PCs against Barriers
In 2010, our project PCs against Barriers (PPB) entered the 14th year of its existence. Its main objective remains unchanged: to reintegrate handicapped people as fast as possible through their education and re-training using information and communication technology. We are constantly looking for suitable partners to organize all kinds of computer courses all over the country. Backed by the general sponsor of the project, Microsoft, we have since 1996 been able to trigger the inception of no fewer than 22 PC centers across the Czech Republic, where handicapped people may enroll, participate in course programs, and learn how to work efficiently with computers. Our goal is to further improve the quality of these centers towards a maximum variety of training programs that would offer our clients a broad range of opportunities in terms of improving their job qualification.
We recapitulated the results and successes of our joint efforts in the past years and tried to identify areas in which there is still room for improvement. The Foundation also adopted new terms of cooperation and support for all training centers that are operated under the project tagline PCs against Barriers.
Specifically, we would like to motivate the training centers towards the fulfillment of the following parameters:
- a minimum of 5 re-training courses per year,
- training at least 50 course graduates per year,
- assistance to trainees in finding employment,
- cooperation with our follow-up projects Job Fair and 4G University
If they meet these criteria, training centers receive:
- a CZK 30’000 p.a. grant for computer course lecturers,
- a CZK 20’000 p.a. grant for English class lecturers,
- a CZK 5’000 p.a. grant for internet connection fees,
- a CZK 5’000 p.a. grant for training center administration, maintenance, or rent,
- certification of training center and course programs,
- option to acquire a PPB Classroom and Microsoft license with the right to use their logo,
- option for suitable candidates to enroll in the MS IT Academy program,
- option to acquire further Microsoft software.