Atwater Library launches digital literacy project

Champagne, caucus representative for cultural issues in Quebec, began the launch with an enthusiastic presentation detailing the Department of Canadian Heritage's contribution of $24,000 that made the new ALCC initiative, the Atwater Digital Literacy Project, a reality. The purpose of the project, which will begin in January and is funded until the end of April, is to develop and support creative new media learning programs including audio, video animation and text publishing done through the internet, for Anglophone youth aged 18 to 24.

The program will be coordinated in partnership with community organizations that include the Youth Empowerment Project that is being organized from the Padua centre in Little Burgundy, the Tyndale St. Georges Centre in Little Burgundy, Westmount High School, James Lyng High School and Head and Hands.

Starting in January, Ronald Mungal, coordinator of YEP will coordinate a full time self esteem, health and awareness program for a group of young adults who live in Little Burgundy. The ALCC will coordinate an eight- to 12-week series of workshops on new media for the YEP program with YEP providing a creative arts component, and to introduce program participants to new media as a career and professional development option.

Youth media trainer and artist Loralie Bromby will coordinate the workshops series and develop lesson plans and projects with the organizations and will also teach some of the workshops. A second teacher has been hired and Miriam Verberg, director of the project, is interviewing for a third teacher. All teachers have experience not only with new media but also specific experience working with and teaching young people.

Verberg is excited about the project that she says will allow the participants to develop their own individualized projects.

ÒThe goal of the project is to build a framework in which every participant will feel supported and will be able to contribute to the program. We want to be able to let each participant develop their own individualized project.Ó she said.

To that end she is looking to build a data base of volunteers experienced in new media technology who will be trained in working with young people so they can come in and teach a two hour session once a week on working with videos, building websites, video art, digital slide shows and audio stories, and sound walks.

"Every one will have their own ideas and we want to help them make them happen."

The 40 participants will begin the workshops in January. At the end of the series Verberg is hoping to present a showcase of what they have accomplished to the community. But more funding is needed to continue the program after the first series so the ALCC is once again looking for more sponsorship to continue making this important program, the only one of its kind in Anglo Quebec, continue to give alternative learning opportunities to the community.

Hugh McGuire, ALCC vice-president and chair or the Digital Learning Project advisory committee summed up the program saying the mandate of the original Mechanics Institute, the predecessor of the Atwater Library, was to provide an extension of education for the working man. "Through the Digital Literacy Project we are continuing to do that," he said.

For more information, contact Miriam Verberg at the ALCC at 514-935-7344.