Public libraries across Victoria are hosting free Open Days for rural women to connect and learn new IT skills as part of the Victorian Women’s Trust (VWT) Rural Women Online project.
Research and evidence has emerged recently that highlights the critical barriers experienced by women in rural and remote areas to online participation. The most significant of these is the Australian Digital Inclusive Index 2020 & 2021 (ADII), which identified three crucial pinchpoints: access, affordability, and ability. Launched in mid 2022, Rural Women Online (RWO) is an initiative aimed at addressing ability: helping rural women connect online by fast tracking their access to IT training, support and mentoring.
The project is co-funded by the Helen McPherson Smith Trust and the Bendigo Bank Community Enterprise Foundation, with in-kind support from VWT and participating public libraries. The project consists of a public-facing website that focuses on the three pillars of RWO:
1. Training
A self-directed, mini-curriculum of advice covering a wide range of tech knowledge—from e-safety to how to use various software, providing effective and clear communication by using videos and women’s stories.
2. Support
VWT will run a one-day-a-week ‘help desk’ in real time—fielding email and phone enquiries that provide instructive advice that empowers, not condescends, to users.
3. Mentoring
The most intensive pillar, RWO mentoring will provide up to 30 hours of one-to-one learning to a select group of users (capped at 300). Entry to this program will be filtered according to a number of considerations including user’s level of IT literacy, hardship, how remotely they are located, and if they live in bushfire-affected areas.
In addition to the website, VWT will coordinate a series of 12 in-person ‘Open Day’ sessions at various rural locations, including 4 bushfire-affected areas: Mildura, Swan Hill, Ballarat, Hamilton, Horsham, Shepparton, Wangaratta, Wonthaggi, Corryong, Myrtleford, Mallacoota and Buchan – Bairnsdale. These open-day sessions will:
• Engage women in the RWO program and activate their participation
• Build a constructive atmosphere leaving users feelings valued and enlivened by their participation
• Provide exciting promotions and/or guests at sessions
• Provide IT support on the day for questions on computer equipment and software
• Provide access and assistance on training and support through the distribution and dissemination of IT educational materials
• Assist in signing up mentees and mentors
• Promote and engage in collaboratively devised communications strategy to attract participants.
And this is where libraries come in. Recognising the role that public libraries play in supporting digital literacy and inclusion, creating social connection, and supporting lifelong learning and skills development, VWT approached PLV to see if libraries in the 12 project locations would be willing to host the Open Days. Of course, they said YES!
The first of the Open Days will take place in Wangaratta on Tues 19 July. Register for Open Day sessions here.
Download digital marketing materials are available here.
A DL flyer is available here and a printable a4 poster here.
For more information, please visit the Rural Women Online website at: www.ruralwomenonline.org.au