Can you remember a world before computers? Before browsing the web, word processing and navigating your desktop became part of our daily routine? In this day and age, computer literacy is truly a must for success in life.

The Nortel LearnIT Program ensures that children within Dream A Dream don’t lose out on developing these crucial skills through four levels of hands-on computer training covering the basics such as creating and saving files to using the internet and even more advanced desktop publishing such as using images and tables.

The program uses curriculum modules developed for Dream A Dream by our partner Enable Child Foundation with support from volunteers. We are also truly grateful to Nortel, who have signed on as the funder for this program for the second year now and who have also set-up the Nortel LearnIT Centre at which many of the sessions take place.

Says Prema, one of the participants in the program: “Computer class is very good and we learn more things in computer and I now know what is computer, what is Internet, Back, Forward, Address Bar etc. I learnt lot of things and I like to come once again.”

The Learn IT Program is not just about computers though. While the children are conscious of the hard skills being taught, they are less aware of the other learning taking place. As always we are also striving to instil life skills – in this case skills such as discipline, self-confidence and teamwork.

Volunteers in the program go through a special training course in which they learn coaching skills which help them to implement the curriculum as well as other games, activities and strategies that they can use to ensure that the life skills are being reinforced.  In fact, the Nortel Learn IT Program has become one of our most popular with volunteers – partly because it deals with something we are all so familiar with, but still provides an opportunity to get involved with life skills development.

In 2007/08, 56 children participated in the Learn IT program learning directly from 39 dedicated volunteers who, together, contributed over 950 volunteer hours. This year we plan to introduce 75 new children to the world of computers through the program and work with existing students to complete the 3rd and 4th levels of the Enable Child curriculum.

To find out more and to learn how you can get involved in the Nortel Learn IT program, contact Anju at anju.l.dream@gmail.com