June 29, 2018

Computers in Homes suspended awaiting funding renewal

This blog is not being updated whilst we await renewal of funding.

Please visit 2020.nz or computersinhomes.nz for latest news or follow us on twitter at https://twitter.com/2020trustnz

Thank you

Bill Dashfield
20/20 web maestro

November 27, 2017

Funding restored – what it means for NZ families

The 2017 Coalition Government Agreement stated that Government funding for Computers in Homes – which ceased in June – will be restored. We are waiting to discuss this with the new Government. Meanwhile we continue to support the families from 2016/17 for their first 12 months online.

Because of this gap in funding, in some regions we no longer have a regional coordinator, and our national team are supporting those families.

The stories and statistics in the Computers in Homes Annual Report 2016/17 shows why the programme is so important – and successful – in helping New Zealand families get full benefit of being online.

March 24, 2017

Delivering outside the BOX

In the next couple weeks I will be facilitating a Computers in Homes programme at Kokiri-Hauora Marae.  We will be running an inhouse programme over a weekend noho, which will be presented to the whanau of Kokiri Marae Health & Social Services.



Watch this space...

Summer Learning Journey - Partnership & Flexibility

Kia ora e te whanau,

Well, our pilot programme has now concluded with an amazing outcome for all.  Towards the end of last year, Computers in Homes teamed up with Spark, Te Awakairangi Access Trust, Hutt City Council & Taita Clubhouse to provide students and parents with digital engagement over the summer break.

The project was undertaken by Rachel Williams in 2015/2016 within the Manaiakalani Cluster.  The purpose of the programme was to keep students engaged in literacy over the summer break, as recent known studies show that literacy levels drop over Christmas/New Years.  The programme had 20 students throughout the Hutt Valley participate through blogging over the summer break.  Students were to select 1 out of 6 countries to blog about via the Taka Trust Blog Stream to research and answer weekly activities.

This was the first time Computers in Homes Wellington/Hutt had teamed up with many different organisations, which was an amazing challenge and very beneficial to the kaupapa.

TAKA Trust & Hutt City Council - utilized the blogging project so that they could present to Hutt City Council - Digital Access is a necessity within the Hutt City, not a luxury.  Working alongside Joani Araiti was amazing as she was tuturu ki te kaupapa and did the behind scenes mahi to get the project up and running.

Spark - Lisa Paraku worked alongside 20/20 Trust to roll out the new initiative Spark Jump, which provides wireless internet connectivity through the a 4G Spark Tower.  Where there is Spark Cellphone coverage, the modems provided to the whanau should have access.  Unfortunately in some areas within the Hutt Valley, coverage was not accessible through this option, however, some whanau were able to utilize the free prepaid 30G data that 20/20 sponsored over the summer break

Taita Clubhouse - Tom Johnson was an amazing person to work with and so was the Taita Clubhouse.  The Clubhouse was a safe space for Rangatahi to check in and do their blogging when they needed to.  The Clubhouse also offered other activities for the Rangatahi if they needed a break from blogging, which was majority of all visits.  Tom monitored the blog site and managed the registration process for rangatahi to have access to posting up their research.  One of the comments I had received from the Rangatahi was "I only go because Tom makes it fun there.  He's a crack up!".  I felt that without Tom's engagement with Rangatahi, the opportunity to stay connect to the kaupapa may have been lost.  The Clubhouse gave the Rangatahi and parents an extra space to complete their learning with the added support of staff.  The Clubhouse also hosted the parents of the rangatahi, who participated in Computers in Homes.

Computers in Homes - As the rangatahi were becoming engaged in digital literacy, we needed to make sure the parents were on the same page as their tamariki.  We hosted 13 classes over the break - 1 at Avalon Intermediate, 2 at Naenae Library and 10 at Taita Clubhouse.  As the times didn't suite, we became flexible in how the classes were delivered.  Patrick would run the regular sessions for all the whanau who could attend at Taita Clubhouse and I ran sessions outside of the learning hours - Saturdays after rangatahi sports, Sundays whilst Rangatahi were off training.  This was a first, however, it is what you do when you believe in the kaupapa.

Overall, we graduated 13 Rangatahi in the Summer Learning Journey programme and 13 Parents in Computers in Homes.

One of the other factors that kept our rangatahi engaged on the programme beside "Them wanting to excel in their literacy" was, we held a competition for most blog posts, comments and interaction online.  The TAKA Trust had donated a Mac Airbook - which was won by Tapaki Togiatau for most blogs posted over the summmer break.  Aroha mai, we have no photo as yet as this device is still yet to be awarded to him.  

And the second prize was donated by the 20/20 Trust which was won by Pheonix Allan.

Due to technical difficulties at the beginning, some students took a lot longer to get their blogs off the ground, so I felt it was only fair to introduce a 2nd prize for to keep rangatahi engaged in the kaupapa.
Below are some great photos of the graduation:

                                                  














January 26, 2017

2015-2016 Wellington/Hutt Computers in Homes

What an amazing year!

We managed to graduate 62 out of 50 projected numbers within the Wellington/Hutt.  We held graduations in 4 schools with Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Nga Kohanga Reo o Te Awa Kairangi graduating 21 whanau through 2 intakes.  Every school, kura and community centre holds their own unique sense about them, but their ahua remains the same - Manaakitanga.

We also worked alongside the new Walter Nash Centre where we facilitated 2 intakes and graduating 12 within this project year.

Wellington/Hutt are always looking at new innovative ways in which we can work alongside training centres, community centres and local business and be a driving force for digital literacy.

We would like to congratulate all the 62 participants who have graduated from the following schools and community centres this year.



Watch this space as we Computers in Homes will be working in collaborations with other organisations for the 2016-2017 project year.

May 23, 2016

Quarterly Computers in Homes Hui

As is every year, Wellington are fortunate to host all Computers in Homes Regional Coordinators for the quarterly hui at Te Whare Waka o Poneke Function centre.

Image result for te wharewaka o poneke                 Image result for te wharewaka o poneke

We hope all the coordinators are wrapped up warm and they get to enjoy the beauty Wellington has to offer.

Preparation for Graduations

We are now coming to an end of the 2015-2016 Computers in Homes Programme where we will be completing our final graduations.

2 schools who graduated a great group were fortunate to have the remaining numbers for the year.
Te Ara Whanui Kura Kaupapa Maori o Nga Kohanga Reo o Te Awa Kairangi will gradaute 6 families and Holy Cross School will graduate 8.  This will bring the total of families to graduate from the Wellington/Hutt Region for 2015-2016 to 52.