Council’s online bus wins national digital inclusion award

24th, January 2012 by

citizenzone bus

A mobile bus which aims to get the people of Preston online has won a national award.

Preston City Council’s CitizenZone vehicle takes to the streets to teach people who to use computers, browse the web and send emails.

The vehicle won a Public Sector Digital Award for ‘best use of IT to build a fairer society’.

The CitizenZone scheme has become so popular places now have to be booked by local residents to use it.

Councillor Matthew Brown, cabinet member for community engagement and inclusion, said: “This is a fantastic achievement and reflects the hard work and dedication that the team has put in.

“This kind of innovative service is helping all of Preston’s communities in becoming digitally inclusive.”

The council delivers the IT training in conjunction with tutors from Preston College.

  • Gordon Southgate

    Great idea. What about free or cheap laptops or computers. The citizen scheme

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Gordon-Southgate/100000167524802 Gordon Southgate

    I would suggest that there is some duplication going on here as local libraries have been providing internet and computing courses for years. Would the money not be better spent on providing computers to the “digitally Non Inclusive” members of society. These buses smack of bureaucratic and political PR in times of austerity. I suggest that the community would benefit from correct promotion and development of library services rather than waiting for a bus. Could we also not recondition unwanted laptops and computers. I am sure that a campaign for unwanted laptops and desktops would reap rewards. Rather than dumping them at the local tip or storing in the loft to collect dust I am sure our public would be happy to donate. Easy enough to recondition them and distribute appropriately. I am up for IT. Gordon http://www.ourtechguy.co.uk
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