Ensure every high school student has access to a computer after school hours.
There was a time when I became aware of how essential a working computer with internet access and a black and white printer are to supporting a child while going through high school. As a parent living with high school children one sees the daily demand for printed projects which are all part of attaining a successful enter score in the final race to the doors of the university.
Without access to a working computer and printer the high school student is placed at a serious disadvantage when compared to their peers, whether in the same school the same school system or within those other schools on the other-side of the river.
Education is a fundamental building block of civilized society based upon the principals of a level playing field. Why so? We are not all born equal, either physically, intellectually, or financially but an intelligent society soon realizes it needs to nurture intelligence and realizes that intelligence is something that emerges from every strata of our social matrix.
An intelligent society places a premium value on nurturing the intelligent above those talented in sport or those who are adapt with a dollar.
Within the inner regions of our city of Melbourne we have some very large community housing estates: Within those estates there is space available to set up rooms with the facilities that can provide a working computer a working printer and internet access. It is possible to have those spaces manned by a competent adult so as high school students from the community can have after school access. These types of facility would ensure that all high school students who live in these areas would not be disadvantaged by not having access to this type of equipment during their education journey.
Another benefit.
These facilities could also provide an avenue to generate communication links within these social microcosms. A computer connected to a black and white printer that works can manufacture a poster. A poster can be placed on a lift wall. The people living within these estates travel up and down the lifts which allows they to become aware of community activities. Whether they are support services, sporting activities, social networking opportunities or any other activities.
The current Covid-19 experience is an example of how these lifts have been utilised by the government as a means of communication:
A Community poster in the lift
The people living within these communities are often coming to Australia from other countries and need to form new connections with others. Having access to an easily seen poster that shows them what is going on around them can be very helpful for them particularly when adjusting to their new home.
There already exists a facility within one of our local housing estates that refurbishes computer equipment that with minimal funding can supply the required equipment to run the required facilities. The name of this entity is Estate Computers.
Estate Computers.
Estate computers already has the technological expertise to provide and run the equipment. It is a facility that can involve the expertise of the local community to get a system such as this to operate and also is working to provide low cost localised internet connections.
Integrating with a shop local strategy.
Once up and running these facilities can also function in conjunction with a shop local campaign. These activity centers would be placed in high density housing complexes with a broad range of local interaction. The design of the shop local posters can be incorporated into the activities as the information flow of local activities is readily available. The posters both for activities and for advertising local business can easily be placed in the lifts that run up and down these multi story dwellings, providing easy access to a ready market for local business.
