Page 657 - Week 02 - Thursday, 17 February 2005
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(16) Has the previously mentioned report recommending expansion of a Roving Tutor style scheme to include at-home training for people incapable of travelling been implemented; if so, how;
(17) How was the current membership of the Community IT Advisory Group (CITAG), which advises on Digital Divide policy, selected;
(18) What are the (a) occupations and relevant experience of members and (b) criteria for membership to the group;
(19) Are there any Roving Trainers who are members of the CITAG; if not, why not; if so, who are they;
(20) When will the ABS Report on the Digital Divide be finalised after being delivered to A.C.T. Government more than two months ago;
(21) Will this report be made public; if so, when; if not, why not.
Mr Quinlan: The answer to the member’s question is as follows:
(1) There is no available evidence of widespread community support for the Roving Tutor scheme. Information from those directly involved with the scheme, for example community organisations and the CIT, suggests that there is general support from participants of the scheme.
(2) No. Pre-booked commitments by organisations to clients were honoured.
(3) Not all organisations had their tutor hours reduced. Reductions were based on assessed needs and demand and were not an across the board 50% reduction.
Four organisations had their services cancelled; two on the basis they had access to alternative funding for their IT training and two as they no longer required the sessions.
(4) The reduction in tutor hours was not ‘abrupt’, but was part of a strategy that had been public knowledge for at least 18 months. The change to hours was managed jointly by the Chief Minister’s Department and the CIT. Chief Minister’s Department staff contacted the host organisations and CIT, who employ the tutors, notified the tutors.
(5) Changes to tutor hours were managed in consultation with CIT. Notification of the changes was in accordance with the information provided in answer to question 4 above.
(6) Chief Minister’s Department staff discussed the change to tutor hours with all participating organisations.
(7) A further reduction to approximately 38 hours per week for the period to 30 June 2005 will occur. Funds expended on the Roving Tutor scheme in 2003-04 totalled $278,772. This purchased 4,668 hours of training. Funds expended to date in financial year 2004-05 are $79,492 for 1,224 hours of training. Total expected expenditure for 2004-05 is $125,711.
(8) No. Ongoing monitoring of the program is in place. CIT provides regular reports on how the scheme has been operating, including tutor reports, community organisation feedback and anecdotal stories from clients regarding the personal impact of the scheme.
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