1 February 2006

A new initiative is being established to help tackle the digital skills divide in Wales.

The Welsh Assembly is hoping that a £9 million scheme will improve the level of computer literacy in many rural and deprived areas of the region. The three-year Communities@One initiative will focus on ensuring that such communities are granted access to improving their IT and computing skills.

"As society increasingly adopts new technologies, individuals and groups who are ICT literate are benefiting from opportunities," said Welsh regeneration minister Edwina Hart.

She added: "The most deprived communities in Wales are in danger of getting left behind by the online revolution but Communities@One is a support structure that will help individuals and communities and narrow that gap."

The scheme will make use of 11 community brokers who will join forces with locally-based groups to help develop a number of activities and courses that will foster greater IT literacy among local residents.

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