Information is Power, Part One, by Chris Garbett

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The internet offers us a resource that we must use effectively. Never before has so much information been potentially available to so many in one place. In the first of his two part series on the power that this entails, Chris Garbett, Marketing and Development Manager for Charity U Can Do IT, writes for FE News on the best source of information today.

Information is Power

“Information is power”, and the best source of information is the internet. Never has there been such universally available knowledge for us all to share. That is of course if you have the knowledge of how to access it.

“Google” “Downloading” “Uploading” “Surfing” an alien language to some, off putting and confusing to others. Yet, the internet is really quite simple all you need to know to get started is actually not that much. What is difficult is the question: “Where do you go to get this information if you have a disability?”

There are IT training centres on practically every street corner nowadays, but how many of them are capable, equipped or have even considered the possibility that one day a disabled person might want to “walk in” and get trained. I think we are all realistic enough to realise that this situation is not going to change in the foreseeable future.

Education Begins in the Home

The alternative, then, is “home” training, and a costly alternative that can be, especially if screen – readers or voice recognition software is concerned. Unless, of course, you are fortunate enough to live within the M25. The Charity U Can Do IT, has since 1999 been providing one to one home training and to date has trained over 1,000 disabled individuals to shop, bank and meet new friends all by using the internet.

Every disabled person is unique in their abilities, needs and situation. One to one training is so important; to train at ones own speed, to be taught what is appropriate, to be able to have your lessons specifically structured. These might sound like grand designs but actually, given the variety and complexity of most disabilities such individual support is the best and only way forward, to gain positive results.

Read the second part of Chris Garbett on the internet and opportunity right here at FE News!

To find out more about U Can Do IT, please click here.

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