Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment PartnershipMidlothian Advice & Resource Centre
Midlothian Advice & Resource Centre (MARC) is a registered Charity, based in a socially excluded area within Midlothian. They currently run a furniture recycling project, providing low cost furniture for residents in the local community and surrounding areas. Keen to expand their recycling base they combined forces with MagicWand
One of the projects MARC is doing is the "1st Aid 4 PCs":
This project main aims is to teach members of the community how to carry out basic repairs, maintenance and upgrade functions on computer systems, by utilising old computer systems in line with the WEEE directive. This includes the Installation of the Operating System (Windows) and components (Modem and Sound Card) as well as this members get to take home the computer system with them for them and their family to use for free.
"Entertain and Educate families without costing the earth".
This innovate project is a catalyst for life long learning and training which helps raise the ICT skills of people in Midlothian and would help attract future companies to Midlothian as the work force is trained. This project will enable people to start with flexible skills, which could lead on to formal qualifications.
At the end of the course local people will be able to take home the computer system they have been working on.
There are still local people out in the community that do not wish to take up life long learning as they are "terrified" of a computer. This course is the first step to break down that barrier. Once people try to "break" a computer system and then fix it.
There is only 44% of adults in the UK not using the Internet and 48% of house holds without access to the Internet. National Statistics 30 Sept 2003. In Midlothian the figures are higher.
Not all people can afford a computer system, including school children. One long-term goal is to give every child as school a computer system.
When a computer system "breaks down" most people can not afford to fix it.
Midlothian Advice & Resource Centre
10 Woodburn Road
Dalkeith
Midlothian
EH22 2AT
Tel 0131 663 0400 or 663 8888
E-mail: midlothianarc@btconnect.com