Wicklow Information Network:

Background:

In 1997-98 Wicklow Rural Partnership (WRP) drew up Local Action Plans in conjunction with eighteen communities around County Wicklow. It became clear that the county was experiencing a need to resolve the ever widening rural/urban divide and its associated ills.
Advances in technology mean that geographical isolation is no longer a barrier to rural communities participating fully in the information society and so an initiative to develop a countywide network of IT Centres was proposed.
The proposal qualified as a community based initiative under the LEADER II programme and an application for funding was approved by the Board of WRP. It sought to make the best use of existing resources such as halls and village centres to provide access to technology based training and services for all sectors of the community, thus improving social and business economies in the long term.
Eleven IT centres were initially set up as a result of this initiative. They have been staffed both voluntarily and with the help of FÁS funding to provide valuable training, career and life experience for all involved.
The centres help to prevent erosion of rural society by localising resources usually found only in urban areas and by affording an opportunity for the comfortable integration of old and new lifestyles.
The centres provide modern opportunities on the terms of the individual, businesses, and communities.There are now seven centres within Wicklow Information Network.

In 2008 Wicklow Rural Partnership merged with two Social Inclusion Development Companies, Wicklow Working Together and Arklow Community Enterprise to become a county wide organisation known as County Wicklow Community Partnerhsip (CWP)
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Mission Statement:

The Mission statement of WIN reads as follows:

"WIN's ultimate purpose is to provide social and economic inclusion for Wicklow's rural community by providing essential IT and personal development training, through co-operative action between the statutory and non-statutory organisations, within and bordering County Wicklow".
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Testimonials:

"Wicklow IT Co-operative Society Limited's approved Training Programmes and Trainers have been placed on the FÁS/EI National Register of Trainers."
Registration number: 902155
Registration expiry date is 15/04/2007.

The Third Report from Ireland's Information Society Commission cited WIN "as an innovative project using Information and Communications technology at local and community level to tackle issues of social exclusion". (Dec 2000).

"I have no hesitation in recommending Wicklow Information Network for the delivery of I.T. training".
Brian Kehoe,
Programme Manager,
Wicklow Rural Partnership

"The training provided by Wicklow Information Network was structured and professional and we have no hesitation in recommending them as a quality training organisation"
Margaret Malone,
Community & Enterprise Development Officer,
Wicklow County Council.

"We have found this organisation very trustworthy and competent in all their dealings"
Tom Gregan,
Area Manager,
FBD Insurance plc
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Contact:
- tel:
- email: info@win.ie
- web: www.win.ie