Existing Computers in Homes Projects in New Zealand:

Historical Progression of CIH Projects
Current Computers in Homes Projects
Established Computers in Homes Projects
CIH Projects for Refugee Children and their Families

 

Gisborne Project (current):

Ngati Porou Project Update:
Te Runanga O Ngati Porou launched their Computers in Homes programme at Hatea-a-Rangi School in Tokomaru Bay. It was attended by Gisborne Mayor Meng Foon and Ministry of Education representatives Murray Brown and Colin Brown. CIH personnel included Ivan Lomax from the Gisborne City and Rural CIH programmes and National Coordinator Di Das.

February 2008:
DIA announced its funding for 6 new CIH regional projects at Awapuni School in Gisborne in October 2007 - View Article from Beehive (external link).

• Gisborne Rural
• Ngati Porou
• Wairoa
• Far North
• Kelston Deaf Education Centre (KDEC)
• Porirua City

This was attended by MP’s Hon Winnie Laban and Moana Mackey (check spelling) Gisborne Mayor Meng Foon, CIH Di Das. Significant that CIH began at Cannons Creek School in Porirua which is Winnie Laban’s electorate, and also significant that Awapuni was East Coast’s 1st CIH school.

Below: Regional Coordinators at the quarterly meeting for CPF projects. They get together for reporting, updating, upskilling, peer review and support, and to check in with DIA.

• Front L to R Cheryl Jackson WestREAP Hokitika; Christina Turner Eltham; Alistair Fraser Wanganui; Nick Westwood DIA
• Rear L to R Laurence Zwimpfer 2020 trust; Phillip Thomson KDEC; Leeanne Morice Ngati Porou; Ivan Lomax Gisborne & Gisborne Rural; Leon Symes and Leona Karauria Wairoa; Michael Stevens Porirua; Janine Moore and Denise Martin Far North. Absent David Foster KDEC

Below: Ngati Porou project launch at Hatea a Rangi school in Tologa Bay. Attended by MoE Murray Brown and Colin Brown, Meng Foon

 

October 2007:
Since 2002 there had been enquiries from Gisborne and Tologa Bay but CIH had no access to further funding at that time. In 2004 Awapuni School in Gisborne city asked for information on how to run a project and sourced sponsorship for 3 families from local businesses associated with the school. They thought that as a decile 3 school they would not qualify for CIH, but meanwhile we managed to get MoE funding for 20 families, and this began a groundswell of interest from the mighty East Coast!

The following year Awapuni offered to mentor 3 extra schools if we could secure funding for more families in Gisborne. At the same time the need in Wairoa and Ruatoria was identified, so 2005 saw a huge boost to family ICT literacy on the East Coast, adding over 100 families across Te Hapara, Kaiti & Cobham schools in Gisborne; and Hiruharama, Wairoa Primary and Mohaka Schools.
By this time a core of expert CIH coordinators was being honed, and in 2006 they formed a steering group with Gisborne City Council and applied to the Digital Strategy to take CIH citywide. This resulted in local coordinator Ivan Lomax recruiting 18 schools to serve 500 Gisborne families with the opportunity of CIH.

Since then Ivan has been successful in the 2nd round of Community Partnership funding to take CIH out to a further 150 in the rural areas; Ngati Porou have secured funding for 250 families for the northern East Coast and Leon Symes with the Wairoa Distict Council will rollout to 250 families over the next 2years.
The launch of this latest success is 5 October 2007 in Gisborne, very appropriately hosted by Awapuni School and its rampant champion of CIH, Principal David Langford.

June 2007:
Training is still running for new families to take over the 5 computers returned by transient families at Te Karaka. The induction meeting in late March was also attended by current CIH families to encourage and mentor the new ones along. One mother said she has been a cleaner all her working life, but since being a CIH parent she is now a doctor’s receptionist at the local medical centre.
Principal Kim Nikora attended the Atomic Learning workshop in Gisborne arranged by Ivan Lomax and Maureen Lambert, and used this meeting to show staff and parents the programme and other free MoE software.

December 2006:
Tamariki entertained guests at the CIH graduation. Guests included international academic and researcher on community informatics, Michael Gurstein and 2020 Trustee Barbara Craig.Te Karaka community held a powhiri to welcome CIH, 2020 and international academic Michael Gurstein to their graduation. 
Michael was impressed with the project and spoke to the children about their future involvement in education and ICT.
Parents involved had taken full advantage of the CIH experience, with one father attending all 60 hours available. The school is hoping he will now train to be their technician since Te Karaka’s Community Tech has moved to Rotorua.
Te Karaka will be able to extend its CIH base if the current Gisborne rural Community Partnership bid is successful.

Gisborne Community Partnership Fund Project

Visit the Gisborne CPF Project Blog

Visit the Digital Strategy Website to find out more about the Community Partnerhip Fund (CPF)

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