchers. The UP grant will be used to add a basic IT skills training module to the existing e-learning course package used at Danish language schools. The program is projected to reach 20,000 learners in five years.
Dyslexia International Tools and Technologies (DITT), Brussels, Belgium
DITT is an internationally recognized NGO that works with leading experts to create and promote tools and technologies that enable dyslexic learners who struggle to succeed. Activities include advocacy and education, research awards, and training programs. Funding from Microsoft will be used to adapt an IT skills training program to the needs of dyslexic youth. The program will be piloted in the Brussels area in three languages (French, English, and German), with the goal of providing youth with critical skills to be used in their continuing education as well as in the job market.
Finland
Sami People IT-Skills Project
Established in 1997, Samisoster's mission is to improve the living and working conditions of the Sami people and to provide nonprofit social, health-care, and training services. The organization provides training for the Sami, who are facing severe exclusion and unemployment because of remote living areas and changing economic environment. The underlying goal of the organization's programs is to provide the Sami with opportunities to access different types of employment within their region.
The UP grant will enable the establishment of three learning centers (in the municipalities of Utsjoki, Ivalo, and Enontekiö) where IT skills training will be provided. The training will teach local entrepreneurship initiatives to young unemployed Sami while preserving the unique Sami culture and language. The training will be provided using Microsoft Office, which has supported the Sami language since 2003. This enables the IT skills classes to be taught in the Sami language and aims to enrich and preserve the Sami culture while helping the local population connect with a modern economy in the Nordic regions of Scandinavia.
France
Cyberespace @ Emmaüs
Established in 1953, Emmaüs is a well-known association whose mission is to help alleviate hardships faced by the poor and homeless. The association has opened a number of facilities and developed health, short- and long-term housing, and literacy programs for young people and families. In 2003, Microsoft France and Emmaüs partnered to create a large computer learning center called the Agora in one the Emmaüs centers in Paris. The center consists of 12 workstations that provide free public access to the Internet on computers equipped with the latest software applications. Thirty-five trainers support the learners by providing IT skills training, assistance with finding a job, guidance in completing forms, and ways for staying in touch with friends and family.
Microsoft France reinforces its already strong partnership with Emmaüs through the support of two new CTLCs that will focus on providing IT skills training to the patrons of the centers, the trainers, and volunteers. The grant will also support a technology solution so that a patron's personal records can be safely and securely stored on a Web site and accessible through any center.
Paris Emeraude
Paris Emeraude is 1 of 80 nonprofit organizations serving elderly people in Paris. The UP grant will support 14 centers operated by Paris Emeraude that offer the elderly access to computers, the Internet, and IT skills training. The grant will be used to support a training program for 20 retired people to become skilled IT trainers and to enhance the quality and the continuity of the training programs provided.
ADIE 5 training centers
ADIE was founded in 1989 by Maria Novak, who adapted the principle of microcredit to the French social and regulatory system. Today the organization has helped establish more than 20,000 small businesses. This association enables individuals who are not eligible under the traditional banking system to obtain microcredit loans. They receive support while setting up their own businesses, which helps them regain their independence and dignity.
The Microsoft UP grant will support ADIE in providing new entrepreneurs with the basic computer skills they need to use simple, professional management software. This training will focus only on the specific, professional business skills required for setting up a small business, including automating office tasks; managing accounting, invoicing, and commercial relations issues; and other professional needs. The underlying goal is to provide entrepreneurs with computer skills to ensure the sustainability of their business activities. It is estimated that in the first year alone, 500 entrepreneurs will receive this training at five pilot sites (Angoulême, Dijon, Lyon, Marseille, and Toulouse).
Germany
Bundesinitiative Jugend ans Netz
The Jugend ans Netz (Youth on the Web) program is an initiative of the German Federal Minister and D21, Germany's largest private-public partnership. Its mission is to create easier access to media technology for disadvantaged young people, and its goal is to enhance possibilities for further training, leading to employability for this at-risk youth population. The initiative is equipping 10,000 youth centers throughout Germany with PCs and Internet connectivity, as well as new learning concepts tailored to the needs of young people.
Microsoft Germany is a partner in the initiative and is contributing a publicly accessible, free e-learning platform that supports teacher training through the program. The UP grant will be used to expand the organization's existing capabilities by offering new learning materials tailored to the needs of young people and affordably strengthening the center's infrastructure with updated IT equipment. Microsoft will also donate tailored curriculum in the form of an e-learning platform in addition to locally implemented teacher training.
Greece
Foundation of Thracian Art and Tradition, Xanthi
Thrace is a remote area of Greece that has critical importance in history and culture. The community suffers from severe poverty, which has led to an exodus of the younger population. The Foundation for Thracian Art and Tradition was created in 1998 to study and promote the cultural heritage of Thrace, as well as to educate local youth in art, culture, and the use of technology. The foundation operates a Centre for the Study of Thracian Literary Tradition that offers local residents the opportunity to use information technology and the Internet to develop new skills. The Microsoft UP grant will be applied toward IT training courses for the local population. By participating in those courses, young people will be able to gain important skills that will benefit their future studies and careers; however, free training is being provided to the entire community.
Municipality of Athens, Organization of Youth and Sports, Athens
The Organization of Youth and Sports was established in 1936 and is the oldest organization for youth in Greece. Its mission is to provide the young people of Athens with access to Community Centers, which offer exercise facilities, entertainment, and cultural training. This year, IT training courses are being added to the Community Center activities. The grant will be used to develop the IT training programs in three centers, with the goal of providing positive PC and Internet experience to disadvantaged youth who might not otherwise have Internet access. The IT training courses will focus on developing skills needed for broader employment opportunities, especially for young people who are looking for new jobs. The enhanced centers will be inaugurated in December 2003 to coincide with events celebrating the start of Olympic Year 2004, organized by the Municipality of Athens.
Hungary
Hungarian Telecottage Association, Budapest
The Telecottage Association was created to provide people living in remote areas better access to information technology and opportunities to address their own development needs. Since its founding in 1995, the association has grown rapidly to more than 500 member telecottages around the country. It provides a wide range of services, including education and training, distance workplace provision, and professional mentoring. The Microsoft grant will be used to facilitate IT course development for adult retraining, introductory and advanced courses in computer use for children and adults, examinations and qualifications, and employment services.
Italy
Consorzio Gioventu Digitale, Rome
The Consorzio Gioventu Digitale (Digital Youth Consortium) is a nonprofit organization that brings together schools, training institutes, local public administration, and ICT companies. Their activities focus on students, teachers, families, and others who share their interest in improving the opportunities for young people to use computers. Programs range from basic computer literacy to using new technologies as pedagogical-educational tools. Recently, they developed IT skills classes in which youth are teaching seniors. Microsoft funding will be used to provide basic skills training on PC and Internet use to seniors in 19 city departments, publicly accessible training rooms, and 20 senior centers. The teachers will be professional trainers and students from technical schools (most have MOS/ECDL). The training consists of basic PC/Internet skills, navigation, e-mail, and applications. Their goal is to train 2,500 seniors by the end of 2004.
Ente Nazionale Sordomuti, Milan
The Ente Nazionale Sordomuti (National Deaf and Mute Organization) was established in 1932 to help people who are deaf through a wide range of institutional and education activities. The UP grant will be used to provide IT skills training for individuals who are deaf or mute and to provide assistance in job placement through an internship program. Those who successfully complete the program will be eligible for certification in Microsoft Office Systems (MOS) and the European Computer Driving License (ECDL). Microsoft employees will volunteer as trainers.
Anima, IMPRES@DONNA
Anima was established in 2001 with the purpose of promoting a modern entrepreneurial culture based on the concepts of sustainable development, enterprise citizenship, and the integration of social responsibility into the basic elements of "business excellence." Anima provides support to companies to help realize initiatives in partnership with nonprofit organizations by involving company personnel in the community and establishing partnerships with social cooperatives. Anima is engaged in training and supporting activities to develop the entrepreneurial capacity of nonprofit organizations so that they can maximize their efficiency. The UP funding will enable Anima to provide IT skills training as well as business and entrepreneurial support to women in underserved areas, starting in the City of Rome within the facilities of the Chamber of Commerce. During the first year of the project, the goal is to teach 400 women basic skills in Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Office, and Web publishing. Skills training will also include specific instruction on how to acquire and manage customer information using IT tools (Microsoft Business Contact Manager). At least 50 percent of women attending the classes are expected to receive MOUS certification.
Venice Social Entrepreneurship
sadvantaged people. In its first year of operation, the project aims to train approximately 10 trainers and IT specialists, who will then train up to 800 unemployed and senior citizens.
Malta
Kummissjoni Nazzjonali Persuni b'Dizabilità (KNPD), Valletta
The Kummissjoni Nazzjonali Persuni b'Dizabilità (National Commission for Persons with Disabilities) provides public education, advocacy, and training in support of people with disabilities. With support from Microsoft, KNPD will partner with 20 other nongovernmental organizations and the government of Malta to establish a community technology center in Valletta, the capital city, which has a high incidence of social problems. The center will provide community members with access to broadband and IT skills training ranging from basic to advanced, including the European Computer Driving License (ECDL). Its programs will target individuals with disabilities as well as women.
Poland
Nowoczesna Polska Foundation, Ikonk @
Nowoczesna Polska Foundation was established in 2001 with the goal of disseminating modern education practices and supporting a number of educational projects, particularly those involving IT educational curriculum. The scope of the foundation's activities also includes cultural projects and the creation of new curriculum to educate young people. The UP funding will be used to extend the Internet capabilities of 118 small, rural towns in northwest Poland by establishing Internet access points in libraries. This program seeks to support the government's IT strategy for building a rural network of access points to deliver Polish Internet content (for more on the Polish Internet Library, see www.pbi.edu.pl). In the first year of operation, the project seeks to provide regular access to the Internet and technology to more than 10,000 young individuals and adults.
Portugal
CAIS, Ponte Digital
CAIS was founded in 1994 and aims to help the homeless, the poor, and other marginalized groups (like immigrants) help themselves. CAIS has positioned itself as an open organization, working with a network of 15 charities. Among those initiatives is Ponte Digital (Digital Bridge), an IT skills training program launched in 2001 in partnership with the local government. The program aims to fight the exclusion that exists within disadvantaged groups by providing basic IT skills training and free Internet access in four training centers in Portugal (one in Porto and three in Lisbon). The UP grant will be used to increase the impact of Ponte Digital, focusing efforts on launching a fully functioning CTLC in the new CAIS headquarters in Lisbon. The center will offer enriched training opportunities, including a comprehensive set of courses. Long-term plans include expanding the training programs to remote regions within the interior of the country.
Romania
Education for an Open Society (EOS)
The goals of EOS in Romania are to facilitate an open society and to promote sustainable development. Through the application of ICT in education, young people can acquire social and economic entrepreneurial skills. The organization's main activity is developing ICT training packages for the community, benefiting those with special needs and disadvantaged groups to ensure social inclusion. EOS provides support and advice to those who desire to develop their technology and communication skills and also provides Internet access to the broad community. The foundation reaches many underrepresented people, including teachers, youngsters, women, the unemployed (such as former mine workers), ethnic minority groups, the elderly, street children, orphans, and people with disabilities. The UP grant will be used to enrich existing IT skills training programs and to explore models of sustainability.
Russia
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Moscow
Operating in more than 120 countries, UNHCR helps an estimated 19.8 million refugees. Partnering with the Red Cross in St. Petersburg, a CTLC at a local university will be established to provide refugees in the community (primarily from Afghanistan and Rwanda) with new skills for employment and furthering their education. The center will be an invaluable resource for the refugee community, enabling them to access the Internet for information about what is happening in their country of origin, communications, preparation of official documents for immigration, and other legal status and business applications.
Slovakia
Mosty, Chances with No Barriers
Mosty, a nonprofit established in 1997, focuses on tackling the problems of people with disabilities and the community at large. The organization seeks to restore fair relations among diverse, often antagonistic ethnic, religious, or other communities by creating opportunities that facilitate mutual communication. The UP grant will help the NGO in planning to replicate the successes of the PCs Against Barriers project, with particular focus on improving IT skills and access to employment for citizens with physical disabilities.
Slovenia
CNVOS
CNVOS (center for information service, cooperation, and development of NGOs in Slovenia) was established in 2001 to empower the NGOs of Slovenia to better achieve their goals and to establish partnerships and cooperation among NGOs on national and international levels. CNVOS specifically focuses on poverty-stricken, underdeveloped areas, helping them grow by working with and through the NGOs in those areas to develop economic and social opportunity. The UP grant will be used to fund CNVOS's work with two of the most significant NGOs in Slovenia to provide IT skills training in poor rural areas with low educational and employment levels. The two NGOs (The Center for Volunteer Development of Novo Mesto and Vitra Association) will use this grant in four centers to serve a population of more than 1,500 people annually.
Spain
Penteo Foundation, Put Internet in Your Life
Penteo Foundation was established in 2001 with the mission of promoting the use of information technologies (IT) to improve the life and work perspectives of disadvantaged people. The foundation focuses on marginalized people (immigrants, the socially deprived, women) in rural and urban communities, as well as people living in poor and remote areas. The project, Put Internet in Your Life, is one avenue through which the foundation provides free IT skills training courses (in Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office applications) and Internet access.
The goal of this project is to obtain digital inclusion for disadvantaged people who live in small villages. In the first phase, trainers will spend one month in a series of small villages teaching basic IT skills. In a second phase, these teachers will install a permanent access and training center with the help of the local city councils. The UP grant will be used to support the improvement and expansion of the project. The project will positively impact the people's ability to access new opportunities in education, additional training, small enterprise ventures, and employment, contributing to the overall development of the community.
Sweden
IT Café in the Hemse Library, Hemse
The IT Café in Hemse Library provides access to computers, specialist IT aids, and programs that provide individuals with disabilities and the elderly access to the computers. In addition to access, the IT Café teaches this audience how to use a computer and how to navigate the Internet for information gathering, communication, and access to services. The IT Café partners with the Swedish State Inheritance Fund, the National Council for Cultural Affairs, the Municipality of Gotland, and the Workers Study Association to provide these services. Funding from Microsoft will be used to expand the existing training programs and to hire additional staff to meet increased demand for program services. Over a three-year period, the program aims to provide more than 200 computers courses serving more than 1,000 participants.
Pensioners National Organisation (PRO), Stockholm
PRO was established in 1942 to look after the interests of pensioners in Swedish society, who make up 30 percent of the population. PRO has 380,000 members in 26 districts. The UP grant will be used to train teachers at educational colleges. These teachers will then train the teachers in the PRO districts, where there is a lack of trainers. Training provided to seniors through PRO include computer fundamentals, navigating the Internet (with a focus on using online government services), and applications such as word processing and spreadsheets. In 2004, the target is to provide central training for 60 teachers, who will train 300 local teachers; these local teachers will provide IT skills training to 6,000 seniors.
SeniorNet, Malmo
SeniorNet Sweden is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide older adults with training and access to computer technologies so that they can enhance their lives and share their knowledge and wisdom. SeniorNet Sweden started in 1997 with government funding as an early response to confront problems of the generation gap in the adoption of IT tools. SeniorNet Sweden was inspired by the SeniorNet Organization in the United States. The national organization in Sweden has a board and a small office, as well as 53 regional clubs (as of January 2003) across the country, in total about 6,000 members. The UP grant will be used to continue and extend the project by providing more courses in basic computer skills, hiring and training more teachers, expanding the number of classes, and updating equipment.
SeniorNet Norrköping
Established in 1997 with government funding, SeniorNet Sweden is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide older adults with training and access to computer technologies to enhance their quality of life and enable them to share their knowledge and communicate with others. SeniorNet Sweden was inspired by the SeniorNet Organization in the United States. The national organization in Sweden has a board and a small office, as well as 53 regional clubs and about 6,000 members. In 2003 SeniorNet Norrköping received a $10,000 Microsoft UP grant to install new and upgraded software at their CTLC and to buy new hardware, enabling SeniorNet to teach larger groups of seniors. During 2003, SeniorNet Norrköping arranged 37 courses, with 8 to 12 learners in each course. The 2004 UP grant will enable the center to increase the number of courses to more than 45 and extend the program to additional municipalities.
IFS Central Stockholm
IFS Central Stockholm is a nonprofit association and a member of the National Association for Schizophrenia. Their mission is to support individuals with mental disabilities by promoting the rights of individuals and increasing awareness about schizophrenia and other mental illnesses. IFS/CS is arranging a tailor-made IT skills program for its members, providing training on Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, as well as Internet use. The UP grant will be used to train teachers and to improve and expand the number of courses and increase the number of participants from 70 to at least 150.
Switzerland
Formaziun Bildung Regium Surselva (FBRS)
FBRS was founded in 2003 to preserve and develop the quality of life and economic attractiveness of Switzerland's Surselva region by raising awareness of the opportunities offered by new technologies. The Surselva region, in the Swiss canton of Graubünden, is a remote area in the Alps that is often difficult to access. The UP grant will support FBRS in setting up one CTLC in Surselva. This will help establish Surselva as an IT region by creating a new economic pillar using location-independent technologies. The project's long-term goal is to increase knowledge and integrate new technologies into vulnerable populations, such as the area's unemployed and women, helping them overcome the disadvantages of their remote location. The FBRS plans to train more than 7,000 people in the next two years.
United Kingdom
Citizens Online/EveryBody Online, London
EveryBody Online was launched by Citizens Online in August 2002 to increase interest in, access to, and skills in IT and the Internet among the hardest to reach underserved communities in the U.K. The project achieves this by working among local communities and community organizations in selected parts of the U.K., organizing and supporting activities that help novices gain confidence and motivation to acquire more substantial IT skills.
For people in these communities, it has proven especially successful to help them discover online job opportunities, health and benefits advice, and cheaper goods and services. Typical activities include taster sessions, drop-in sessions, and basic computer skills sessions. Support from Microsoft will be used to expand the EveryBody Online project within the U.K., growing capacity for this early stage IT training, and encouraging more people to use the lifelong learning opportunities available to adults in the U.K. to develop further IT skills.
Age Concern, London
Established in 1944, Age Concern supports all people over 50 in the United Kingdom in getting the most from life by providing them with essential services and advocacy. Age Concern believes that access to IT and IT skills can provide many benefits for older people, enabling them to live more independently, providing a remedy for isolation, enabling greater participation in society, providing alternatives for those with mobility problems, and developing the skills and confidence to become active in the work force again through paid or voluntary work.
Age Concern's work includes providing computer access and training, developing guides to using computers, promoting IT for older people, and providing online chat through the Baby Boomer Bistro. Building on work to date, the Microsoft Unlimited Potential grant will support the establishment of Age Concern's first mini-explorer bus in the southwest UK. The mini-explorer bus will take IT to older people who are socially and geographically isolated, providing a roving IT training facility for those who cannot access existing services.
Microsoft Unlimited Potential CTLC Awards Program, managed by Citizens Online, London
In partnership with Citizens Online, the Unlimited Potential Awards Program will be established in the U.K. to support IT skills training programs for underserved youth and adults in community-based settings. The program will encourage applications from across the U.K. A review panel will include representatives from Microsoft, community leaders, and experts in the field. The program seeks to support the work of smaller groups and projects doing innovative work to develop IT skills training within their communities; these groups and projects may not have access to the resources and connections of larger regional or national organizations. Citizens Online, which will be managing the awards program, is a specialized charity with a mission to advance public education in the use of information technology. They have an established track record in managing similar grants programs.
The Karrot Project
The Karrot initiative, launched in 2001, is a joint program between the Metropolitan Police and Southwark Borough Council. The program serves disadvantaged youth (10 to 16 years old) in the borough of Southwark, which is the eighth most disadvantaged borough in the United Kingdom. It was set up to address increasing youth crime and truancy. A key element of this program is its state-of-the-art Internet bus, fully equipped with 11 PCs and a satellite communications system. The UP grant will be used to keep this bus operational for an additional two days a week, so activities on the bus can benefit youth in the area for a full seven days a week. The grant will also assist in funding additional technical support and technical training for staff. The Internet bus provides a key facility for a disadvantaged group of youth to learn about IT, use software to increase their employability, improve their communications skills, and increase positive involvement in community programs.
Fairbridge IT Skills Project
Fairbridge was founded in 1909 and exists to help build self-esteem and motivation in underserved youth populations (aged 13 to 25), strengthening the foundation upon which a life full of choices and opportunity can be built. The UP grant will support the establishment of IT skills programs in two Fairbridge centers, providing courses for young people to develop solid IT skills. These centers are Teesside (Middlesbrough) and Tyne & Wear (Newcastle) in the northeast region of England. The program serves youth in this region, which currently has a very high school dropout rate.
Leonard Cheshire Discover IT
Leonard Cheshire was established in 1948 and is the UK's largest voluntary sector provider of support to people with disabilities. It supports more than 21,000 people with disabilities in the UK, offering flexible services to meet a wide range of needs.
As part of Leonard Cheshire's wider charter, the organization sees an important role for technology in supporting people's employability and helping them achieve other valuable personal ambitions. The Discover IT project will provide IT training to people with disabilities via three fully accessible computer centers based at existing Leonard Cheshire locations in Westminster, Derby, and Cumbria. The UP grant will support the Discover IT program in these three centers, enabling people with disabilities who use these facilities to develop strong computer literacy skills.
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