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Darlington Borough Council Education Department

Laptop Initiative/Mobile Contact Bus

I enclose a brief report which details the uses to which the laptops have been put. May I take this opportunity to emphasise that the equipment has been invaluable in this project. The young people who access the facility, the youth workers, volunteers and the other professionals involved have all stressed the importance of the laptop and the issues which arise from them.

1.0 Many young people do not normally use the traditional form of facilities or advisory agencies, either because they feel alienated by the or because of their geographical inaccessibility. As a result these young people are increasingly isolated from the rest of the community. The Contact Bus has made contact with young people on the streets and outlying villages and has gradually built up a level of trust and positive relationships with the young people and the community with a view to widening their horizons by offering information, support, guidance and encouragement to them. The bus is a converted single decker bus designed by young people to provide a mobile youth provision which can travel to any neighbourhood in Darlington. It provides for young opportunities for young people from 13 to 25 years old.

1.1. Information and Advice

A. Wide variety of health issues.
B. Welfare rights and benefits.
C. Careers, training and employment
D.    Housing

1.2 Opportunities

1. Access to computers and laptops with information on health, C.V’s, IT, Careerscape, Kudos
2. Direct fax link for training opportunities
3. Leisure and project involvement

1.3 The staff of the bus are qualified Youth Workers as well as professionals providing advice on health, housing, training, employment, careers information.

1.4 The bus has been up and running since last September and up until December last year there have been 2091 young people who have accessed information on the computers and laptops, which include C.V’s, Health, Careerscape and Kudos as well as IT skills.

1.5 The bus has been sponsored by Darlington Borough Council Community Education, Darlington. The Darlington & District Youth Community Association, Darlington Youth Development Trust, Darlington Constabulary, Durham County and Darlington Careers Service and The Princess Trust.

1.6. The laptops are key to much of this work. The young people use them for preparing C.V’s, information on Drugs, accessing the information on Careers guidance, Health issues and many other areas of advice. Such has been the success of this project that the Darlington & District Youth and Community Committee is seeking funds to provide a second Contact Bus.

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