DISABLED people at five Lancashire day centres will soon be able to brush up on their computer skills thanks to a £800,000 boost from the Government and the New Opportunities Fund.
The scheme, which has been set up by Lancashire County Council Social Services in partnership with Fujitsu International Computers, aims to take technology direct to disabled people, using a new product called Cyberskills, which will enable users to talk face-to-face to others on screen around the world.
The centres involved include: Holly Trees, Chorley, Hyndburn Centre, Accrington and Oakenhead Resource Centre, Rawtenstall.
The project will see special computer suites installed at each centre, giving service users, who would normally have difficulty accessing facilities at UK Online centres, access to the latest technology.
Lancashire Social Services and Fujitsu International worked together to find funding for the Cyberskills scheme and, after two years of research and development, grants for £570,000 from the Department for Education and Skills, with an additional £250,000 from the New Opportunities Fund, which operates the National Lottery, were sealed.
Plans are underway to install the Cyberskills units in December and will hopefully give service users the opportunity to link up with others around Lancashire, the UK and abroad.
Staff at the centres will be given Cyberskills training so they are able to respond in helping disabled people make the most of the specialist kits.
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