PJ's Uk Online centre

In July 2006 MANCAT’s Openshaw campus hosted a spectacular fashion show with a difference. Instead of a parade of the latest cat walk wear - women from a variety of different countries displayed their national costumes in a brilliant array of sparkle and colour. The women had been attending The Rainbow Haven, a drop-in project primarily aimed at asylum seekers and refugees, but which is open to the whole community. It is housed in The Church of St Paul and St John in Gorton, and because of this, the project as a whole is known as PJ’s. Many activities take place there, including a café and a second hand clothes exchange, and upstairs is a computer suite where residents can either just drop in and log on, or take one of the many courses on offer.

Not many computer centres are specially designed for refugees and asylum seekers, but Pat Woodruff, Learning Centre Tutor at PJ’s, thinks projects like this are vital.

“Computer skills and internet access are a necessary part of modern daily life, and it’s so important that everyone is geared up for it – whether for work, leisure, family, or study – computers and the internet really plugs you into what’s going on. And for refugees and asylum seekers there’s the added benefit of being able to link up with their homeland by keeping in touch with family and friends, as well as with news and events.”

PJ’s is one of 8 Community Learning Centres in East Manchester which have been set up to deliver it the Learn Net initiative. Learn Net is a partnership of 16 organisations including MANCAT and New East Manchester Ltd, and the initiative as a whole is coordinated and managed by Manchester Community Information Network (MCIN). Gary Copitch is the Director, he says:

“Learn Net is designed to provide an environment in which learners who have traditionally been alienated from mainstream education, or who face barriers such as language or literacy, can acquire skills and confidence to set them on the path to further educational or jobs, as well as opening up routes to information about services and other opportunities.

“PJ’s is a great example of this. People who are newly arrived in Britain can feel very isolated and fearful. This project provides a safe space, with plenty of friendly encouragement and coaching to connect them to the information and networks they need. Events like the fashion show are a celebration of the confidence and success of this work.”

Indeed in the past 9 months the Community Learning Centres East Manchester have reached over 1000 learners, and have well exceeded targets for teaching basic computer skills to unemployed or other hard to reach groups

Two of PJ’s current success stories are brother and sister Antonio and Concetta Vitello, who have been attending the project since July last year. When they first joined, Antonio had very limited computer skills and Concetta had never even used one. However since then they have both steadily worked through a number of accredited courses including word processing, spread sheets, internet and email. Both have also completed CLAIT proficiency certificates at MANCAT and are looking towards taking up further study there. Pat says: “It’s been wonderful to watch Antonio and Concetta gain in skill and confidence over the past year, and the great thing is they are both now working for us as volunteers, helping other learners in various centres across East Manchester.”

Gary Copitch adds: “At MCIN we firmly believe that new technology is for everyone – not a world in which there is a great divide between the information-rich and the information-poor. Through Learn Net and our other projects, we want to make available everything computer skills and access can provide, particularly to groups which have faced barriers in the past.”