‘social implications of internet development in ireland’ address to the irish internet...
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‘Social Implications of Internet Development in Ireland’ Address to the Irish Internet Association 7th July, 1999 Nualan O’Brien WRC Social & Economic Consultants. Introduction. WRC Social & Economic Consultants Context of this report. Social Implications of Internet Development. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
‘Social Implications of Internet Development in Ireland’
Address to the Irish Internet Association
7th July, 1999
Nualan O’Brien
WRC Social & Economic Consultants
WRC Social & Economic Consultants
Introduction
WRC Social & Economic Consultants
Context of this report
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Social Implications of Internet Development
Does the information society pose an Opportunity or Threat?
Positive and Negative aspects of ICTs (Information
and Communication Technologies)
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Positive Benefits
The new ICT’s have the:
potential potential to overcome barriers to employment faced by those with:
physical disabilities, people living in isolated areas or women working in the home
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Negative Aspects
In realityreality,
the expansion of ICTs results in greater income disparity, exacerbating those who are already disadvantaged
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Internet Use in Ireland
Report of the Information Society Commission, 1998
‘What the Public is saying?’
Early Adopters V Late Adopters
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Late Adopters of ICTs in Ireland
Working class
Living outside of Leicester
Female
Age: 35+
Working at home, not in mainstream employment
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Early Adopters of ICTs in Ireland
ABC1 (Upper, middle, lower middle class)
Living in Leinster
Male
Age: 15-34
In mainstream employment
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The EMPLOYMENT Initiative
EMPLOYMENT aims to promote:
access to the labour market,
equality of opportunity,
and social solidarity
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The EMPLOYMENT Initiative
1995 -1999
It is funded by the European Social Fund, and funds pilot projects which run over two year periods.
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EMPLOYMENT
Has four main strands, each with its own target group:
Horizon: People with disabilities
Integra: Social and economically excluded
e.g. Long-term unemployed, Migrants
NOW: women - at work and in the home
Youthstart: poorly qualified young people
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EMPLOYMENT ICT Strategy
Aim: to ensure that these projects which cater for the socially excluded are not excluded themselves from the new technologies
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EMPLOYMENT ICT Strategy
Background: documented in ‘Getting Connected (1998)’
This presentation looks at case studies of good practice of projects using the Internet to further their social agenda.
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Projects using ICTs
Date Project
Target group: Children with disabilities
Aim: Broaden access
Provides each child with a PC & training
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Central Remedial Clinic, Dublin
Project aim: disabilities advice on Assistive technologies locally.
Officers all have disabilities
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Gateway NOW project
Aim: To train 15 Long-term unemployed in how to run a newspaper
Plan to develop a website - put the paper online & train participants in HTML
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Mol an Oige: Tipperary
Aim: to prevent early school leaving
ICTs are being used as a learning medium, fun software being used to correct learning difficulties - removes the stigma associated with learning disabilities
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Clann Lir, Galway
Aim: To teach disadvantaged youth in rural areas how to make CD-ROMS through Irish
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Lessons from these projects
These projects are excellent examples of how ICTs and in particular the Internet can be used to:
1. Promote social inclusion;
2. To further these projects social agenda.
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Summary
The benefits of the Internet are not equitably distributed in Ireland
Civic, social & political benefits
of the Internet should be available to all
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Recommendations
More programmes like Schools IT2000 need to be introduced, and made available to the general public
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Recommendations
The current government policy focuses on developing a good telecommunications infrastructure, this is very important, but should not be the sole priority.
It is equally important that all have access to new ICTs to avoid creating a two tier Irish society.
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Conclusion
Efforts must be made to provide all with the subsistence knowledge of ICTs in the information age.
If not, the social implications of Internet development will be divisive, not cohesive, damaging and not beneficial
to Ireland.
WRC Social & Economic Consultants
Further information is on the EMPLOYMENT Website:
Details on the following: the case studies, the EMPLOYMENT ICT strategy, and a list of links to relevant reports are available at:
http://www.iol.ie/EMPLOYMENT/ict/ictpol.html
Or contact: Nualan O’Brien
Email:[email protected]
Tel: 872 3100