8 January 2007

UK online centres is launching 20 new projects in a bid to help socially excluded individuals.

Aiming to address the areas outlined in the Social Exclusion Action Plan last year, the ICT projects will target adults with mental illnesses, teenage parents and economically deprived families, reports eGov Monitor.

More than 150 centres across the country will be involved, each receiving funding of up to £100,000 to provide Internet-ready computers and other digital media to help individuals.

Robert Bisset, chief executive of Chester Aid to the Homeless, said that computers are now a vital tool for ensuring communication and employment prospects.

"An email account is a real lifeline if you don't have a fixed address and we've found ICT can be a real hook for people," he remarked.

Recent research from learndirect found that almost one in five young adults felt that a lack of skills, such as IT proficiency, is inhibiting their career prospects.

© Adfero Ltd

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