Name of the Organization : Department of Communications, Energy & Natural Resources
Type of Facility : BenefIT Digital Skills Training Grant Scheme
Country: Ireland
Website : https://www.gov.ie/decc
BenefIT Digital Skills Training Grant Scheme:
The BenefIT Programme is a Government grant initiative providing funding to third sector and not-for-profit organisations for the provision of digital literacy training. Under the scheme organisations or partnerships who can meet the requirements set out in the Rules for the Scheme and who can provide the stipulated training may apply for the grant.
Related : Sustainable Authority Better Energy Homes Grant Online Application Ireland : www.statusin.org/9469.html
The successful grantees are awarded grants to deliver the stipulated training. Trainees complete a feedback form describing the training they received and their satisfaction with it.
Objectives:
The core objective of the BenefIT Programme is to get more people online – focusing in particular on harder to reach groups like older people, the unemployed and the disadvantaged. We do this by working through our partners to teach people the basic digital skills they need. Since being introduced in 2008 the BenefIT Programme(s) have provided training directly to over 100,000 people all over Ireland – helping people to learn new skills, use the internet and access online resources. The programme also supports wider Government objectives e.g. encouraging and helping people to use online public services and online banking. This helps them to save money and access new opportunities. The training is being very well received with 99% of the trainees happy to recommend it to a friend. 3 out of 10 trainees on this Programme say that as a result of doing the training they will buy a computer, laptop, tablet or other access device.
BenefIT 4 Scheme:
The requirements for applications under the scheme were set out in the BenefIT 4 Guidelines.
The deadline for applications for new grantees under the first call for proposals was May 2013. In July 2013, Minister Rabbitte announced the first tranche of grants awarded under BenefIT 4
Grants were awarded to:
** Age Action
** Autism Support Louth & Meath
** Ballyfermot IT
** Caring For Carers
** Carlow Community Enterprise
** Louth & Meath ETB
** Waterford & Wexford ETB
** FIT
** ICS Skills
** ICTU
** Institute of Industrial Engineers
** Irish Internet Association
** Irish Rural Link
** Irish Wheelchair Association
** Sligo Leader
** South & East Cork Area Development (SECAD)
** WALK
Contact:
If you have any queries in relation to grants under the Benefit 4 scheme please email us at Benefit@dcenr.gov.ie or phone 01-6782293.
The Training:
The training consists of not less than 8 hours spanning several weeks and has two parts – a core curriculum and an elective selected by trainees from a menu of options.
Training is now available in each county under the BenefIT 4 scheme.
The Monitoring:
At the end of their training trainees complete an online feedback form describing the training they received and their satisfaction with it. DCENR monitor the receipt of feedback forms to ascertain the amount of training taking place and the level of satisfaction with the programme. DCENR welcomes constructive feedback on what works well for trainees and suggestions on how the training can be improved. DCENR will select (at ranadom) trainees and phone them to ask about their expierence of the training. Officers for DCENR will also carry out un-announced visits to training sessions in progress.