Colombian Community Members Graduate from the Computers in Homes Programme

On 24 September, twenty Colombian families in Porirua and the Hutt Valley graduated from Computers in Homes (CIH), a programme launched by 2020 Communications Trust in 1999.  The programme, which has been working with refugee background families around the country since 2004, aims to “help families in greatest need to use the internet, email, and basic computer skills in their everyday lives, to enhance their performance at school and at work.”

Every year, the Ministry of Education provides funding for approximately 80 to 100 refugee background families around the country to receive refurbished computers, internet access, training and technical support.  Programme participants complete 30 hours of training over 10 weeks, after which point a graduation ceremony is held, and the families take home their computers.  The Ministry of Education provides funds for contracting individual technicians to provide technical support after graduation, ensuring that families continue to be able to utilise the skills they learned in the course and supporting them as they increase their participation in the online community, and all equipment has a 12-month hardware warranty provided by RemarkIT Solutions in Wellington and The ARK in Auckland.

Initially designed for a broad range of families in need, in 2004 Computers in Homes reassessed and adjusted its programme to create a separate new initiative that would work specifically for refugee background families.  “The difference between the original programme and the refugee programme is that we took into account the fact that members of the refugee community often arrive with little or no support,” says Di Das, National Coordinator for Computers in Homes.  “They may not have family or community support, which means that we need to provide extra assistance for things like transport, babysitting, interpreters.  We have also extended the amount of time that an internet connection is provided from six months to twelve months for refugee families.  We spent a lot of time trying to ensure that we removed whatever barriers might stop people from being able to complete the programme.”

The ultimate goals of the programme are “to give refugee families the necessary computing tools and skills to become active learners and to provide refugee children and their families with access to online educational resources from home.”  However, for many community members, the most important aspects of the programme vary.  Doris, a member of the Colombian community who completed the course (center of photo at right), says “The most important thing for me was about being able to get on the internet and to learn how to type quickly without looking at the keyboard.”

Former refugees in New Zealand are faced with both the challenge and the opportunity to learn an enormous amount of information as they adjust to their new country.  Access to a computer and the ability to use computer technology dramatically increase their learning capacity as they rise to meet their challenges.  

Additionally, after arrival in New Zealand, former refugees often undertake a more active role in their own education than they may have done previously, especially in the way of parental involvement in their children’s learning.  “We know that in many of the countries from which the refugees have come, the government controls education,” says Di.  “However, in New Zealand there’s an expectation of parental involvement in children’s education.  We aim to connect the families with that concept and to equip the parents to be involved in their children’s learning.”

For refugee background families, Computers in Homes provides them with essential tools for integration into their new society.  “Now I know how to manage and use a computer, ” says Doris.  “This is going to be a very valuable tool for me for my learning.  It’s going to help me a lot, and the questions that my children ask, they can look up on the internet.”  On behalf of her fellow community members, Doris adds, “It’s going to help all of us in our new lives in New Zealand.  On the part of all the Colombian refugees, thank you very much to the Computers in Homes programme.”

To the left, Honorable Luamanuvao Winnie Laban, who attended and sang at the Graduation presentation.

Photos by Graham Craig and Sarah Rivers.