The FamilyNet project, run by Sheffield City Council’s Lifelong Learning and Skills Service, was funded by South Yorkshire e-Learning Programme (SYeLP). The project culminated in a celebration attended by participating families and the local Mayor.
Vivienne Drake, Family e-Learning Project manager, says: “New technology is dominating our lives; those who have access to it get all the opportunities that it brings and those who don’t miss out. By providing families with computers and access to the Internet in their homes, as well as Family Learning courses, parents were able to support their children’s education and could engage with it for their own learning and development.”
Kathryn Todd, whose children attend St Catherine’s school, says: “If I hadn’t had the knowledge from FamilyNet I can honestly say that I wouldn’t be where I am today at university. For me it’s opened up the door to my future and for me to support my children.”
FamilyNet is now running Project Completion Workshops to help families continue their learning and decide what to do next with their new skills. Families who have engaged with the project will be allowed to keep their computers and printers.
For more information about the project, please visit: www.familynetsheffield.org.uk
