The purpose of this article is to provide outline details of a community project in Devon called "IntraCom", and to call for volunteers to be involved with the project in Bradworthy.
IntraCom stands for "Interconnecting Rural and Urban Communities". The project is based on research carried out by Devon County Council in 1996/97 with local and European partners. The research found that many people in rural communities were being disadvantaged simply because they did not have ready access to information that could be of help to them in satisfying a whole variety of needs. The IntraCom project is intended to remedy that situation.
The project is about locating a state-of-the-art computer system with a connection to the Internet and World Wide Web, in a public building in the heart of selected local communities in Devon. The system will be freely available for use by residents and visitors, and will enable people to obtain information that is useful to them as well as gaining first hand experience of using a computer to its maximum potential.
The pilot phase of the project started on the 1st April 1999 and is due to end on the 31st March 2000. Devon County Council will be responsible for project co-ordination.
Bradworthy, Holsworthy and Bideford East-the-Water have been confirmed as IntraCom pilot sites in the area covered by Torridge District Council.
A computer system was delivered to the Memorial Hall in Bradworthy last month and has been installed in the 1st floor room of the new extension at the front of the building. A telephone line was put in by British Telecom so that the system can now be connected to the Internet.
I have been asked to head a Core Community Group. The group will be responsibility for the functional management of the pilot project in Bradworthy in liaison with the Central Project Team.
Rod Stevens and Frank Tallamy have recently joined the Core Community Group as representatives of the Management Committee of the Memorial Hall.
The Core Community Group needs more men and women, of different age groups, to assist with the project. It is desirable that the Parish Council, local businesses, local organisations and community groups are all represented. Anyone who is, or has been involved in the planning and management of community projects will be especially welcome.
Volunteers do not need to be computer literate, as those people who are concerned with the operational running of the computer facility will be given free training if necessary.
In the early stages group members will be concerned with setting up a working IntraCom facility in the Memorial Hall and deciding how it will be managed and administered on a day-to-day basis. It is possible that the facility will be expanded into an Information Technology Resource Centre at a later date.
Members will also assist in the development of a community website by actively collecting useful local information.
By way of example, the website may include information about:
After ensuring that the information is accurate, reliable and up-to-date, group members will submit it to a Community Editor for consideration as to whether it should be published on the local website. Eventually, all the IntraCom pilot sites will be linked together into a network that will span the County.
Quite apart from gaining free access to good quality information, users of the facility will get first hand experience of using a computer.
Here are just a few of the possible computer applications:
Individuals who are interested in this project and would like to know more, are invited to attend an open meeting that is to take place in the IntraCom Computer Room in the Memorial Hall on Monday 7th June 1999 at 7.30pm.
Anyone interested in becoming a member of the Core Community Group is asked to telephone me on 01409 241004 as soon as possible, or contact me by e-mail at the following address: mike.wade@dial.pipex.com.
Experienced computer users with access to the Internet will find more details of the project on the IntraCom Home Page. The address is: http://www.intracom-sw.org.uk