One year on and the Wired Community@Collingwood program has generated
benefits to residents of Collingwood public housing estate as the digital divide
begins to narrow. 

Alby Clark is a long term and active resident of Collingwood public housing estate. He is one of the residents’ representatives in the Community Safety Working Committee.

Four years ago, he could not leave his flat. He suffered depression due to the death of his family members. Thanks to the Internet access that he gains from the Wired Community@Collingwood (WC@C) project; he is now able to reconnect with other family members and friends.

"Imagine (you) just type up a letter and instantly send it to your friends, ask questions and get immediate responses. People tend to communicate that way (nowadays); it is like having conversation with your neighbours over the fence”, said Clark in an interview with yarraReporter.

Clark is one of the residents who received free computers from the project. To date, there are 880 properties in Collingwood estate that have been wired up, in excess of 400 computers have been distributed to the estate residents and 430 residents have been trained on how to use computer and Internet.

The project’s first anniversary was celebrated in mid September this year. The benefit has been recognised and written in a report produced by AT Kearney “Assessing the economic benefits of digital inclusion”. For 5 years since its launch in 2002, the Digital Inclusion Initiative, an Infoxchange pioneered grassroots model to generate positive change and ensure Australia’s developing digital future, has “generated $5.9 million of benefits to public estate residents in the areas such as employment, education, communication and greater transactional efficiencies.

The Collingwood site that was launched in Aug 2008 “is predicted to generate $6.8 million of benefits to residents and the broader community by 2013”. The project showcases how cooperation of private, government and not for profit sectors can benefit communities.

It is managed by Infoxchange Australia, a not-for-profit organisation that uses ICT to empower the disadvantaged communities, funded by the Victorian Government and in kind donation of software from Microsoft. Microsoft has been working in partnership with Infoxchange for 8 years on different projects. It donates its software for projects such as electronic of Atherton Community Enterprise (e-ACE), WC@C and Green PC.

The donation to WC@C alone is worth almost $1million. “The project as a whole is very important, it means a lot to everyone, residents and the providers. It provides a child an opportunity to keep up with his school work and perhaps an old person who is less movable can reduce the sense of isolation” said Paul Clark, Microsoft’s Community Affairs Manager.

Children of the Collingwood Estate attend Collingwood College that is located in the basement of one of the Collingwood housing estate towers to study. This project compliments the school program “Laptop for Children” that allows students take the machines home. These laptops however, do not connect to internet.

“It is an opportunity that was not there few months ago. It means the gap between home and school for the children is bridged, and the education pathway can be continued seamlessly” said Dale Perichon, principle of Collingwood College.

The Victorian government acknowledges the project benefits, and it commits to expand the project to other housing estates in Melbourne. It plans to “connect all public housing estates with internet through wireless”.

“There will be community hub that would be a centre for job training and online job search. Local employers can come to housing estates to employ residents” said Richard Wynne, the Minister for Housing, Minister for Local Government and Minister for Aboriginal Affairs of Victorian Government.

Employment is another benefit that residents have gained from the project. Residents who have Internet access and involved in computer training have had their wages increased. According to the A.T Kearney report, the “average wage increase is $111. International evidence confirms a 3-10% wage premium for those who upgrade ICT skills”.

For Microsoft it is important that technologies can provide such benefits to communities.  Through its project “On My Way”, Microsoft supports communities by “providing IT skills to disadvantaged communities, so they can be ready for employment,  do further study or start their own businesses” said ” said Clark. 

To Viola Akoch Dight, another Collingwood housing estate resident, the project has made her life easier.
“Two years ago, we did not have the privilege to enjoy the comfort of accessing internet at home. We spent the whole day walking to the libraries, schools, cafés, community centers or churches on Smith or Brunswick St to access internet. For a year now, it has been improved; no need to go to libraries” said Dight.

A further Collingwood Estate resident, Becky Atkinson, has also had positive experiences after connecting to the Internet. She uses the Internet to make friends and stay in touch with her kin and friends,
“I keep in touch through Facebook with family members and friends from here and interstate. I have not seen some of my friends since I left South Australia but through Facebook I’m connected again with them.”

yarraReporter is civic journalism training that is run by Infoxchange Australia. Portland Foundation and City of Yarra fund the project.